Project description
Spruce Hall provides individual and double-occupancy residential rooms supported by large shared restrooms on each floor. The first floor includes a variety of student-focused common spaces such as food service areas, laundry facilities, an exercise room, and multiple gathering and study areas. The building is organized into multiple wings to reduce its overall height and better fit the surrounding campus context.
Campus site utilities serving the facility include steam and condensate, domestic and fire water, electrical distribution, and natural gas. A rooftop unit conditions the common areas, while individual fan coil units serve each residence. Campus steam supplies heating water and domestic hot water, and the building infrastructure was designed to accommodate a future commercial kitchen.
A new electrical service was provided to tie into the existing 13.2 kV campus loop. Exterior site lighting was carefully designed to transition between adjacent lighting conditions—a residential neighborhood on one side and a campus plaza on the other—creating a safe and visually comfortable environment for student circulation and outdoor activity. A new on-site generator will provide emergency backup for elevators and designated egress lighting.
The project also included coordination for the relocation of the existing Weaver Hall generator to better support both buildings. Interior lighting was designed to comply with 2015 IECC Section C406.3, achieving at least a 10% reduction below the allowed watts-per-square-foot limits of Section C405.2 while still meeting IES recommended illumination levels.
Guiding Principles for the Design
- Campus Harmony
- Sustainable Systems
- Student-Centered Living
- Comfortable Living Environments
- Optimize Resources
- Community Connection
- Safety and Security
- Adaptive Spaces