Consulting Firms
Ayers Saint Gross
Ayers Saint Gross is internationally-recognized for its expertise in architecture, planning, sustainable design, landscape architecture and environmental graphic design. Our firm is unique in that 90 percent of our work is devoted to the planning and design of educational systems and campuses for public and private clients. Over the past 25 years, we have undertaken more than 500 projects for more than 140 educational institutions.
Our mission is to engage people and places to create designs that enrich the world. The word “engage” is very important to us; we listen first to the broad constituents that represent our clients, including faculty, students, staff, alumnae, neighbors, city officials and other interested parties. We begin by analyzing the existing conditions of a place, with the belief that we need to respect what came before us, with the ultimate goal of developing plans that will guide growth so our client’s campuses become even more beautiful and functional places to meet their mission.
Instructional Technology: The Sextant Group
The Sextant Group is one of the nation’s top technology consulting firms, supplying independent full-service planning, design, specification and project management. Their work encompasses strategic technology planning, the design and specification of audiovisual and information technologies (voice/data/telecom), building security, architectural acoustics, noise and vibration control and architectural lighting. The Sextant Group has planned and designed classrooms, labs, auditoria, lecture halls, student unions and other educational spaces for over 800 projects on more than 200 campuses in 45 states and 11 countries.
Drawing on decades of experience in audio, video, networking and communications technologies, The Sextant Group creates communications spaces, systems and services that support the present — and future – needs of higher education.
Consulting services include these distinct yet complementary disciplines:
- Demonstrated expertise in designing media-rich classrooms & labs, multimedia lecture halls, auditoria, and distance learning systems, offices, cyber cafes, collaborative work areas and other educational space
- Demonstrated expertise in overcoming difficult acoustical environments
- Demonstrated expertise in designing and crafting creative data communications solutions
- Most importantly, been recognized in industry as leader in the integration of digital audiovisual media and computing solutions (“convergence”).
As audiovisual and information technologies converge, new opportunities for higher performance, greater flexibility and new applications are being created. In the new millennium, the technology environment will become increasingly reliant on integrated AV/IT solutions.
The Sextant Group will provide expertise to help guide the University of Richmond and the design team through a complex series of decisions on what is possible and what is affordable. Beyond technical strength, a defining difference of The Sextant Group is their commitment to an intrinsic understanding of the client’s specific processes. As technology representative, their participation assures the University of Richmond’s unique technology needs will be carefully and thoughtfully integrated into architectural designs, resulting in the delivery of flexible, adaptable solutions.
Cost Estimating: EDC
EDC, located in Richmond, Virginia, provides Development Management services for higher education clients. Raymond Hunt, AIA, Executive Vice President of EDC, will oversee the project team and manage the entire cost estimating and budgeting requirements for the Classroom Master Plan.
EDC has worked for the following higher education clients:
- American Hebrew Academy
- Bridgewater College
- Emory & Henry College
- Hollins University
- James Madison University
- Longwood College
- Roanoke College
- UNCG, Capital Facilities Foundation
- University of Virginia Real Estate Foundation
- Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
- William & Mary College