flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

The University of Oklahoma receives its first residential colleges

University Buildings

The University of Oklahoma receives its first residential colleges

The residential communities were designed by KWK Architects and combine living and learning amenities.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | October 13, 2017
The exterior of Dunham College
The exterior of Dunham College

KWK Architects and ADG Architects recently completed work on Headington and Dunham residential colleges at the University of Oklahoma. The $75 million residential colleges are the first on the Norman, Okla., campus.

Headington and Dunham are designed as living/learning spaces to provide students with a sense of community and identity within the larger university. Before construction began, students were surveyed to determine optimal rental prices, unit sizes, room configurations, and desired amenities.

Each building features a faculty master apartment and office, dormitories, private parking, seminar/conference rooms, lounges, study areas, libraries, and dining rooms.

“The residential floors must offer a wide variety of room types that are enticing for freshman as well as upperclassmen to increase retention and engagement with the residential college," says Paul Wuennenberg, AIA, LEED APA, Principal, KWK Architects, in a release.

The buildings are connected by a communal dining area and storm shelter. Each residential college has its own motto, colors, crest, and athletic teams. The Cherokee Gothic style, featured on several other buildings across the campus, influenced the architectural design.

The university's most recent semester opened with 600 upperclassmen, 300 in each building. A dedication ceremony was held on Oct. 11.

Related Stories

| Dec 20, 2011

Gluckman Mayner Architects releases design for Syracuse law building

The design reflects an organizational clarity and professional sophistication that anticipates the user experience of students, faculty, and visitors alike. 

| Dec 19, 2011

HGA renovates Rowing Center at Cornell University

Renovation provides state-of-the-art waterfront facility.

| Dec 16, 2011

Goody Clancy-designed Informatics Building dedicated at Northern Kentucky University

The sustainable building solution, built for approximately $255-sf, features innovative materials and intelligent building systems that align with the mission of integration and collaboration. 

| Dec 5, 2011

Fraser Brown MacKenna wins Green Gown Award

Working closely with staff at Queen Mary University of London, MEP Engineers Mott MacDonald, Cost Consultants Burnley Wilson Fish and main contractor Charter Construction, we developed a three-fold solution for the sustainable retrofit of the building.

| Dec 2, 2011

Goody Clancy awarded Ohio State residential project

The project, which is focused on developing a vibrant on-campus community of learning for OSU undergraduates.

| Nov 23, 2011

Griffin Electric completes Gwinnett Tech project

Accommodating up to 3,000 students annually beginning this fall, the 78,000-sf, three-story facility consists of thirteen classrooms and twelve high-tech laboratories, in addition to several lecture halls and faculty offices.

| Nov 18, 2011

Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability opens

Designed to exceed LEED Platinum, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) is one of the most innovative and high performance buildings in North America today, demonstrating leading-edge green building design products, technologies, and systems.

| Nov 11, 2011

Streamline Design-build with BIM

How construction manager Barton Malow utilized BIM and design-build to deliver a quick turnaround for Georgia Tech’s new practice facility.

| Nov 11, 2011

AIA: Engineered Brick + Masonry for Commercial Buildings

Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam. 

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




Mass Timber

Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.

halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021