Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Oklahoma: Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges

  • 01/01/18
University of Oklahoma

PHOTOS © DAVID COBB PHOTOGRAPHY

Utilizing the “residential college” community model, student housing design experts KWK Architects of Webster Groves, MO, with architect-of-record ADG Architects of Oklahoma City, OK, designed the first residential colleges in Oklahoma at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. A dedication ceremony for the new Headington and Dunham residential colleges was held on October 11, 2017.

The new $75 million residential colleges are designed as living/learning spaces that provide upperclassmen with a sense of community and identity within the larger university environment, by combining three different aspects of student life: living, learning, and community fellowship. The goal of this model is to engage students within the residential colleges beyond their freshman and sophomore years to create lasting relationships and a sense of identity.

The facilities, located south of the football stadium at the southwest corner of Jenkins Avenue and Lindsey Street, opened in fall 2017 with 300 students in each building.

Taking cues from residential colleges on Ivy League campuses such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and Cambridge, each building features a faculty master apartment and office, dormitories, private parking, seminar/conference rooms, lounges, study areas, libraries, and dining rooms. The two residential colleges are also connected by a communal dining area and storm shelter, and each boasts a house motto, colors, crest, and athletic teams. The architectural design of each college was influenced by the Cherokee Gothic style featured on several buildings throughout the campus.

The project team, which included KWK Architects, ADG Architects, and Brailsford & Dunlavey program management, began the project by first creating a master plan for expanding student campus housing at the university. The team reviewed existing housing facilities, as well as available campus sites and near-campus housing, before surveying students to determine optimal rental prices, unit sizes, room configurations, and desired amenities for the new residential colleges.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management January 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • 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.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.