2019 Directory

44 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .19 | www.aia-wyoming.org TheWyoming StateCapitol is one of 20 stateCapitols designated as aNationalHistoric Landmark.That designation is largely due to the events that transpired in thisChamber in 1889. AsWyomingwas seeking Statehood, theConstitutional Conventionwas held in this room. A large part of theConvention focusedonwomen’s suffrage, a right thatWyoming womenhave held since 1869. It was in thisChamber that representatives enshrined women’s suffragewithin theWyoming StateConstitution, becoming the first state todo so andmaking this one of themost historically significant chambers in the country. The Chamber has been returned to its original size by eliminating a partitionwall and infilled floor structure; reclaiming the two-story volume andpublic balcony. Original features included extensive decorative painting and a stained glass lay light and chandelier, which had been moved in the 1970s but have now been restored to their original location. This magnificent and historic Chamber is now the largest meeting room in the Capitol and will seat approximately 75 members of the public. Current and formerWyoming SupremeCourt Justices held a brief opening ceremony of theHistoric SupremeCourt Roomin theCapitol on July 10, 2019. The 1888TerritorialHouseChamberwas occupiedby theWyoming Supreme Court from1890 to 1937. No roomin theCapitol has beenmore radically transformedby the project than theHistoric SupremeCourt Chamber. TheCapitol Extension connects theCapitol andHerschler Building underground.The renovation of the existing tunnel extends under theHerschler Building. It is ideally located to accommodate many of the identifiedpublic needs and functions that were displaced fromtheCapitol including publicmeeting rooms, a student learning center, amedia center, andother public services. Combining a newstate of the art central utility plant with theCapitol Square Project allowed for economies of scale in construction costs, while also addressing critical replacement of failing equipment andpiping.The systems in theCUPhad reached the endof their existing life cycles and required extraordinarymaintenance to keepoperational.