Mary Fisher Hall was the first building constructed on Goucher College's campus after relocating in 1942. As the sole building on campus for six years, the multifunctional facility was adapted regularly to support its changing uses—often to the detriment of its architectural clarity. In response to growing student sophistication and a need to strengthen community, the project reinvents campus life and establishes a geographic and social heart of campus.

The building encompasses a diverse and overlapping program, where space functions shift throughout the day. The design consolidates several scattered, outdated dining halls into one central dining hall while interlacing multipurpose spaces to provide flexibility of use during and after food service operation hours. Two new additions flank the existing building featuring large, animated spaces while the existing building is redefined with discreet spaces to create intimate nooks.

The interior references both historic and contemporary architectural features of campus, grounded firmly by the existing Butler stone which is left exposed. Copper details from neighboring buildings inspire a palette based on patina—from bright copper lamps to antique bronze tones, to pops of blue and red. Inspired by original oak details in the atrium, sculptural wood ceilings tie the additions to the original building. In the main dining room, the sweeping wood ceiling lifts the gaze up and out to campus. Tile flooring nods to the original slate floors while providing ease of maintenance for the modern dining facility. The union of old and new reflects Goucher’s growing and evolving campus.