Bryn Mawr College, Undergraduate Dean’s Office, Eugenia Chase Guild Hall Renovation

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Firm

BKP Architects

Client

Bryn Mawr College

Area

7,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$1,200,000

Completion Date

09/2011

Built as a campus computing center in the mid-1980s, Eugenia Chase Guild Hall features strong, simple geometry and a domestic-scale stone building above ground that belies the building’s 7,000 square feet of belowgrade spaces. BKP transformed the building from a no-longer-useful center for equipment to a light-filled and welcoming space for people. The project consolidated student advisory services, including dean’s offices, residence life department, international programs, student access services, academic support, and learning resources.

The project became a study in light, physically and emotionally illuminating the space. Patterns of sun and shade were carefully explored to bring sunlight into all of the private offices and communal areas and to better connect the interior with an exterior courtyard. To establish a familial atmosphere, each part of the floor plan was conceived as a room, including the stair towers, which are accented with comfortable furniture, warm colors, and artwork. The project centralizes services for student convenience while facilitating more frequent conversations and collaboration among dean’s office staff.

“All of these changes are about putting the student at the center of what we do,” says Michelle Rasmussen, Dean of the Undergraduate College. “We’ve created a hub where they can take care of just about everything they need.”