Western Kentucky University / Student Life Foundation, Inc.
Hilltopper Hall
Bowling Green, KY
Lord Aeck Sargent was selected to design the first of a series of new residence halls for the Student Life Foundation at Western Kentucky University.
The six-story, 410-bed facility, to be located in the Valley area of campus, is one of the first steps in a 10-year effort to realize a recently completed housing master plan.
Student rooms are primarily double-occupancy suites, with a handful of single-occupancy suites on each floor. Each of the five residential floors includes a group study room, open social gathering spaces and small study nooks at the ends of the corridors.
On the ground floor, a public lobby at the corner of the building serves as a gateway to the Valley precinct, flanked by two wings, each of which can be secured separately. The residential wing includes open lounges, enclosed study areas and a maker space in addition to lobby, office and reception areas, as well as staff apartments with discreet exterior entrances. The dining wing includes seating and serving areas for up to 150 students and a “grab & go” cafe that can remain open after the dining hall is closed. The project also includes site improvements, including an outdoor terrace to serve as a new student life amenity for the area.
The building is scheduled to be open to receive Fall 2018 students.