Bowdoin College
Park Row
Higher Education:
Residential Life | Student Services
With a commitment to carbon neutrality and a goal of providing students their desired residential experience, Bowdoin engaged Lavallee Brensinger Architects to perform a dorm feasibility study. The study identified the need for housing that:
- Provides attractive options to support independent, home-like living for juniors and seniors
- Increases opportunities for various levels of social interaction
- Provides single bedroom, comfortable, and homey apartment living for 4, 6, and 8 students
- Addresses non-campus neighbors’ concerns
- Achieves Passive House (PHIUS) Certification
Working closely with student groups, it was agreed the apartments needed to include individual, private student space, as well as common, shared spaces. The resulting design centers around the kitchen, granting house-mates and friends the option to come together for shared dinners, group studying, and other social gatherings. Each of the four buildings consist of “suite-style” apartments with a full kitchen, living room, bathroom, study area, third-floor shared laundry, single bedroom per student resident, and full-service elevators. With thick insulation, triple-pane windows, and efficient air-exchange systems, Bowdoin will realize a 54% energy savings*.
*compared to ASHRAE 90.1 2013 code baseline