College Residence Hall

Chloe Richards
October 31, 2013
Block 3
Design Project

Table of Contents

Design Problem
Building Program
Living Learning Community Description
Project Research
Traditional Dormitory Residence Hall- The Bundy East and West Halls
Apartment Style Residence Hall- The Root Farmhouse
Conceptual Design
Building Description
Design Solution
Design Evaluation

Design Problem

Building Program

The design of a Living Learning Community residence hall of a multistory building

will be completed. The intent of this building is to connect students to their peers, their
community, and the environment by enhancing academics and social life, throughout their
college experience.

User Elements:

Six suites:
Four closets
Living Area
Entrance
Two double dorm bedrooms
Community coordinator residence:
Kitchen
Bathroom
Living area
Dining area
Full bath
Entrance
Bedroom
Closet
Hallways
Professor office
Lounge
Deck
Hallway
Entrances
Boys and Girls Bathrooms
Stairs

Living Learning Community Description

The performing arts Living Learning Community residence hall is designed for
students studying, interested, and/or partaking in the performing arts. Community coordinators
will schedule master classes with local and traveling performers as well as provide information
on classes in towns nearby. The students who live in this building will be able to live and work
with other students with similar performing arts interest. The Living Learning Communitys
goal for performing arts students is to enhance academics, social life, and performing skills
throughout their college experience.

Project Research
Traditional Dormitory Residence Hall- The Bundy East and West Halls

The Bundy East and West Halls are on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, New
York. It is a two building complex with double and single dorm rooms. The residence hall
includes lounges, recreation areas, and laundry facilities. The building is two stories and eightyeight students can be housed there. There is a front lawn designated as an outdoor space for
students living in this housing. The Bundy East and West Hall is a quick walk to the Bundy
dining hall and the Business Office/Human Resources building. The complex is also a short bike
ride to the neighboring community, downtown Clinton is only 1.2 miles from the campus. In
addition, the residence hall is only a quick walk to the Root Glen garden, a 7.5 acre garden open
to all students for relaxation and recreation.

Personally each student in a dorm room has his or her own closet space and, if in a single
dorm, their own bedroom. Shared with most of the floor are boys and girls bathrooms, although
multiple bathrooms can be found throughout the floor. Each floor shares a lounge and recreation
room as well. The building shares laundry facilities as a whole. The cost per semester to live at
Hamilton is $3,200. The housing rooms are about twelve feet by ten feet for doubles and about
ten feet by nine feet for singles. Each room includes a closet, desk, bed, and chair for each
student. the design of the room allows a bit of flexibility for student customization. Both storage
and workspace are provided for each student within their rooms. Personal appliances are allowed
in the rooms as well. Also, cable TV and high speed internet are available for student.
Personally I believe that the lounges and recreation areas would allow me to make a
pretty strong connection to my peers. The design of the Bundy East and West hall would only do
an okay job at connecting me to the community and environment because they are not as
prominent features in the complex. Overall, I believe the residence hall would do a pretty good
job at maximizing my college experience in all its aspects.

Pictured here is the Bundy East and West Halls and the floor plans.

Apartment Style Residence Hall- The Root Farmhouse

The Root Farmhouse is on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
It is a two story, three apartment complex with double and single bedrooms, a bathroom, a living
room, and a kitchen for each apartment. The residence hall shares laundry facilities and a front
porch. The building is two stories and twenty students can be housed there. There is a front lawn
designated as an outdoor space for students living in this housing. The Root Farmhouse is a
quick walk to the Beinecke Student Activities Village because of its central location. The
apartment is also a short bike ride to the neighboring community, downtown Clinton is only 1.2
miles from the campus. In addition, the residence hall is only a quick walk to the Root Glen
garden, a 7.5 acre garden open to all students for relaxation and recreation.
Personally each student in a dorm room has his or her own closet space and, if in a single
dorm, their own bedroom. Each apartment shares the bathroom, living area, and kitchen. The

building shares laundry facilities and the front porch as a whole. The cost per semester to live at
Hamilton is $3,200. The housing rooms are about twelve feet by ten feet for doubles and about
ten feet by nine feet for singles. Each room includes a closet, desk, bed, and chair for each
student. The design of the room allows a bit of flexibility for student customization. Both storage
and workspace are provided for each student within their rooms. Personal appliances are allowed
in the rooms as well, although, with the apartment amenities are probably not needed. Also, cable
TV and high speed internet are available for student.
Personally I believe that the living areas and porch would allow me to make a very strong
connection to my peers. The design of the Root Farmhouse would only do an okay job at
connecting me to the community because it is not a prominent feature in the complex. Also, the
building would do a pretty good job at connecting me to the environment because of its close
proximity to the Root Glen. Overall, I believe the residence hall would do a pretty good job at
maximizing my college experience in all its aspects.
Pictured here is the Root Farmhouse and floor plans.

Conceptual Design
Building Description

This building will be completed at Hamilton College. The residence hall will be two
stories overlooking the Root Glen garden. The building as a whole will also include an one story
lounge and deck to be shared with all the students. On either side of the lounge will be a single
Living, Learning Community, wing. Each wing will be two stories, overall leading to the
building consisting of four communities. A wing for twenty college students for each Living
Learning Community, will be constructed. The wing will include suite rooms , a community
coordinator residence apartment, a professor office with study hall, lounge, and single sex

bathrooms. Each suite will individually include two double dorm rooms connected by a small
shared living area.

Design Solution

Pictured here is the suite floor plan and rendered images

Pictured here is the community coordinator residence floor plan.

Pictured here is the living learning community lounge floor plan.

Pictured here is living learning community bathroom floor plan.

Pictured here is the floor shared lounge floor plan.

Pictured here is the building deck floor plan.

Pictured here is the living learning community floor plan

Pictured here is the entire building floor plan and rendered image

Design Evaluation

Q: What did you design?

A: I designed a living learning community residence hall for Hamilton College that maximized
students educational, personal, and social connection through their community, environment,
and peers.

Q: How does the design of your building support the concepts of a living learning communities?
A: My building houses each living learning community in a different wing allowing for
segregation, but with a floor lounge for mixing with the building community. Each living
learning community has their own suites and lounges for peer interaction as well. The front deck
gives students access to an outdoor living area too.

Q: How does the design of your building support the specific theme of your living learning
community?
A: The design of my building supports the specific theme of a performing arts living learning
community because with large open areas, such as the deck and possibly the professors office
for students seeking help, performers can practice upcoming performance pieces.

Q: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall explain how the design of your building
enhances the ability of occupants to make strong connections to peers.
A: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall the building I designed better enhances the
ability of occupants to make strong connection to their peers because not only does each floor
have a lounge, but each living learning community and suite. Also, the deck is another place for
peers to be with each other.

Q: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall explain how the design of your building
enhances the ability of occupants to make a strong connection to the community.
A: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall the building I designed better enhances the
ability of occupants to make strong connection to their building community of the floor lounge
and building deck.

Q: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall explain how the design of your building
enhances the ability of occupants to make a strong connection to the environment.
A: Compared to a traditional dormitory residence hall the building I designed better enhances the
ability of occupants to make strong connection to their environment through the deck and the
close planed proximity to the Root Glen garden.

Q: Explain how the building you designed provides living conditions that would maximize your
college experience. (Personal, social, and academic growth and achievement)
A: My building would maximize my college experience because the living learning communities
would give me a chance to find people who are interested in the same things as me. Have people
I know would personally make me more confident and feel at home. The ability to have so many
different options of lounges would help maximize my social growth as well. Having a
professors office would allow me to go for help and study, also desks in each room would
provide a more personal work space.