Thurston Hall

George Washington University | Washington, D.C.

Located two blocks from the White House on the Foggy Bottom campus, Thurston Hall is George Washington University’s largest freshman residence hall and is critical to the first-year experience for many students. The 100-year-old building has seen many uses in its lifetime, though has had no previous comprehensive renovations. A central, inaccessible lightwell was converted to a highly functional outdoor covered space that can usable most of the year. In addition, GWU took the highly unusual step of putting back fewer beds than are currently in the building to improve residence life.

The building contains a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) with heat recovery and rainwater collection.

Project at a Glance

Completion: 2021

Size: 200,000 SF

Cost: $85,000,000

Project Type: New Facility

Awards/Certifications:

LEED Gold Targeted