The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, has given the green light for construction of the 210,000 s.f. Anderson Student Center, with plans to complete the project by the end of 2011.

The center will draw students crossing from the Quad into a lively three-story atrium filled with light and activity (image, right). Jane Canney, the University’s vice president of student affairs, said, “The student center will be our living room… the real heart of the campus.”�

A hub of campus activity, the center will feature a variety of dining facilities, including ...[more]

Xavier University’s Board of Trustees approved the construction of a new residence hall and dining facility at its quarterly meeting on December 11.

The residence hall will house 530 students in suite-style living. The 800-seat campus-wide dining facility replaces the Hoff Marketplace dining hall where students now take all their meals. The 240,000 s.f. complex is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2011. Providing housing for an additional 500 students has been a priority for Xavier as a response to increased enrollment.

Locating the complex near the Student Center and existing residence halls will bring renewed energy and vibrancy to the core of campus while unifying the rest of campus, including ...[more]

ST PAUL, MN – Hamline University has selected Shepley Bulfinch as the architect of its new University Center, to be sited on a prominent corner of Hamline’s campus in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The 75,000-85,000 s.f. center will give the University a new welcoming face to the St. Paul community and a campus crossroads for Hamline, with its large commuter student population. It will include a campus ‘living room’, casual dining facilities, event space, a bookstore, and offices for student organizations.

Shepley Bulfinch will work with Hamline to create a sustainable building that will meet the equivalent of LEED Silver standards.

The project is planned for completion in late 2011.

BOSTON, MA – Harvard Business School celebrated the newly renovated Gallatin Hall the old-fashioned way – with an all-night party. As the HBS Bulletin notes, what better way to “road test” a dorm than to invite 73 friends over to sleep in its rooms and test its light switches, windows, and shower heads?

The gut renovation that stripped Gallatin down to its brick walls and concrete slabs transformed the McKim Mead and White building’s warren-like accommodations into the envy of the campus. Gallatin Hall is now ADA compliant, with universal access through a newly restored courtyard, teak rocking chairs and benches lining its elegant brick terrace. A glass-paneled second-floor footbridge ...[more]

Troy, NY – “Thank you for our new home!” read the banner held by students at the formal dedication and tour of the Emma Willard School’s new community life spaces on its historic campus.

The dedication was part of the school’s Celebration 2007 weekend. Other highlights of the weekend included the “Women, Power, and Responsibility” symposium and the We Are Emma celebration.

The renovation of the first and ground floor spaces in Sage/Hyphen/Kellas Halls encompasses a renovation and dining room addition. The dining room was designed to create a “welcoming hearth” for students, with a feel akin to that of a kitchen in a very large stately home. The design ...[more]

Brunswick, ME – Bates College dedicated its new 150-student residence complex in a ceremony today. President Elaine Tuttle Hansen and Pam Wichroski, Bates’ project manager for the facility’s construction, spoke at the event. The complex, comprising two residence wings and a central community gathering space, is linked by glass-walled bridges. The sophisticated structure will support student academics and foster social interaction, all with the smallest possible environmental footprint. Within the central building, a vibrant, light-filled laundry room serves as a popular area for study and conversation. One student termed the space “my favorite place in the building,” particularly the natural light and wireless access.

Hansen noted that the project “gives ...[more]