ksq design - residence hall renovation …...ksq is recognized nationally for its student life...
TRANSCRIPT
RESIDENCE HALL RENOVATIONSTUDENT LIFE REIMAGINED
Especially when that new life is student life. A newly renovated resi-
dence hall, done well, creates a place on campus where engagement is revived in lounges, study rooms and corridors. Even community baths, once simply a rite of passage to be endured, feel more like health club locker rooms. More times than not, these halls become the most requested places to live on campus.
Something wonderful can happen whennew life is breathed into an old building.
In our experience renovating student housing over the last 28 years, our teamat KSQ Design has helped universities transform dark, unused basements intovibrant centers of recreation, vacant corridors into active zones for socializing and dated lounges into hubs that build community. While thoughtful, creative design solutions are the hallmark of our approach, so is listening well. Time and again, we find that our clients and project partners are struck by our philosophy that a good idea can come from anyone at the table—from administrators and faculty to students and staff. Building community through good design isn’tsimply what we do— it’swhy we do what we do. This mindset makes all the difference.
Our process begins withplanning exercises such as focus groups and design charrettes on your campus where we learn more about your priorities and vision. Our willingness to listen and collaborate with your team allows us to identify strategic, creative solutions for capitalizing on lost space that can be reimagined for amenities, community spaces and student units to strike the right balance for your particular project.
Before
After
PROGRAMMINGFOR THE RIGHT FIT Integrating living/learning communities or a
residential college model into an existing hall
offers a unique opportunity for housing to
play an important role in how many students
learn today. Finding areas to add faculty-in-
residence apartments, classrooms and study
rooms while minimizing bed loss is a creative
programming exercise in which our team is
well versed.
PLACES FOR ACADEMICS
A central stair was created to connect the main floor lobby to
the existing basement, allowing for new circulation patterns
and natural light to greatly improve the use of this space.
These “fish bowl” study pods in the
corridors allow students to see and be
seen while adding a measure of
separation and quiet for focused study.
“OLD NAVY,GAP ANDBANANA REPUBLIC”OPTIONS
When economically feasible (sometimes, sadly, a building must come down), arenovation is the right solution in orderto be good stewards of a university’sresources. We like to provide “good,better, best” design options for your team
to consider, what one university liked to call the “Old Navy, Gap and BananaRepublic” range of options. We look for ways to help you keep what works(such as existing openings for plumbing, electrical, etc.) in order to maximize your budget. This approach allows you to think through priorities on spacetypes and finishes to find the best fit for your needs.
One of our favorite aspects
of housing renovations are
the found spaces we uncover
in the design process. Study
nooks and window seats carved
out of long corridors, extra
space for a larger community
kitchen and a new recreation
spot in a lounge all add up to
a residence hall where students
can find a variety of ways to
see and be seen, whether solo
or part of a larger group.
"FOUND" SPACES
Utilizing every opportunity to reimagine a space can deliver
spectacular results. Nooks under stairs or in corridors, or
expanded community kitchens such as this one in a renovated
front lobby at Baylor University serve to engage students.
Most vintage or legacy halls have
one thing in common—a lack of
vital natural light. We look for every
opportunity to creatively bring this
into a space. One of our favorite
solutions was a glass block floor near
an upstairs lounge that allowed light
to flood the basement corridor below.
Adding a central stair connecting
the lobby to the basement below
also provides both connectivity and
a source of light below. We often
reimagine a more dynamic main entry
with larger doors (and ADA accessibility) and windows that welcome the sunlight
in but also showcase the activity inside to the walkways beyond.
NATURAL LIGHT Creative ideas to
bring light into a dim
basement space include
solutions such as glass
block flooring—interest
is added to the floor
above as well.
Baylor University
Brunswick Community College
College of Coastal Georgia
Colorado Mesa University
Colorado School of Mines
Metropolitan State University of Denver
University of Coloradoat Boulder
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
University of Coloradoat Denver
Criswell College
East Central University
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Gallaudet University
Guilford TechnicalCommunity College
High Point University
Institute of Technology Utica Rome
Liberty University
CLIENT LIST
Minnesota State Collegesand Universities
Missouri State University
New Mexico State University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina State University
Northeastern State University
Oklahoma State University
Oral Roberts University
Rogers State University
Rutgers Camden
Sam Houston State University
Skidmore College
Southern Methodist University
Stanly Community College
State University of New York Albany
Stephen F Austin State University
Stony Brook University
Temple University
Texas A&M University Kingsville
Texas Christian University
Texas Tech University
Texas Woman’s University
University of Arkansas Fayetteville
University of Arkansas Little Rock
University of Central Oklahoma
University of Dayton
University of Dayton
University of Houston
University of Illinois
University of Kansas
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Michigan
University of Missouri St. Louis
University of Northern Iowa
University of Oklahoma
University of OklahomaHealth Sciences Center
University of Rhode Island
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of South Carolina at Beaufort
University of South Carolina at Lancaster
University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at El Paso
University of Tulsa
University of Vermont
Wesleyan College
Western Piedmont Community College
Williams College
Yale University
York Technical College
KSQ is recognized nationally for its student life expertise. Our university projects span more than 75 campuses across the nation—over 100,000 beds and more than one million square feet of dining space—and illustrate our deep understanding and commitment to students through the development of spaces that facilitate living, learning and social interaction.
Contact:
Monica [email protected]
KSQ Design is a full-service
architectural, engineering and
interior design firm specializing in
creating memorable student life
spaces—from dynamic dining halls
to vibrant student unions and
thoughtful residence halls—for
university campuses nationwide.
To learn more about how we’ve
transformed the student experience
through good design, visit us
at www.ksq.design.