washington u. village spine/student housing
One of the major recruitment tools for campuses is to provide superior housing for their students. If students enjoy where they live, it makes their entire college experience more enjoyable. The Spine of the South 40 campus provided a new model for student housing design on campus, striving to meet recruitment goals of the University. The result was the creation of a residential neighborhood, integrating student life and student services. Integrated within the ground level of the residence halls along The Spine is a retail component that offers many student services, including a copy center, laundromat, coffee shop and deli. The Spine is the common thread that links this neighborhood with the main academic campus. Students transition from the South 40 residence halls to the academic campus along this densely landscaped meandering walk. Warmly toned paving and informal seat walls makes for a soothing transition to and from the main academic campus. Thoughtful design resolved many challenging grade issues and preserved the large existing trees, seamlessly blending this key campus element into the existing framework.
Images credited to EDAW Inc.