Members of Trinity College participated in a tour of the Reuben-Cooke Building on Oct. 22, 2025, as the building undergoes a comprehensive renewal.
A Look Inside the Renewal of Reuben-Cooke
Gathered on the top floor of the Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke Building on West Campus, members of Trinity College’s leadership recently saw how the modern and the historic are becoming intertwined in the building’s renewal. Hundreds of terra cotta tiles and sections of the original roof structure have been carefully removed to make way for a new penthouse that will house modern building systems. The Reuben-Cooke Renewal project brings new life to a historic structure that opened in 1931 during the first wave of construction of Duke’s West Campus.
The interior of the building, which has been home to the Sociology and Psychology & Neuroscience departments, has been stripped down to its bones and will soon be rebuilt with modern classrooms, dry laboratories, offices and gathering spaces. The design retains and emphasizes many of the historic and iconic features while introducing more modern elements as well as a significant increase in natural light into corridors and other common spaces.
Formerly called the Sociology-Psychology Building, the facility was dedicated in 2021 for the late Wilhemina Reuben-Cooke, one of Duke’s first cohort of five Black students who after graduating from Duke went on to a successful career as an attorney, professor of law and senior administrator at Syracuse and the University of the District of Columbia, and to serve as a trustee of Duke University and The Duke Endowment.
The scope of the project includes upgrading mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to meet current efficiency and safety standards, reconfiguring interior spaces for optimized functionality, improving landscaping, and upgrading AV and IT infrastructure. Additional work will provide accessibility improvements, updated finishes, new roofing installation, window refurbishment and energy-efficient solutions to align with Duke’s sustainability goals.
Trinity College Dean Gary Bennett believes it’s fitting for the renewal of Trinity College facilities to begin with one that honors the legacy of such an impactful alumna. “To say she was an incredible human being is an understatement,” Bennett said. “Her example will continue to live in this building and in the ways in which we engage with our students, in the ways we engage as a scholarly community and the ways in which we continue to serve the community. I couldn’t be more excited about this project and I can’t wait for you to see it.”
The project is being managed by contractor LeChase Construction with O’Brien Atkins Architects and Annum providing architectural services. Trinity College Facilities & Space Planning has led the effort to define programmatic needs of the college and the two main departments and has taken the lead in setting up swing space in Erwin Square.
The project is scheduled to be completed by summer 2027.