Mark Cerel, a member of both the Community Preservation Committee and the Thayer Development Committee, recognized and acknowledged LLB Architects’ efforts in the planning of the project. Since the interview stage, the firm has impressed the committee with a design that responds to its context. Its history as an iconic New England farm, adjacent to Choate Park and a designated historic district, was inspiration in creating the new addition that reinforces the view of the surrounding landscape. As the committee puts it, the building has “wow” factor, which will be a major selling point for its future use as function space.

Chairman of the committee, Dan Hooper, added that LLB really understood what they were after in repurposing the site. As a hub for cultural and community events – something which was lacking in Medway – the redevelopment of Thayer Homestead is a new gem and a significant project for the town. The committee is optimistic about the continued success of the project during construction with M. O’Connor Contracting.

The town in 2006 used $1.1 million in Community Preservation Act funds to seize through eminent domain the 1830s farmer’s house, barn and field, named after owners Addison and Lydia Thayer. The rooms are spacious with wide pine floors, and many of the original touches are intact. The proposed design adds to the existing home a timber frame banquet hall that seats 96 people, a kitchen, a caretaker’s apartment, an outdoor fireplace.

Read more on the groundbreaking from Jessica Trufant of the Milford Daily News.

Update: …and the winner is, follower #50, @gcpvd Greater City Providence. Thanks to everyone for following us.

Although an extensive credit list was shared with the blog, appropriate credit was limited due to time constraints. The success of the Hillside Hall project is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the entire project team, including Mackey Mitchell Architects, Associate Architect, University of Rhode Island, Client; Odeh Engineers, Structural Engineer; Creative Environment Corp., MEP/FP Engineer; Pare Corporation, Civil Engineer; Carol R. Johnson Associates, Landscape Architect; Earleylight, Lighting Designer; Paul Burk Photography and Warren Jagger Photography, Photographers; KBE Building Corporation, Contractor; and Keough Construction Management, Owner’s Project Manager.

The presentation for the public included a photo tour of the major areas of development, data collection and analysis, and proposals for improvements and enhancements. The January meeting was the first of three public workshops to be held. You can download the presentation from the January 17 Public Meeting [PDF] and visit the River Corridor Development Plan site for more information.

See Massachusetts Public Notices for more information and read more about the project in the Milford Daily news including Panel backs $2.5M Thayer project in Medway and Medway Town Meeting agrees to spend $2.5M for Thayer project.

The Rhode Island chapter of the American Institute of Architects hosts a design awards program and celebrates outstanding works of architecture through its annual gala celebration, held this year at the Greenhouse at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, RI. The purpose of the program is to recognize significant architectural achievement in Rhode Island to enhance our built environment. The new $42 million, 429-bed Hillside Hall was designed as a dynamic new model for residential housing and was the recipient of an honor award in the educational/institutional category.

The selection jury was made up of representatives from AIA New Hampshire and selected Hillside Hall for its elegant solution on a challenging topographic and contextual site. Juror Mark Moeller, AIA, LEED AP noted that the project was a difficult assignment. As design principal at JSA in Portsmouth, NH, he has worked on many dormitories, so he knows well the quality of the design that was necessary for the success of the project. The jury was also impressed by the open sky lounges in the glass bridge which provide a very desirable feature for the freshman and sophomore residents. Natural light floods the interior and is animated with a rhythmic pattern of colored glass, creating a diverse array of shadows that change constantly.

The sky lounges are contrasted with intimate social spaces for group and collaborative study which are well placed throughout the floor plan. The jury recognized that the materials choices – both inside and out – were simple and beautifully composed, and another deciding factor in awarding the project.

URI President David M. Dooley has said, “This striking new residence hall is perfectly consistent with our strategic plan and transformational goals in that it provides for 24/7, multidisciplinary and global learning opportunities in a comfortable, sustainable setting. Not only does this building enhance learning among the occupants, it will also help teach our students the importance of environmental sustainability, which will be essential in the decades to come.”

The most effective and economical methods to achieve a green building comes from a holistic approach to sustainability. LLB Architects integrated solar hot water system, sun shading, natural ventilation, green roof, a rigorously designed building envelope, and local and recycled materials. Slated for LEED certification, the project is setting new standards for environmentally friendly residence hall construction.

“When you consider what was here before, you can see the dramatic contrast of a very dense housing facility with excellent design, both exterior and interior,” said Robert A. Weygand, vice president for Administration and Finance. “Now we have this wonderful facility that provides much more housing, but also creates beautiful common spaces, outside and inside the building.”

Thomas R. Dougan, vice president for Student Affairs, said he has heard from many students about how much they enjoy the new residence. “I am proud that URI has been able to provide such an excellent environment to learn and live for our students. All members of our team did an outstanding job putting student needs at the top of the list in designing and constructing this building. Hillside Hall is another example of how URI is trying to build a vibrant, spirited and effective campus community.”

Other projects which received honor awards last week include Archie R. Cole Middle School, Marsh House, Concord Riverwalk; and among the merit awards were Interlink, AS220 Mercantile Block, Fort Adams Redoubt Jail, Twin Peaks Residence, Hillside House, Vedanta Society, Narragansett Bay Commission Field’s Point Administration Building, and Community MusicWorks.

In addition to the design awards, AIAri also hosts the Archistar award program which recognizes exceptional individual contributions to architecture by non-architects. The award is an opportunity for the Rhode Island professional architectural community to recognize the full range of vision, skills, and perseverance that is required to make a positive impact on the built environment. The winner of this year’s award went to Clark Schoettle, Executive Director of Providence Revolving Fund. He was selected for working tirelessly to preserve Providence’s architectural heritage and stimulating community revitalization through advocacy, lending, technical assistance, and development in historic areas.

Learn more about Hillside Hall and visit AIAri to read more about all the awarded projects.

The University of Rhode Island community celebrates all of those features and more at its formal opening and ribbon cutting for Hillside Hall, the new $42 million, 429-bed residence hall by Lerner Ladds Bartels Architects in association with Mackey Mitchell Architects. The event was held Saturday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 a.m. in the building’s courtyard, 140 Campus Avenue.

The 120,000 square-foot structure is located at Campus Avenue, north of Fraternity Circle and east of Barlow Hall. The five-story east wing is exclusively residential, while the four-story, west wing’s first floor is home to the Housing and Residential Life Offices. To maintain and enhance the cross–campus ties through the site, LLB Architects focused on pedestrian interconnectivity between the different districts on campus. A number of building through-passages at ground level allow for integration of existing pedestrian pathways while maintaining universal accessibility.

“This striking new residence hall is perfectly consistent with our strategic plan and transformational goals in that it provides for 24/7, multidisciplinary and global learning opportunities in a comfortable, sustainable setting,” URI President David M. Dooley said. “Not only does this building enhance learning among the occupants, it will also help teach our students the importance of environmental sustainability, which will be essential in the decades to come.”

Acting as a gateway to the campus Hillside District, Hillside Hall aims to engage students through the creation of dynamic spaces designed to promote student interaction on both an academic and social level. It serves as a living-learning community for pharmacy, nursing and international students, all of whom moved during Columbus Day weekend.

The new building houses numerous study lounges, as well as small, gathering spaces in each hallway to promote a sense of identity and community within the large complex. A strong architectural feature is the four-story, glass-faced bridge linking the two wings. The structure offers connecting stairways and two-story lounges with outstanding views of the exterior courtyards.

LLB Architects will be assisting the University in seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification. Sixty-four solar panels provide hot water for the facility, sun shading fixtures and window vents keep the rooms comfortable while still allowing in generous amounts of light, and landscaping controls and filters storm water before it finally enters White Horn Brook to the west of the campus.

“There are water fountains and you can fill up your water bottle on each floor, so that’s great,” said Walter. “And then in the basement there are 12 washers and dryers, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about waiting for laundry.”

The design of Hillside Hall, which features no-touch water bottle refilling stations and generous use of available light, also recognizes traditional pedestrian traffic to and from Fraternity Circle, the campus’ academic center and other residential neighborhoods with enhanced and enlarged concrete walkways.

The exterior consists of brick, wood, metal and glass, with the brick complementing the surrounding residence halls, and the wood veneer is consistent with the surrounding woods to the east.

Hillside Hall replaces the Terrace Apartments, a dreary, four-building, 54-bed complex on the site of the original quarry where granite was hewn for URI’s oldest buildings, Taft, Davis and Lippitt halls. Some of that granite, excavated during site preparation for Hillside, is now part of the landscaping.

“When you consider what was here before, a small, old housing complex that made poor use of the space, you can see the dramatic contrast of a very dense housing facility with excellent design, both exterior and interior,” said Robert A. Weygand, vice president for Administration and Finance. “The old site was overgrown, not very attractive, and now we have this wonderful facility that provides much more housing, but also creates beautiful common spaces, outside and inside the building.”

Thomas R. Dougan, vice president for Student Affairs, said he has already heard from many students about how much they enjoy the new residence.

“I am proud that URI has been able to provide such an excellent environment to learn and live for our students. All members of our team did an outstanding job putting student needs at the top of the list in designing and constructing this building. Hillside Hall is another example of how URI is trying to build a vibrant, spirited and effective campus community.”

See and read more on Hillside Hall.

The organizing principle of the design merges the two primary grids of the campus plan that are thoughtfully woven together to create unique cantilevers, ledges, and intersections. The two residential wings are cranked and cracked open to allow natural light into the double-loaded corridor which terminate with transparent glazing. These moments at the grid intersections become group and collaborative study lounges for the freshmen and sophomore student residents in pharmacy, nursing, and international programs, part of a Living and Learning Community. The configuration of bedroom clusters around these lounges promotes a sense of identity and community within the larger complex, reinforcing the social fabric of Hillside Hall within the residential district.

The most effective and economical methods to achieve a green building comes from a holistic approach to sustainability. LLB Architects integrated solar hot water system, exterior sun shading and sun screens, operable windows for maximized natural ventilation, light reflecting roofing materials with demonstration green roof, a rigorously designed and engineered building envelope with maximum insulation and materials chosen for high recycled content obtained regionally. All uphill water is captured in a series of rain gardens that collect and filter water through a sequence of above ground water retention basins. Permeable pavers, reflective site materials, and extensive new site plantings all contribute to a truly sustainable landscape. Slated for LEED Gold, the project is setting new standards for environmentally friendly residence hall construction.

This project was done in association with associate architect Mackey Mitchell Architects. Site plan and landscape design by Carol R. Johnson Associates. Photography by Paul Burk Photography and Warren Jagger Photography.