As class schedules are established and routines take shape—setting wake-up alarms, doing laundry, and plotting the quickest way to get from the dining hall to that early morning class—students are discovering the many spaces on campus that help them focus, relax, and connect.
With decades of experience in higher education, Perkins Eastman and its specialty studios design hundreds of campus plans, buildings, and spaces. While unique in many ways, these places—be it a cozy library reading nook or a 40-person lecture hall—are all dedicated to helping students thrive.
Rutgers University
School of Nursing and Science Building
Nursing students gather outside class, finding a variety of places to socialize, study, and relax. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in abundant light, fostering well-being and a healthy environment for learning and personal growth.
Photo Copyright Jeff Goldberg/Esto/Courtesy Perkins Eastman
Navigating Campus
The many outdoor spaces on campus—courtyards, promenades, rooftop terraces, and a variety of others—set the tone and provide the backdrop for the campus experience.
San Jose Evergreen Valley Community College
Evergreen College – General Education Building
Evergreen College nursing students will be able to choose from a variety of spots to socialize, study, and relax when the new General Education Building is completed. Floor-to-ceiling windows blur the line between inside and outside and bring abundant light into the building to foster well-being and a healthy environment for learning and personal growth. Rendering Copyright Perkins Eastman
Colorado College
Tutt Library Expansion and Transformation
Tutt Library’s roof terraces provide a variety of options for study and collaboration. Surrounded by native landscaping, students study while soaking up Colorado’s many sunny days and engaging in their scholarly pursuits.
Photo Copyright Steve Lerum/Courtesy Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio
Classroom Connections
Many of today’s classrooms are designed with a flexible range of configurations and seating options so faculty and students can tailor their environments.
Teachers College, Columbia University
Classroom Modernization and Transformation
Active-learning classrooms with flexible setups are dynamic hubs that encourage collaboration and engagement. Technology is seamlessly integrated, helping to foster interactive discussions and exploration for enriched learning experiences. Photo Andrew Rugge/Copyright Perkins Eastman
George Mason University
Peterson Family Health Sciences Hall
The Peterson Family Health Sciences Hall is a multi-use facility that houses the College of Health and Human Services. It provides a holistic and integrated approach to nursing education that connects it to a range of allied health sciences. The hall features a variety of public spaces that are either spacious and visually connected to the exterior, or intimate, allowing for private study or socializing.
Photo Copyright Joseph Romeo/Courtesy Perkins Eastman
Library Havens
Campus libraries are shared spaces dedicated to study, collaboration, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Colorado College
Tutt Library Expansion & Transformation
Tutt Library has long been Colorado College’s scholarly haven. The expansion and transformation of the building marries modern design with academic rigor, embodying Colorado College’s vibrant, intellectual community.
Photo Copyright Steve Lerum /Courtesy Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio
University of California, Santa Barbara
Davidson Library
Taking what was once a long dark corridor that was the length of a football field and breaking it down into an active environment surrounded by collections gave new life to Davidson Library. Casual seating and formal study spaces were created along the new spine, allowing for students to immerse themselves in the activity of the library while also allowing them to break away into quieter environments elsewhere in the building.
Photo Copyright Steve Lerum/Courtesy Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio
Residential Life
Living and dining spaces provide comfortable settings for rest, socializing, nourishment, and study.
Claremont McKenna College
Mid-Quad Residences
This residence is part of Claremont McKenna’s Mid-Quad Residential District, where Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio, helmed the renovation of five existing residence halls and three major building additions. The goal was to modernize both the internal and external aspects of the buildings while reinforcing the sense of a student-focused environment. Photo Copyright Steve Lerum/Courtesy Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio
Harvey Mudd College
Drinkward Residence Hall
Critical to the success of the housing environment for Harvey Mudd are open collaboration and social spaces that allow for students to get out of their rooms and be part of the community. Combining the tradition of chalkboard walls for both data analysis and art, gathering spaces are distributed throughout the buildings in both large and small scale, allowing students to find spaces that suit their mood.
Photo Copyright Steve Lerum/Courtesy Pfeiffer—A Perkins Eastman Studio
The Campus Experience
For students, campus is about so much more than classes and study. The variety of places, inside and out, focused and collaborative, cozy and public, provide the setting for every student’s own unique experience.
Washington University in St. Louis
James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall
Framed by the new McKelvey Hall, students gather along the inner courtyard between classes. As part of Washington University’s vision for a connected campus and cross-disciplinary collaboration, both interior and exterior spaces allow students to gather and exchange ideas.
Photo Copyright Paul Rivera/Courtesy Perkins Eastman