On-campus living is an important part of undergraduate life for many students, but the specific details of that experience vary greatly among college and university campuses. Ayers Saint Gross believes that since each institution is different, the design of residence life facilities must respond accordingly to define and enhance campus culture.
Over the past decade, Ayers Saint Gross has designed more than 10,000 beds for universities and colleges across the country. Through this experience, we have learned that one size does not fit all. Each academic institution is unique and its student residence halls must be tailored to the particular culture of the campus.
The residence life experience is a critical component of learning and development for higher education students. Residence hall design offers unique opportunities to facilitate outside the classroom learning, particularly in the area of sustainability.
One trend in our current work is the inclusion of learning spaces, retail and other common amenities in the residence hall ground floor program to serve residents of the neighborhood, as well as the building. In each case, a portion of the ground floor is accessible to other neighborhood or campus residents, while other parts of the ground floor and the upper floors are restricted to building residents.
“We like to think that we are good listeners and have no preconceived notions, but each project has its own unique considerations…”
Ayers Saint Gross has designed thousands of beds over the past 10 years. Through our practice, we have learned that a student’s experience outside the unit has significant academic…
Gone are the days of “dormitories” and “dining halls.” Today’s colleges and universities know that innovative housing is the most effective means of building a sense of community…
