North Residential Neighborhood New Residence Hall
Students living in Ball State University’s Education Living Learning Community will feel the warmth of their physical and community ‘hearths’ daily. Whether they are gathered around the community firepit or one of their 3D printers, their experience will spark with energy and vibrancy of active learning, innovation and friendships.
The community is home to over 500 students. The residential components are organized around a central ‘hub’ and a civic stair that creates functional connections linking students and activities. Central commons spaces accommodate student services, co-curricular activities and academic support space. The activities naturally attract and expose all residents to the community, including opportunities to:
- Build a support network and make lasting friendships with peers
- Engage in activities that promote academic achievement
- Find a study partner within the community
- Utilize makerspace to innovate and thinker spaces to explore a variety of learning strategies
- Have opportunities to develop leadership and interpersonal skills through community engagement
- Network with faculty, students and staff in the education profession
The siting and form of the building create the entry and a symbolic ‘gateway’ for the North Residential Neighborhood. Two slender wings flank the two-story commons building, open green space and walkways. The building is contemporary yet knits itself well into the brick and stone fabric characteristic of the Ball State campus. The building, which Hanbury designed in association with CSO Architects, is targeting LEED Silver certification.
