With the design and construction of these new residence halls for Belmont Abbey College, UHS sought to combine the solitude of private rooms with the community of shared leisure space. Belmont Abbey’s twin buildings share a common outdoor plaza, which is used for relaxation, studying, and bringing together students of all pods. The buildings’ linear alignment creates a datum between two environments. While the entry side creates a new urban face, the rear is embedded in the natural beauty of the campus.

Running along the entry drive, the dorms are situated directly across from Belmont’s ballfields, encouraging students to watch a game and participate in the greater campus community. The service spaces of each pod (the restrooms and the stair cores) are pulled away from the dormitories ensuring privacy and security. The stair cores and restrooms are grouped into a service-oriented bar distinct from the main community space. Light flows between the two bars and separates these very different uses.