High Street Residence Hall, Dickinson College

Project Details

Project Description

On a site that faces the main thoroughfare of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Deborah Berke Partners designed this new residence hall at Dickinson College to present a formal front to the street and a more casual face to a lawn (and future quadrangle) to the south. Stone facades on the public side provide a modern interpretation of the stone of the historic Dickinson campus across the street.

The building, which is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification, is the college's first new residence hall in more than forty years.

On the lawn side, Deborah Berke Partners designed an active and light-filled "campus connected" facade of large windows and weathered zinc panels. Whereas the front of the building is at home among Dickinson's historic buildings, the back activates its environs and fills the building with light.

The building's E-shaped plan creates a pair of intimate outdoor courtyards for casual gatherings. The high-performance landscape, designed by Andropogon, manages stormwater on-site. Inside, sky lit staircases encourage active movement through the building. hallways double as social spaces with lounge areas and study nooks.

The Residence Hall will provide housing for 129 students, including resident advisors, and one apartment, along with generous social spaces to promote community within the residence hall, and to serve the entire campus.