University Student Housing

Southeastern Louisiana University’s latest contribution to University living

by Michael Holly, AIA, NCARB, REFP, Pierre Theriot, AIA, A4LE, and
Ryan Faulk, AIA, NCARB, CSI

University students are focused today on a complete living environment rather than just a place to sleep. The trends that have emerged require that a combined living/learning environment be addressed. This condition is an important element in university recruitment.

The primary elements that make up the environment include increased privacy, diverse living arrangements, flexible community spaces, sustainability (going green), technology, and security.

Southeastern Louisiana University (assisted by Holly & Smith Architects and constructed by DonahueFavret Contractors) has addressed these issues with the latest addition to their on-campus housing with the recent completion of Ascension & Twelve Oaks Halls in the heart of campus. These new buildings frame the entrance to the Student Union that was completed by Holly & Smith Architects with WTW Architects in 2016.

Recently completed Ascension & Twelve Oaks Halls at Southeastern Louisiana University. 4 Story, 553-bed facility with amenity filled community spaces.

Photo Credit: University Communications and Creative Services Photographer Randy Bergeron

Increased Privacy / Diverse Living Arrangements

Current university students are accustomed to having their own private space and need to be able to choose how and when they socialize. The need for the availability of choice is important. Consistent with this arrangement, diverse unit types of one and two bedroom and 2-bedroom combined units within the same building are desirable in order to make the choice to live as they like. 

The 1st level includes common spaces with amenities that create multiple opportunities to collaborate and socialize. 

The layouts for the new Southeastern residence halls have both shared and individual bedrooms and shared bathrooms within a single unit.

Flexible Community Spaces

The current trends in university living environments have also shown that the lines between living and learning have become blurred. It is just as easy today to study, collaborate, and learn in a common area within the building itself as it is to go to other academic places. The convenience of having common space within the building encourages the interaction between students and provides multiple opportunities for students to engage.

With valuable input from the Director of Auxiliary Services, Connie Davis, and the Director of University Housing, Kay Moran, the new residence halls provide flexible living / learning meeting spaces, classrooms, group study spaces, informal lounges, common kitchens, common laundries, a convenience store (Grab and Go), as well as a common dining / gathering space that allows a diversity of places for students to live and learn in the digital environment.

Students have the opportunity to live and work in many spaces within this environment.

Sustainability (Going Green)

The current generation of students have grown up understanding the importance of protecting the environment. There is generally a commitment to sustainability as a lifetime responsibility. It is also a recruitment tool for a university to demonstrate what it means to be good stewards of the environment.

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Sustainability Center Physical Plant Director, Byron Patterson, and Sustainability Manager, Alejandro Martinez, were instrumental in contributing to environmental protection with this project when they decided to implement a unique geothermal hybrid air conditioning system for this 553-bed facility.  It is projected to save $152,800 per year in operational cost, and the system is projected to pay for itself within 5 years. Thereafter, the savings will inure to the University. The savings are projected to be at least $3,056,000 over a 20-year period. In addition, the entire facility is lit with LED lighting which further reduces energy cost.

The stable Earth temperature is used to develop a low-energy use / high-efficiency system. 

Technology

Tech savvy students use technology in all its forms to study, research, collaborate, and communicate. Therefore, it is expected that day-to-day use and access to broadband connectivity be available. It can be said that with technology, the living environment is also the learning and work environment and that this can happen all day, every day and anywhere.

The new residence halls at Southeastern are connected to the fiber-optic backbone that connects the entire campus, bringing high-speed and high-bandwidth network connectivity to the facilities.  Individual living areas include hardwired gigabit network connections; however, a wireless mesh network employed within the buildings provides Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the facility and adjacent grounds.  This high-speed network connectivity provides a positive student experience and allows efficient work and virtual play no matter where it takes place.

High-speed technology is available in every location within the building.

Security

The security that is associated with college residential facilities is a must for students as well as their parents. All aspects of this important factor should be addressed in a successfully built residential facility.

Ascension & Twelve Oaks Halls have an access control system that only allows access to those who live within the facility and authorized Southeastern personnel.  Access into the facilities, as well as into the individual living spaces, is controlled via an RFID card reader system.  At the building scale, this system is configured to limit access only to those students living within the individual building, but on the individual dorm room level, the students can only gain access to their own assigned room. The system also keeps a record of all entry at any location within the facilities. The smart cards that are issued to students serve both as their access key to their room and campus amenities, including their meal plan at dining facilities and the Grab-N-Go located within Ascension Hall.

The LED lighting employed throughout the facility as an energy usage strategy also provides ample lighting for security purposes. Additionally, a video camera system is installed for monitoring all public areas within and around the facilities. The public lounges located on each floor have been screened with translucent glass to provide a level of privacy for the occupants from the exterior while allowing natural light to enter these spaces.

Many spaces have been provided for collaboration and social interface that allow natural light to enter, yet screens occupants from the exterior.

H/S EXPERIENCE

 Holly & Smith Architects is pleased to be part of this successful project. They have worked closely with the University to address all of the needs discussed herein. We are proud to say that it has been an honor to be a part of this process.  

As human beings, we spend our personal and professional time within the built environment. As Architects, we are privileged to create spaces where people can gather, live, learn, work, eat, sleep and worship. Therefore, it is incumbent that we design spaces that enhance the quality of life and nurtures a greater passion for living. Our design approach is influenced by the environment, culture and community in which architecture exists. To take it further... We Design for Life.