Porcelain tile used on reviving historic campus Marquette University
When renovating two of Marquette University’s core buildings, architects selected a varying palette of porcelain tile that would blend aesthetically well together and return the buildings back to their original luster
In 1923, the cornerstone of Marquette University’s historic district, Sensenbrenner Hall, was built to house its Law School. The three-story, brick and stone clad building — which was recently the main focus of a major renovation — helped the Jesuit university create its architectural identity. In its original state, the interior of the building included terrazzo floors, curved wood handrails, ornate ceilings and skylights. The top floor features a beautifully appointed Library with mezzanine level stacks, accompanied by a Reading Room with a vaulted timber-framed ceiling, wood wainscot, stained glass windows and a fireplace.
In 1966 and 1985, large-scale additions were made to the Hall and most of the interior hallmark features were insensitively handled, causing much of the building to lose its original appeal. In 2012, the College of Arts and Sciences chose the vacated building to house its Administrative offices and History department, which is when the University decided to enlist the help of the Milwaukee, WI-based architectural firm Korb Tredo Architects to complete a building-wide renovation.