higher education

UW Stout – Red Cedar Residence Hall

Menomonie, WI

Faced with the aging of the existing residence halls on UW-Stout’s North Campus, the decision was made to pursue the design and construction of a new 119,000-square-foot residence hall. The new facility was designed to house approximately 300 students in suite-style units. Design objectives of the new residence hall included retaining a sense of being part of the campus while maintaining its own distinct “North Campus” community. The facilities are designated for upperclassmen, giving them the feeling of moving off-campus. The interior style is contemporary and non-institutional, offering a feeling of home.

The new Red Cedar Residence Hall includes 75 suite-style residential units, each with four single-occupancy bedrooms, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a living room. In addition, there are community kitchens, lounges, laundry facilities, multi-purpose meeting/seminar rooms, a game room, and music practice rooms. A front desk/security check-in area, staff offices, a staff apartment, and other management and operational support spaces are also provided.

Key challenges of the project were site issues involving existing buildings and a significantly sloping site. In addition, the residence hall was constructed in the proximity of historically significant structures. The architectural image and massing respects the significance of these nearby areas. Consideration was also given to the possibility of a future-phase addition to the north end of the residence hall. The project schedule was accelerated to allow occupancy by residents in the fall semester.