Worcester, MA — A 422-bed, environmentally-progressive “home away from home” awaited this year’s incoming freshman at Worcester State College.
Architects Prellwitz Chilinski Associates (PCA Inc.), in partnership with the school and the Massachusetts State College Building Authority (MSCBA), have transformed the 20-year-old Dowden Residence Hall into a 100,000sf, campus hub featuring a four-story glass entry façade, sunny new common spaces and a wide range of student amenities.
Pending certification at the LEED Gold level by the U.S. Green Building Council, the project addresses rising demand for on-campus student housing while advancing Worcester State’s identity as a welcoming, environmentally-conscious campus community.
The Dowden Hall renovation realizes a shared MSCBA/Worcester State goal: simultaneously improving the campus student experience, expanding residential capacity, and promoting sustainability.
The latest of several partnerships between the MSCBA and PCA, the project’s design re-oriented the existing 58,000sf building around a 41,000sf new wing connected by a four-story glass entry/façade: a campus “front door” that floods the building halls and common spaces with natural light.
A new courtyard replaces the building’s previous entry, adding an amenity to the core campus and helping position the building as a welcoming gathering place. Inside, 422 total beds, wide hallways, and new social spaces including a ground-floor fitness center, convenience store and game room create a supportive, modern college living experience for the college’s newly expanded freshman population.