Talking Stick - January/February 2011 - 45

acTIVely engagIng sTudenTs In The programmIng, plannIng, and desIgn of The buIldIng – and IncludIng Them In meeTIngs Where TheIr dIrecT feedback Is Taken InTo consIderaTIon – alWays creaTes a beTTer desIgn scheme.
rarely functions for any at all. My architectural interests in student housing developed about 18 years ago. The University of Michigan hired us to do a town/gown study for its Ann Arbor campus. The study focused on the physical conditions at the edge, between the campus and the city. Predictably, the properties at the perimeter were run-down, mix-matched building types with odd scale adjacencies. Large university warehouses, athletic buildings, and parking garages slammed up against student neighborhoods. The study determined that the building type that actually made sense in these locations was student housing, serving as a needed transition between the institution and the neighborhood. stairway so it is convenient, with welcoming elements such as window seats with attractive finishes and copious amounts of natural light, encourage serendipitous interactions between students as they pass each other on the way to and from class. I really enjoy working with students. They provide a current perspective that is so important in making the buildings current. I enjoy their energy and their enthusiasm for being involved in shaping their environment. Actively engaging students in the programming, planning, and design of the building – and including them in meetings where their direct feedback is taken into consideration – always creates a better design scheme. Students also exhibit great enthusiasm about sustainability. I find they are very knowledgeable about the topic and often push institutions in this direction. Engaging them at the start of the project in ecocharettes has been a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from them and advance in this area of design. Students’ ideas often impact not only the physical opportunities but also the behavioral opportunities, greatly affecting the overall goals for sustainability. I enjoy the fact that student housing plays a significant role in campus development. Campuses are typically pedestrian-oriented environments, creating unique opportunities for design. The buildings should respond to and encourage interaction with the campus. Creating outdoor programs and social spaces will enhance the experience of traveling around the building and to other destinations. The buildings we create are part of a larger environment, providing outdoor rooms or spaces that work within the campus context to reinforce the institution’s unique sense of place. Much like a choir, the buildings should join the chorus of architectural expressions that make each college or university special. As each voice in a choir is unique, the overall chorus creates harmony. I like to believe that the buildings we design work the same way.

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Inspired by Kathy Bush Hobgood and Kendra Bumpus, Clemson University

Joseph Stramberg: Student
life architecture is rewarding on so many levels. Most of the reasons that I love what I do involve getting to collaborate with talented student housing professionals who are intellectually bright and stimulating and a lot of fun to work with. Their dedication to service, care, and consideration creates countless individual student success stories. It is rewarding to help support their mission. I feel very fortunate to have focused on this area for the past 10 years so early in my career. It has opened up many opportunities for me to collaborate with student housing professionals across the globe in creating quality residential environments on campuses. Time spent in higher education is a transformative experience, and designing
january + february 2011

Paul Wuennenberg: My thoughts as well. I have focused on student housing and dining for the last 15 years. I have found this to be one of the most exciting building types for a number of reasons. I like to think that the buildings we design will play a part in helping resident students make social connections during their daily routines. I also think of the building as a stage set for social interaction. These interactions help achieve integration into the community, encouraging the development of lifelong friendships.
Something as simple as a stairway can have a tremendous impact on student residents as they navigate through the building. Placement of the

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Talking Stick - January/February 2011

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