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The goals of this project are to create a new type of campus building and to foster a nuanced dialogue between topography and tectonics. The design for Tiffin University’s “Living Hill” residential hall resists the placeless homogeneity that plagues much of today’s built environment, instead crafting a structure that deeply engages with its specific context.

Our approach is to manipulate the site’s natural contours to both a building and a lived topography. The structure becomes an extension of the earth itself. The resultant form - a habitable hill housing 450 students - stands as a rebuttal to the oft-seen tabula rasa approach to campus planning.

An 8’x8’ planning grid serves as both an organizational and generative tool for the project. This dimensional framework informs the layout of spaces from individual student rooms to communal areas, ensuring efficient space utilization while allowing for a diverse range of spatial experiences. The grid system provides flexibility in design and construction, facilitating the project’s phased implementation.

The building envelope incorporates varying degrees of porosity, creating a nuanced interplay between interior and exterior spaces. This permeability responds to local climatic conditions, enhancing natural ventilation and daylighting while fostering a constant dialogue between interior and exterior spaces.

Materiality plays a crucial role in the project’s integration with its context. Locally sourced materials and construction techniques ground the building in its regional setting, resulting in a structure that feels both familiar and forward-looking.

“Living Hill” creates a holistic living environment that promotes well-being, fosters community interaction, and enhances the overall campus experience. The design incorporates a variety of communal spaces, study areas, and integrated amenities that support diverse student needs and activities.