Hunter Hall is the first building implemented from our Southern Vermont College campus master plan. The residence hall was conceived as a multi-disciplined building and houses 115 students, two science laboratories, health services and several large gathering spaces. This building is the physical embodiment of the college’s educational objectives and philosophies which focus on experiential learning in places of living and play in addition to the classroom. The design incorporated a large lobby which provides ample room for speakers and seminars in an effort to bring the classroom to the students.
The design began with a focus on the individual students’ needs. Individual ideas and scale began with single occupancy rooms which were grouped together in small suites with bathrooms and then arranged in clusters of suites with centralized lounges. The main focus was to create a human scale and a sense of belonging and ownership. All rooms have a view to the landscape beyond. The arrangement was repeated throughout the multiple wings of the building and allows for greater social interaction between residents on a daily basis. This layout embraces the need for students to belong to an identified group and for the College to have the ability to place students of like minds and behaviors together.
