Around 2010, University Architect Lisa Johnson began planning what has become one of the most popular places on NC State’s campus: Talley Student Union. The project was a renovation of the original building, which was constructed in 1972 when the student population was about half its current size. Students lamented in surveys and feedback sessions that Talley had become more of an office building than a hub for campus life. Some even said they felt like there was nothing for them there.

Based on that input, Johnson got to work planning the modern iteration of the building. Johnson’s plan maximized foot traffic and made the updated student center a place where students could enjoy events, get food and drinks, study or just hang out.

“Talley impacts every student on campus,” Johnson said. “Now there’s a reason for every student to go there.”

Throughout Johnson’s 33 years at NC State, constituent input has guided major design decisions and played a crucial role in her work. It’s also one of the things she’ll miss the most when she retires this month.

“What really kept me here is the variety and quality of the projects I’ve worked on and the people I worked with,” she said. “I have such a great team of colleagues who have made my work really enjoyable.”

Mastermind of Physical Master Plans

As university architect and assistant vice chancellor for Campus Planning and Strategic Investment, Johnson’s goal is to ensure every structure on campus is accessible, functional and visually appealing — and that each building serves a purpose. Her team’s campus-planning effort drills down to details like the color of light posts and the placement of dumpsters. She notes that small details make a difference in the scheme of the entire campus design. Even the brick pathways are the result of careful planning and were intentionally designed with utility and sustainability in mind. Johnson notes that, unlike concrete or asphalt, bricks can be pulled up and later replaced when maintenance workers need to access utility lines that lie underneath. 

It’s all part of the multiple physical master plans she steered through development in 2014, 2017 and 2023. The 2023 Physical Master Plan and Campus Development Process is one of her proudest achievements because it was created with feedback from more than 3,500 campus partners who helped inform the shared vision for what NC State’s campus should look like in the future.

“Getting that kind of engagement is so crucial,” Johnson said. “It makes it so that it’s not just Lisa Johnson’s master plan — it’s a plan the whole campus helped create.”

A Long List of Achievements

While Talley is one of Johnson’s favorite projects she’s worked on, it’s certainly not the only transformative project she’s helped bring to life. She has overseen major renovation projects for several beloved NC State landmarks during her tenure, such as an extensive restoration project for the Memorial Belltower and the renovation of Reynolds Coliseum. She has helped preserve and protect NC State’s 10 Hallowed Places, and she spearheaded the planning for new additions to the campus landscape like the Wellness and Recreation Center, the Plant Sciences Building, Fitts-Woolard Hall and the James B. Hunt Jr. Library.

As work winds down for Johnson this month, construction is amping up on one of her latest projects: Woodson Hall and the restoration of the Brickyard outside it. Like many of the buildings she’s planned during her tenure, the new headquarters of the Integrative Sciences Initiative will be a space that fosters community while putting science on display for scholars of all academic disciplines. Large windows will allow passersby to observe the collaboration happening inside, and a digital wall on the first floor will allow visitors to engage with the fascinating interdisciplinary science projects happening in the labs. The building’s Catalyst Cafe will keep researchers caffeinated while encouraging visitors to stay a while and study or chat with one another.

Although Woodson Hall doesn’t open until this fall — long after Johnson clocks out at the end of her last day — she is just as excited for its grand opening as she has been for all her other projects.

“I’ve been here long enough to really see some major transformations on campus, making it more beautiful and more functional for people to work, live, learn and play,” Johnson said. “It’s really rewarding to see people using spaces the way you intended and designed them to be used.”

Johnson has received multiple honors for her work over the years, including the 2025 Frank B. Turner Award, which recognizes a state employee who has made an outstanding professional contribution to the built environment. She also received an Award for Excellence from NC State in 2013.

Charles Maimone, executive vice chancellor for finance and administration, worked closely with Johnson during her career and commended her for the many projects she planned over the years.

“As the university architect, Lisa’s impact has been extraordinary,” Maimone said. “Her unwavering commitment, visionary leadership, exceptional service, genuine collegiality and unparalleled portfolio of work have shaped many of NC State’s most significant and transformative projects, bringing to fruition iconic buildings and campus landmarks. What stand out most are not only the scale and significance of Lisa’s work, but also the lasting legacy she has created for the university community. Lisa’s vision, expertise and remarkable 33 years of service have strengthened the NC State campus in ways that will benefit students, faculty, staff and visitors for generations.”