Name: Adohi Hall
Architects: Modus Architects, Mackey Mitchell Architects, Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects, OLIN
Construction: Nabholz Construction
As residence hall design becomes more innovative, it is becoming harder to build a stand-out collaborative space for students. The University of Arkansas, however, succeeded in this respect with their newest project, Adohi Hall. The project was meticulously planned with sustainability, student and faculty engagement, and community in mind. Everything about the project, from its sustainable mass timber structural system to its name (a Cherokee word chosen to honor natives who passed near the area during the Trail of Tears period), was thoughtfully put into place by students, staff, faculty, and multiple teams of architects.
The three-part building is composed of two residence halls, housing more than 700 students in either community pod-style rooms or semi-suites with private bathrooms. In the middle of the residence areas is a common area named “The Cabin.” It’s an apt name considering its exposed structural wood ceilings, columns, and trusses. Adohi Hall is the first residence hall in the country to utilize a mass timber structural system, meaning the primary load-bearing structure of the building is solid or engineered wood as opposed to steel or concrete. Why does this matter? A study in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry (March 2014) reveals that 15% to 20% of carbon dioxide emissions could be cut by replacing the steel used in construction with mass timber. Accordingly, the university’s use of cross-laminated timber and locally sourced cypress in their construction of Adohi Hall has put them on track to be LEED-certified.
Its sustainable construction is not the only thing that sets this hall apart. Adohi Hall sets a new standard for what kinds of community spaces can be achieved through design. Since the residence hall houses six living-learning communities, all based firmly in the arts, there is a unique demand for creative, collaborative spaces for its students. It delivers with music practice rooms, a movement studio, a graphic design studio, indoor and outdoor performance areas, and a recording studio with a green room. There is also a makerspace area with 3-D printers, a laser cutter, sewing machines, soldering equipment, and a paint room.
With the construction of Adohi Hall comes the implication that the limit of creative residence hall design knows no bounds. According to Florence Johnson, the assistant vice chancellor for university housing, “faculty from living-learning were involved along the way,” ensuring throughout the entire design process that all possible needs for students were met.
— Amanda Gaudette
CALL FOR SPOTLIGHTS
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