Many higher education institutions are seeing reduced enrollment due to less college aged students across the country which has greatly increased competition.
Many higher education institutions are seeing reduced enrollment due to less college aged students across the country which has greatly increased competition. Now there are many methods being used to attract new students, but we have seen much more focus being placed on the quality of student housing. Gone are the days when students were fine with being squeezed into small rooms, communal showers, and minimal amenities. Some places are able to build brand new facilities with all the modern conveniences and expectations, but it is impossible to replace everything so efforts must be made to modernize the spaces available. SDSU chose to do just that with their target renovation of the bathrooms in Waneta Hall.
The original bathroom groups, largely untouched since their construction in 1957, were showing their age and clearly needed a major overhaul. SDSU saw this as an opportunity to fully transform these spaces by making them more visually appealing, accessible, private, and adaptable to enhance every aspect of the student experience. Facing a series of challenges, the design team tackled issues such as limited floor space, low ceiling height, and the constraints of a rigid precast concrete structure. Despite these obstacles, we swiftly crafted a solution that would satisfy SDSU’s requirements and be ready before the students returned in the fall.
During design, we meticulously examined the existing infrastructure, ensuring that all new plumbing penetrations and piping would avoid structural conflicts and fit seamlessly above the ceilings. Even within the limited footprint, we were still able to provide accessible plumbing chases to allow for ease of maintenance. To beat the clock, we collaborated with SDSU to choose finishes that were not only long-lasting but could also be installed quickly – such as solid surface wall panels and resilient sheet flooring. In addition, we strategically placed ceramic tile and elegant marble countertops for a modern and welcoming touch.
The result is a thoughtfully reimagined layout that utilized the original bathroom footprint and an adjacent student room to create six pod-style bathrooms of different types. These spaces now offer full ADA accessibility, enhanced privacy, and provide flexibility of use, setting a new standard for comfort and convenience in student housing.
