The proposed project is an expansion of the existing Middle Earth Housing undergraduate complex that includes approximately 510 beds for freshman students, a new dining facility, and ancillary spaces including study rooms, computer labs, kitchenettes, and laundry facilities.
The Middle Earth Expansion was designed to reinforce the qualities of neighborhood character and student interaction. The new building will include amenity and community spaces for all of Middle Earth, and plan accordingly for the growing student population.
Some of the key program goals involved responding to varying needs of privacy, maximizing community building and allowing the residents to rest and restore.
The project was developed in an 11-week long design-build competition with builder Hathaway Dinwiddie.