The newly renovated Stanford University Graduate School of Education (GSE) opened this past fall, marking a major milestone after seven years of design & construction to complete the seismic retrofit of a historic 100,000 sf existing building and the construction of a second 50,000 sf new building. The existing structure was originally built in the late 1930s. The retrofit presented unique structural challenges, as its lateral system combined unreinforced brick masonry with non-ductile concrete shear walls, while the gravity system ranged from wood and steel trusses to concrete-formed decks and two-way concrete slabs. This mix of materials required thoughtful detailing and a performance-based design retrofit supported by nonlinear static analysis.

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A new 50,000 sf structure was completed in tandem with the renovation. The four-story steel moment frame building features multiple terraces and a Colloquium event space. The buildings are unified by a 13,500 sf courtyard, creating a connected, modern complex that supports teaching, research, and community while honoring the legacy of Stanford’s original GSE buildings.

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