Our Building

The Karsh Institute of Democracy’s New Home

The space to realize the promise of democracy

The University of Virginia’s 65,000-square-foot Karsh Institute of Democracy building will be the focal point of the Emmet-Ivy Corridor, a transformative 14.5-acre gateway that connects key areas of the University. Scheduled to open in 2027, the new building will sit adjacent to the Virginia Guesthouse Hotel and Conference Center and the School of Data Science.

Initiated with a $50 million gift from Martha and Bruce Karsh, the Institute’s new home is envisioned as a vibrant hub for research, teaching, and public engagement—a space where students, scholars, practitioners, and the public can come together to strengthen democracy through collaboration and innovation.

The building is designed to foster connection across Grounds, with 17,500 square feet dedicated to the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and shared spaces that bring together schools, centers, and departments engaged in the work of strengthening democracy. 

“The Karsh Institute works closely with partners on Grounds, in the surrounding community, across the country and around the world to build and strengthen democracy, and our new building will expand our capacity to do so,” said Melody Barnes, executive director of the Karsh Institute. “At its best, architecture unites form and function and thanks to the generosity of Martha and Bruce Karsh, as well as the creativity of the design team, we’ll have vibrant space that reflects our mission and supports the collaborative nature of our work.”

Building Design

The design team, headed by the design architects Höweler + Yoon, explored the materials and the colors to be used in the Karsh Institute  to ensure this 21st century building resonates with the historic Rotunda.

The new building will serve as a pan-University hub, complete with bright collaborative spaces, classrooms, conference rooms, office spaces, media production suites, a greenroom, an oval room, and a 425-seat auditorium with tiered balconies, and the interior finished with honey-toned oak.

The Karsh Institute building is a Design for Freedom Pilot project, an initiative to eliminate forced labor in the construction material supply chain. The project team is working to deliver a building that will not only demonstrate the highest standards of ethical building practices but also raise awareness about the issues relevant to labor in the building material industry.

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