University of Connecticut Connecticut Hall

Client: University of Connecticut
Location: Storrs, CT
Completion: 2024
Size: 246,000 square feet
Beds: 652
Certification: LEED-NC Gold
Tags: Architecture Lighting Design Higher Education Residential Life Sustainability Certified

Connecticut Hall welcomed student residents in the fall of 2024, helping to meet University of Connecticut's ongoing need for upgraded student housing. The new building improves the competitiveness of the on-campus residential experience with semi-suite units and plentiful community amenities, including a new on-site dining hall. The building houses students in the Honors program, student athletes, and the Nursing and Wellness Learning Communities in mostly two-bedroom, two-bath semi-suites as well as some one-bedroom and non-suites for RAs and other accommodations.

Newman, as architect of record with design-builder KBE Building Corporation, was awarded the project at the enhanced Schematic Design phase and carried the project to completion in time for the fall semester. Sasaki was the bridging architect.

The glass-enclosed ground floor provides common study areas, gathering spaces, game room, bike storage, laundry, and on-site offices that offer student access to residential life staff. A large communal living room visually and physically connects to the outside with seating that spills out to the outdoor courtyard patio.

A 500-seat dining hall overlooking Mirror Lake offers a range of food stations and a variety of seating options to support opportunities for social interaction or focus.

Linear light fixtures in the corridors and common spaces create pace and indicate points of pause. Dimmable lighting within student suites enables adjustments based on daylighting and tasks.

Efficient fixtures and systems, on-site stormwater management, native landscaping, heritage tree preservation, and connection to a new campus geothermal field earned the building a LEED Gold rating and met Connecticut High Performance Building Standards.