You Belong Here: Student Life 2023

You Belong Here.

Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Campus Environments Student Life 2023

Introduction Living in on-campus housing contributes to better student academic performance, higher retention, and higher graduation rates. Residential life programs positively impact belonging and success by building community and fellowship among students.

Our colleague, Shannon Dowling, as part of a fellowship with the Society for College and University Planning, conducted a research project titled “The Planning and Design of Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Campus Environments.”

As part of that research, Shannon developed a playbook that shares design strategies to bolster inclusion and belonging in campus environments. Using this playbook, we’ve applied a lens to our work, considering the themes developed from the research at different scales of community.

The scales of community provide a qualitative framework to assess the cascading range of space types—campus, neighborhood, hall, floor, and unit—that impact student success.

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Mapping Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Neighborhood

Choice + Voice

Connection

Hall

Comfort

Floor

Security + Well-Being

Unit

Signage + Direction

Themes

Scales of Community

Campus

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Table of Contents

02 CAMPUS 16 NEIGHBORHOOD 36 HALL 52 FLOOR 66 UNIT 78 DATA 1

CAMPUS • Choice + Voice: Building siting can create more intimate outdoor spaces that supplement formal campus greens and provide options for students.

• Connection: Visual connections between residence life buildings and key features of the campus core establish identity and cohesion and connect students to the campus.

• Comfort: Inviting landscapes and environments encourage relaxation and recreation.

• Security + Well-Being: Thoughtfully sited, well-lit campuses with varying levels of transparency and activity, promote a sense of safety and connection with peers.

• Signage + Direction: Clear, consistent campus branding and legible signage on buildings, walkways, and streets creates a sense of belonging and comfort.

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Choice + Voice

Connection

Comfort

Security + Well-Being

Signage + Direction

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Denison University - Silverstein Hall

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Bowie State University - Signage and Wayfinding

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Ringling College of Art and Design - Bridge Hall Apartments 9

10 Clemson University - Douthit Hills Housing Development

With The Boudreaux Group and Clark Nexsen 11

To be nurtured and comfortable, food access is vital. Dining halls that are located to be easily accessed, address the campus, and are available for use outside of traditional Western dining hours create campus hubs and centers of belonging.

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Case Western Reserve University - Fribley Commons Dining Facility 13

Creating equitable experiences begins at the planning level with a holistic view into the campus and student experience.

Planning helps to define drivers and ensure new and renovated facilities embody the student life mission.

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Western Washington University - Campus Master Plan

HOUSING KEY Existing To Be Demolished Renovation Future Construction

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NEIGHBORHOOD • Choice + Voice: Outdoor spaces are among the most comfortable for students. Residential life spaces can bolster this experience with a variety of accommodating furniture and clear sightlines to campus activities.

• Connection: Community is important for all students. Traditional, non-traditional, and graduate students alike need to feel at home in common spaces.

• Comfort: With a broadening knowledge and sensitivity to the needs of a diverse student population, existing halls can be renovated to provide more accessible and equitable experiences.

• Security + Well-Being: Clustered residence halls define neighborhoods that help an unfamiliar campus feel more manageable. Interstitial outdoor spaces enable spontaneous in-person interactions and physical activity essential to building connections and promoting mind and body health.

• Signage + Direction: As many institutions reevaluate their histories, environmental graphic design in student life buildings can be a powerful method for authentic representation and storytelling.

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Choice + Voice

Connection

Comfort

Security + Well-Being

Signage + Direction

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Georgia Institute of Technology - East Halls Renovation Plan

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20University of Maryland College Park - Yahentamitsi Dining Hall

With Holder Construction 21

Large stand-alone gym facilities can be intimidating. Including various scales of fitness and wellness opportunities that accommodate different activities and group sizes can offer different options for interaction and invite a more diverse population of students to participate.

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Vertex Apartments - Arizona State University

With Peak Campus 23

Different dining platforms and retail operations provide students with options to support dietary needs, cultural preferences, and food access outside of traditional Western mealtimes.

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Goucher College - Mary Fisher Hall

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Goucher College - Mary Fisher Hall

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Ringling College of Art and Design - Greensboro Hall29

Grinnell College - Kington Plaza and Christiansen Outdoor Learning Spaces

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For residence halls outside of the campus core, designs that incorporate integrated bike racks and storage and bus pull-ins and shelters help to keep students connected.

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University of California, Berkeley - Albany Village Graduate Housing

With American Campus Communities33

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Emory University - Professional and Graduate Housing

With American Campus Communities and Moody Nolan35

HALL • Choice + Voice: Purposeful design and distribution of vibrant community spaces encourages activities that draw students out of their units to commingle in the ways they choose.

• Connection: An active and inviting building lounge creates a sense of arrival that turns a hall into a community of peers and belonging.

• Comfort: Natural daylight and views to the outdoors reinforce a sense of place, and vertical circulation is an opportunity to create visual connections between floors that spark chance interactions.

• Security + Well-Being: Thoughtful, inclusive design and biophilic elements can seamlessly integrate necessary security features and make a hall feel residential instead of institutional, supporting a sense of comfort and belonging.

• Signage + Direction: Environmental graphic design in highly visible areas creates a visual identity for a shared spaces and tells important and diverse stories.

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Choice + Voice

Connection

Comfort

Security + Well-Being

Signage + Direction

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Interiors and furnishings can give students agency and support different scales of interaction and tasks—whether that’s group work outside of classrooms, focused study, or impromptu socializing.

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Delaware State University - Tubman-Laws Hall

With American Campus Communities39

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Ringling College of Art and Design - Greensboro Hall 41

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Ringling College of Art and Design - Greensboro Hall43

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University of South Carolina - 650 Lincoln

With Holder Properties45

For urban residence halls in particular, the relationship between the students and the host community is vital to connection. Spaces intentionally made for interaction on the ground floor engage students in civic life, with visual connections through the building, breaking down barriers.

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Colby College - Alfond Commons

With Landry/French Construction 47

Our research shows that students want to meet new people and are comfortable doing so. Access to visible, bright, and wellused spaces creates opportunities to connect.

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University of North Carolina School of the Arts - Artist Village

With LS3P49

Hall lounges that feature easy access and views to the outdoors create literal connections to campus and improve student wellness.

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Denison University - Silverstein Hall 51

FLOOR • Choice + Voice: Floor spaces like community kitchens give students agency and allow students to connect over a meal and to learn about each other’s cultures through food and cooking traditions.

• Connection: Lounges, stairways, and corridors work together to create porous spaces that encourage students to study, socialize, and forge new connections.

• Comfort: Bathrooms that offer safety and privacy are a fundamental dignity owed to all. Accessible and gender-inclusive restrooms are foundational in generating a sense of belonging and community and promoting acceptance within a student body.

• Security + Well-Being: On-floor community amenities such as kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities, place everyday activities near the unit, keeping them visible and accessible to help provide a sense of home.

• Signage + Direction: Giving floors distinct color palettes and design identities generates a sense of creativity, excitement, and belonging to a unique community.

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Choice + Voice

Connection

Comfort

Security + Well-Being

Signage + Direction

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Penn State Behrend - Trippe Hall

54With Noelker and Hull Associates

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Design choices like doubleheight floor lounges and open and visible laundry areas create broader opportunities for student interaction.

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Virginia Commonwealth University - Gladding Residence Center

With American Campus Communities and Clark Nexsen 57

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Ringling College of Art and Design - Greensboro Hall59

Private communal bathrooms allow for an efficient implementation of gender-inclusive bathrooms by placing shower and toilet facilities behind full length locking doors, while keeping sinks open and shared.

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Virginia Commonwealth University - Gladding Residence Center

With American Campus Communities and Clark Nexsen 61

Renovations address the unique challenges of bringing best practices around transparency, variety, and accessibility to existing residence halls.

Before

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After

Denison University - Housing Renovations63

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University of North Carolina School of the Arts - Artist Village

With LS3P65

UNIT • Choice + Voice: Flexible room and furnishing layouts allow agency and self-expression through unit customization.

• Connection: Units provide an environment to forge connections with a roommate on a one-to-one level and can lead to lifelong friendships.

• Comfort: In double occupancy units, privacy walls reinforce the unit as a retreat where students can recharge.

• Security + Well-Being: Healthy materials, access to daylight, and adequate ventilation contribute to mental health and overall wellness.

• Signage + Direction: Clear views from within the unit orient new students to their location within the campus.

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Choice + Voice

Connection

Comfort

Security + Well-Being

Signage + Direction

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Georgetown University - Ida Ryan and Isaac Hawkins Hall

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Virginia Commonwealth University - Gladding Residence Center

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With American Campus Communities and Clark Nexsen

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In-unit kitchens advance student maturation and provide privacy and support for students with a variety of dietary needs.

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Virginia Commonwealth University - Gladding Residence Center

With American Campus Communities and Clark Nexsen 73

Affinity units allow larger groups with shared backgrounds or interests to live together and celebrate their unique experiences.

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The George Washington University - District House

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The George Washington University - District House

Affinity Unit

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DATA

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Ayers Saint Gross understands the importance of research and believes that sharing our data contributes to creating better student life experiences.

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PROFESSIONAL AND GRADUATE HOUSING

ALBANY VILLAGE GRADUATE STUDENT HOUSING

ARTIST VILLAGE

EMORY UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

APARTMENTS

APARTMENTS

SEMI-SUITES

535 BEDS

761 BEDS

456 BEDS

282,730 gsf

324,000 gsf

114,697 gsf

528 gsf per bed

426 gsf per bed

252 gsf per bed

5% outside unit space

7% outside unit space

29% outside unit space

with American Campus Communities and Moody Nolan

with American Campus Communities

with LS3P

GREENSBORO HALL

BRIDGE APARTMENTS

SILVERSTEIN HALL

RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN

RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN

DENISON UNIVERSITY

SUITES

APARTMENTS

APARTMENTS

269 BEDS

183 BEDS

162 BEDS

74,487 gsf

77,200 gsf

70,000 gsf

277 gsf per bed

422 gsf per bed

432 gsf per bed

23% outside unit space

10% outside unit space

15% outside unit space

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JOHNSON-WHITTLE AND PYON-CHEN HALLS

GLADDING RESIDENCE CENTER

DOUTHIT HILLS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

TRADITIONAL

TRADITIONAL & SEMISUITES

TRADITIONAL & APARTMENTS

903 BEDS

1,518 BEDS

1,656 BEDS

269,432 gsf

371,177 gsf

561,518 gsf

298 gsf per bed

245 gsf per bed

339 gsf per bed

28% outside unit space

20% outside unit space

13% outside unit space

with Holder Construction Company

with American Campus Communities and Clark Nexsen

with The Boudreaux Group

TRIPPE HALL

FIRST YEAR VILLAGE

TUBMAN-LAWS HALL

PENN STATE GOUCHER COLLEGE UNIVERSITY, BEHREND

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

TRADITIONAL

TRADITIONAL

SEMI-SUITES & APARTMENTS

251 BEDS

455 BEDS

620 BEDS

69,491 gsf

143,835 gsf

192,009 gsf

277 gsf per bed

319 gsf per bed

310 gsf per bed

24% outside unit space

30% outside unit space

with Noelker and Hull Associates

18% outside unit space with American Campus Communities

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STUDENT HOUSING SERVICES Planning • Programming • Renovation • Design of new halls and villages • Public–private partnerships • Landscape architecture • Graphic design • Furniture fixtures & equipment (FF&E)

Ayers Saint Gross is an interdisciplinary design firm of architects, planners, landscape architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and space analysts.

Over the past 25 years, we have collaborated with our clients to program, plan, and design more than 185,000 beds around the world. Our innovative designs balance the demands of function, budget, construction, and maintenance.

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STUDENT HOUSING CLIENTS American Campus Communities • American University • Arizona State University • Boise State University • Bowling Green State University • Bryant University • Carnegie Mellon University • California State University, Los Angeles • Case Western Reserve University • Catholic University • Clemson University • Colby College • Concord Eastridge • Dartmouth College • Delaware State University • Denison University • Eckerd College • Elon University • Greystar • Emory University • Gallaudet University • Georgetown University • The George Washington University • Georgia Institute of Technology • Gettysburg College • Goucher College • Hamilton College • Holder Properties • Hood College • James Madison University • Johns Hopkins University • Kansas City Art Institute • Kansas State University • Kent State University • Lynn University • Maryland Institute College of Art • Michaels Student Living • Minnesota State University, Mankato • Mount St. Mary’s University • NC State • Northwest Missouri State University • The Ohio State University • Ohio University • Peak Campus Development • Penn State Behrend • Purdue University • Quinnipiac University • Ringling College of Art + Design • Salisbury University • Swarthmore College • Towson University • University of Arizona • University of California, Berkeley • University of Delaware • University of Kentucky • University of Maryland • University of Miami • University of North Carolina at Charlotte • University of North Carolina at Greensboro • University of Oklahoma • University of the Pacific • University of Pittsburgh • University of Rochester • University of South Carolina • University of Southern California • University of Tennessee, Knoxville • University of Utah • University of Virginia • Virginia Commonwealth University • Wake Forest University • Washington College • Washington and Lee University • Wesleyan University • West Texas A&M University • West Virginia University • Western Washington University • Westminster Theological Seminary • University of Colorado Boulder • UNC School of the Arts

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www.ayerssaintgross.com

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