University of St. Thomas — Student Residence Hall
Project Stats
- Location
Houston, Texas
- Size
95,000 SF
- Market
- Expertise
A Home Away from Home
The University of St. Thomas is transitioning from a commuter school to a residential campus, and it tapped Corgan and the Lawrence Group to design a new residence hall that would welcome more students and foster a greater sense of community on campus. In addition to housing more than 400 students and doubling the school’s current student housing capacity, the new five-story building will offer the growing student population a place to relax, socialize and spend more time on campus outside of the classroom.
Shaped by Students
University leaders envisioned a residence hall that would encourage students to fully engage in campus life both socially and academically. To ensure the design would reflect students’ needs and preferences, Corgan conducted a series of focus groups with student cabinet, student government and residence life student leaders. Participants shared ideas for living and community spaces and amenities to inform key decisions surrounding furniture, study room capacities and technology throughout the residence hall.
The final design includes a variety of communal and multipurpose spaces that create opportunities for both spontaneous interactions and organized events. Outside, a new front lawn and quad will offer all students on campus a relaxed setting to gather and connect complete with comfortable seating, grills and games.
Rooted in Community and Faith
As Houston’s only Catholic university, it was important that the new residence hall include an in-house chapel that will serve as the spiritual heartbeat of the building. It will feature dedicated prayer spaces for individuals and small groups of students.
Each of the hall’s five levels will symbolize the university and its core values of community, knowledge, discipline and goodness. The values and their corresponding colors will distinguish each floor with their own design scheme and serve as a daily reminder of the shared values that define the university.
