Student input sought in planning new residence hall
By: Nancy Lan
Issue date: 6/29/07 Section: News
Originally published: 6/29/07 at 4:38 AM EST
Last update: 6/29/07 at 4:37 AM EST
Originally published: 6/29/07 at 4:38 AM EST
Last update: 6/29/07 at 4:37 AM EST
Drexel University plans to build a new dormitory on 33rd Street and Powelton Avenue to replace the existing tennis courts behind Ross Commons.
The project is currently still in a conceptual phase, and for the first time, a student board attended a formal meeting with the architects during the initial design process.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2008 with hopes to open for residence in fall 2009.
A student board, led by James Breen, current USGA Housing representative, and Rainer Burrow, former USGA Housing representative, voiced their opinions at a meeting June 12. Breen said that he and Burrow tried to get as diverse a sampling as possible with a mix of older and younger students, as well as an even ratio of males and females. Student input ranged from locations of resident assistant rooms in conjunction to resident rooms, what should resident rooms look like, the desired size of a typical room, as well as facilities, such as common eating areas and lounge spaces. "Students want to have a unique building. They want to say that their freshman year was great and better than it would have been at any other campus," said Breen. "That's the whole goal at residential living…to give them this experience."
According to David Ruth, dean of Students, this project is not only about a new infrastructure-it is about getting students engaged and "involved in the design process for a facility that will be used by students."
The University selected Erdy McHenry Architecture LLC as the signature architect and ARUP as the structural engineer. The two firms are based in Philadelphia and New York, respectively.
After design firms were selected, President Papadakis and Senior Vice President Jim Tucker asked Ruth to organize a formal meeting between a student board and the architects. Papadakis felt it was important to begin getting students' feedback to better accommodate residents. Ruth stressed the importance of building a community within the new dorm, and he feels that "you can get the architects to design it, but they're not students - they don't live in residence halls. They know how to build buildings…this is an opportunity for students."
The project is currently still in a conceptual phase, and for the first time, a student board attended a formal meeting with the architects during the initial design process.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2008 with hopes to open for residence in fall 2009.
A student board, led by James Breen, current USGA Housing representative, and Rainer Burrow, former USGA Housing representative, voiced their opinions at a meeting June 12. Breen said that he and Burrow tried to get as diverse a sampling as possible with a mix of older and younger students, as well as an even ratio of males and females. Student input ranged from locations of resident assistant rooms in conjunction to resident rooms, what should resident rooms look like, the desired size of a typical room, as well as facilities, such as common eating areas and lounge spaces. "Students want to have a unique building. They want to say that their freshman year was great and better than it would have been at any other campus," said Breen. "That's the whole goal at residential living…to give them this experience."
According to David Ruth, dean of Students, this project is not only about a new infrastructure-it is about getting students engaged and "involved in the design process for a facility that will be used by students."
The University selected Erdy McHenry Architecture LLC as the signature architect and ARUP as the structural engineer. The two firms are based in Philadelphia and New York, respectively.
After design firms were selected, President Papadakis and Senior Vice President Jim Tucker asked Ruth to organize a formal meeting between a student board and the architects. Papadakis felt it was important to begin getting students' feedback to better accommodate residents. Ruth stressed the importance of building a community within the new dorm, and he feels that "you can get the architects to design it, but they're not students - they don't live in residence halls. They know how to build buildings…this is an opportunity for students."
