Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Valparaiso University: Beacon Hall

  • 02/01/15
Valparaiso University: Beacon Hall

PHOTOS © MARIUSZ MIZERA

In February 2013, the design-build team of FGM Architects/Mortenson Construction began planning Valparaiso University’s Beacon Hall; the first new residence hall identified in the Indiana-based school’s recently adopted campus master plan. The campus plan envisions supportive and responsive student living environments through the phased replacement or renovation of many of the existing 1960s-era residence halls and establishes the Collegiate Gothic style for campus residences.

The 85,550-square-foot, 292-bed Beacon Hall features two-, three- and four-bedroom room suites with doubles and singles, each with shared baths. Community spaces include a ground floor living room and fireplace and a commons adjacent to the courtyard with views to the campus beyond. Shared space on the typical floors encompasses a variety of study rooms — some quiet, some open and more socially oriented — kitchenettes and recreation/support spaces. A non-denominational prayer room supports the university’s faith-based mission.

“One project goal was to provide a transition between the all-shared facilities of freshman year to full apartment-style communities of upper-class students,” states Brandon Lipman, principal at FGM Architects. “FGM/Mortenson and the university project planning committee, including deans, Residential Life, facilities staff and students, carefully considered Valparaiso’s culture and mission and reviewed alternative models of in-suite living arrangements in order to develop the hall’s ‘transitional’ suite model.”

The project’s 12-month construction timeline required FGM/Mortenson to select building systems to meet both this ambitious schedule and the university’s goals of an enriching residential experience, craftsmanship, sustainability, high quality and maintainability. In response, the team utilized prefabricated, brick-faced structural/architectural precast concrete and unitized bathroom pods. Prefabrication allowed for accelerated, cost-effective construction.

This past fall, students entered Beacon Hall’s “house” pavilion and began enjoying their new home away from home.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.