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 RobertsPrincipal918.592.0622mroberts@ksq.designwww.ksq.design

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.