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Design By Team Residence Hall Architects Connect with University Students
KWK Architects’ experts say the best way that architects can improve their design standards is by speaking directly with students about their needs and wants for a space. They claim the process is a crucial part of the process. KWK used this input from student leadership groups to design the new 53,000 sq. ft. living/learning residence hall at Augustana University in South Dakota, an L-shaped, three-story hall housing up to 200 students. A community building at the front of the hall will include shared multi-purpose spaces, and incorporate living and learning environments for faculty, students, and affinity groups. The existing building features a welcoming jewel box for a large glass pavilion at the end.
According to KWK principal Paul Wuennenberg, students can spend 70% of their time outside the classroom. These halls are more than a place to sleep, there’s offices, learning areas, classes, lectures, etc.—an infusion between practicality and design.
This infusion continues throughout the process. A lot of nuances come into play just by a project being on-campus to consider. “On campus, it’s a little bit different than your average construction project, Wuennenberg says. “There’s a lot of pedestrian traffic. [Contractors] have to coordinate with dump trucks to make sure students are safe, routes to and from the academic core of the campus to the existing housing, when to start work and can’t do certain things on site to cause noise.” The communication and engagement with students is important. Notifying students of safe routes and understanding that noisy work will likely not begin until after 8 a.m.
One of the unique challenges Wuennenberg’s team had was the construction of a concrete grade beam going over an existing and operational utility tunnel beneath the building—explaining that it’s like building a bridge underground. “We stopped the foundations on both sides of that tunnel, and then not unlike what you would see like in a parking
garage, we created a concrete beam that spans across the top of it. So, we’re not throwing any load onto the top of the tunnel, but it’s being transferred down to the sides and into the footings. The building is supported from that.”
Making sure the decorative elements coordinate with the existing brick campus language, the building features a concrete terrace from a glass pavilion with sidewalls for seating. KWK is also utilizing some precast concrete trim and cement board panels with the masonry.
KWK likes to engage students, explains Wuennenberg, and 90% of the time universities want the them a part of the process. “They want to know that they’re making the right decisions,” he says. While those that participate may not be the exact people using the building in the future, this connection provides insight into the culture—allowing KWK to learn what was unique about the institution versus another.
There are several methods that architects can use to solicit design feedback from students such as virtual tours, focus groups, online surveys, suggestion boxes and/or dot surveys. Although, they may be rewarded for their participation in the design process with dining credits, Amazon or iTunes gift cards, pizza parties, t-shirts or other fun activities determined by the university.
KWK suggests that designers consider working with student housing administrators on campus to determine which student organizations would be best to work with. Where return of investment, budget, and schedule are important factors for owners, Wuennenberg has found that users have a lot of input and understanding that can be a key factor in a successful project. “One of the things about delivery methods now, [contractors] are there at the meetings,” says Wuennenberg. “They hear firsthand what’s important, they’re not just getting a set of plans and specs and building from it but they know why, and why these things are important. I always feel it’s good to have the contractor at the table from the beginning of the design because…it affects the design.”
Designers utilized Revit for the 3D modeling and SketchUp for initial design work. Animations were done with Artlantis and Adobe Premier.
KWK Architects | Augustana University
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