6 strategies for living/learning on campus
DESCRIPTION
Higher education is rapidly evolving. As we use planning and design to help our clients navigate major shifts in culture, technology, and funding, we believe it is essential to focus on strategies that help foster an education that is relevant after graduation. One way to promote relevance is to strengthen the bond between academic disciplines and the campus residential life experience. Studies show this is best accomplished when learning communities are integrated with living environments. By physically integrating living and learning on campus, students’ social and academic lives are connected—shaping their overall experience and encouraging their success. Here we offer six strategies for and examples of how to foster living/learning on campus.TRANSCRIPT
STRATEGIES FOR LIVING/LEARNING ON CAMPUS6
LIVING/LEARNING DISTRICTAt Purdue University, Sasaki created a living/learning district by distributing academic spaces throughout several sophomore and junior residence halls. This allocation of shared living and learning spaces is an efficient approach to space management and has the added benefit of facilitating socialization among students from different residence halls. 1 Wiley
Dining Court
Vawter Residence Hall
Córdova Recreation
and Exercise Center
Black Cultural Center
Center for Student Excellence and Leadership
LIVING/LEARNING DISTRICTPurdue University
COMMUNAL FIRST FLOORIn the Campbell, Salice, and Conley residence halls at Fordham University, Sasaki organized academic spaces at the first floor and created secure individual residential communities on the upper floors. This approach distributes learning across the larger landscape of the Fordham campus, and also brings life to the nearby pedestrian paths and landscaped open space.2
Main Green Terraces Common Spaces Service
COMMUNAL FIRST FLOOR Fordham University
INTIMATE SPACESIn the addition to and renovation of Maria Hall at Regis College, Sasaki distributed comfortable lounge spaces throughout the residential floors. This approach complements academic and recreation programs on the first floor while fostering intimate but flexible communities in which students collaborate, socialize, and build lifelong friendships.3
INTIMATE SPACES Regis College
ACTIVE INNOVATION HUB At Babson College, Sasaki designed a unique 24/7 innovation hub specifically for a core first-year academic program. Located at the entrance of the building and linked to campus open space and pedestrian networks, this hub emphasizes connection. It is inspired by the core values of the first year program, fostering freshman collaboration and success. The hub is also informed by Babson’s unique academic identity and focus on entrepreneurism.4
InnovationHub
ACTIVE INNOVATION HUB Babson College
FOUND SPACESAt The Ohio State University, Sasaki revamped several 1950s residence halls, bringing new life to existing spaces. Previously underutilized back-of-house areas now support peer mentoring, career counseling, and academic programming. This strategy of using found spaces maintained the density critical for both the campus supply of student beds and the economic viability of the project.5
FOUND SPACES The Ohio State University
FLEXIBLE SPACESAt Georgetown University, Sasaki designed a unique, flexible space on the first floor of their new sophomore residence hall. The technology-rich space is internally divisible, opens to outdoors, and is designed to specifically attract and support faculty in new modes of teaching. This flexibility helps pioneer a new classroom model, and new relationships between living and learning.6
FLEXIBLE SPACES Georgetown University