Babson College - Map Hill Residence Hall

Babson Park, MA

Mason Contractor: Erland Construction, Inc.
Architect: Perkins + Will

Project Description

This 55,000 square foot undergraduate residence hall is an exciting addition to the Babson College campus. Located on a wooded, sloping site, the building provides an attractive edge to the residential precinct. Contextual in scale and material, the crescent form acknowledges the adjacent Olin College campus while maintaining a "Babson" look.

The five-story building is entered at the upper and lower levels of the hillside, with a comfortable student lounge area and covered exterior activity space at the main entrance on the third floor. Trees, pathways, and natural terrain have been preserved as much as possible.

The building was designed to frame the curved edge of the campus and serve as a terminus for the group of student residence halls. Seeking an expression of clarity and integration with the natural landscape, the design complements the wooded site while serving as a boundary for the campus. Students can enter at multiple levels and each room has beautiful views of trees and the surrounding campus. The main student lounge features a fireplace and comfortable seating. Other gathering spaces include a two-story lounge with kitchen, an activity room, and outdoor patio area. As an important element in attracting new students to the College, this residence hall offers an appealing design and desired amenities.

Modular brick was selected because it was the best material to respond to the curved building form. Carefully chosen red, water struck brick matches one of the beloved existing buildings on campus.

The double-banded soldier course was added to the façade to de-emphasize the vertical height and the length of the curves.

Larger masonry openings were added to the convex side of the building at the windows to maximize the natural light and views. The masonry design accentuates these window features, drawing attention to the two-story student lounges inside.

The brick massing was designed to accentuate different types of spaces. These spaces include student lounges, bedrooms, and public circulation areas. The masonry design highlights the building curvature on the sloped site and draws attention to the graceful form. The curved configuration of the building serves to create an internal courtyard space on the slope facing the campus while the two shifting rectangular forms at either end define the upper and lower entries.