The Charge: To ensure coherence in campus design as related to aesthetics, sustainability, and the educational mission, each new project will be guided and shaped by the campus master plan. Based on this plan, we will enhance our identity through development of a beautiful, sustainable landscape and built environment that embodies our regional and historical identity and fosters our collaborative approach to teaching, learning and community building.
What's Happening: This fall, 154 juniors and seniors moved into the college's newest residential development on East Campus. On the north-easternmost block of the campus, providing a distinct neighborhood feel for its residents, the East Campus village addresses an immediate need for additional student housing. Made up of student apartments and small houses centered on a common green and bordered to the south by a two-story west-facing community center, the development appeals to the upper-class students it was designed to house. The variety of rooflines, choice of exterior materials, and thoughtful landscaping that directs foot traffic toward a visually stunning east-west corridor all serve to tie the development to the campus and blend in seamlessly to historic district neighborhoods to the project's north and east. Already, the strong sense of community this project has created is a vibrant addition to campus life.
"Community on East Campus extends beyond our relationships with each other, we are truly making our new residence feel like home," shared Resident Advisor Acelynn Perkins '18. "Whether it's lounging by the fire pit, firing up the grill, napping in the hammock garden, or studying on the sundecks, our residents have truly created a sense of place on East Campus - taking full advantage of the beautiful space around us."
The project also embodies the college's values for all new buildings, as articulated in the Campus Master Plan. The project showcases environmentally sustainable technology throughout. The project was one of three campuses nationwide participating in the 21st Century Project, adhering to five design tenets adopted by the Association of College and University Housing Officers: community, technology, sustainability, innovation and flexibility.
In addition, the entire development encourages strong ties to our region and history with each house, the courtyard, and community building named in honor of distinguished former CC students. During the official dedication during Family and Friends Weekend, living honorees Nobel Laureate Professor Jim Heckman '65, Senator and former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar '77, former Olympic Gold Medalist and television sports commentator Peggy Flemming '70 and former president of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Ambassdor to the U.N. Bill Hybl '64 will share their stories of accomplishment.