A UNIVERSITY UNION AND DORMITORY
J OHN GOODF ELLOW FLEMING
T H E S I S
F OR THE
DEGREE BAC HELOR OF SC IENC E
IN
ARC H ITECTURE
C OLLEGE OF ENG I NEER ING
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
1912
10111 mm
U N IV E R S IT Y O F ILLIN O I S
l J UNE e t , 19 12 .
THIS IS TO C ERT IF Y THAT THE THESIS ' RE' A RED UNDER MY SU' ERV ISIO N BY
J OHN GOQDF E‘JLLOW F LEMI ‘ IG
A UNI VER I TY UNI N ND R M ENTITLED S O A DO I TORY '
IS A ' ' RO VED BY ME AS F ULF ILLING THIS ' A RT O F THE REQ UIREMENTS F O R THE
DEG REE or: BACHELOR OF S CIENCE I N ARCHI TE CTURE
HEAD O F DE' ARTMENT O F
INDE'
Gen er al ' r o r am g
Me t ho d o' Study
Hi st or i c al
Bibl i ogr aphy
GENERAL ' ROGRAM
Thi s de s ign has f or it s ob ' e c t t h e study of a bu il ding wh i ch shall ful f ill in p ar t t he l iv i ng r equ ir ement s
of s ome of t he men student s in a smal l un iver s it y .
mu u Th e ca p s of t hi s niver s it y i s ver y ext ens ive ,
s inc e it i s l o c at ed in t he f er t il e , r oll ing pr a ir i e s of a
u u small mt own and i s s rr ounded by a b e a t iful r e s iden c e di st r i ct . The ca pu s i s l aid out in t he natur al s tyl e , w it h w indi ng dr ive s and walk s curv ing t hr ough gr as sy ar eas wh i ch ar e
encl o s ed by mas s e s o f tr e e s and shrub s . mIn ac c or danc e wit h t he g ener al s tyl e and l ay out o f t he ca pu s t h i s dormit ory has b e en de s igned in or der t o
a s s mmr i c al u . obt a in a rat her y e t p ict r e sque eff e ct The g ener al s tyl e of t he bu il ding s on t he campu s i s t hat of the Engl i sh
Got h i c , the ne c e s sar y var i et y in un it y b e ing ob t aine d by vary ing t he det a il s of t he st yl e t o su it th e ne e ds o f' the
univ er s it y bu ild ing s .
Th is bu ild ing has b e en c ons ider e d as only one of a s er i e s o f dormit ory unit s wh ich wh il e s imil ar in g eneral l ayout ar e var i e d suff i c i ently t o avo id pr oduc ing t he e ff e c t of a s er i e s o f monot onou s bar r ack s ; th i s arr ang ement of small unit s all ow ing of a r e ady exp ans i on t o me et t he n e eds of a
gr ow ing univer s it y . The bu il ding has purp o s ely b e en k ep t
r at her smal l , in or der t o g ive a mor e homel ik e atmo spher e t o t he surr oundings of t he me n who ar e t o l ive in t hem c on
i n ou t u sly .
F ol l ow ing t h e g ene r al pr inc ipl e s of t h e b e st of
t he modern dormit or i e s t he U shap e d bu il d ing has b e en pl ac e d
w ith t he op en c our t fac ing t he s out h , g iv in g th e maximum
or o f sunl ight t o t he l iv ing and s o c i al r o oms . F th i s r eas on t he ent ranc e t owe r has b e en p l ac ed up on t h e nor t h we st whe r e it wil l t ak e up t he minimum o' t he sun l ight ed sur fac e o f t h e
u b il ding . m The r e fe ct ory , wh i ch i s pl ac ed im e diat ely t o t he
s out h of t he ent r anc e t ower , has b e en g iv en it s p o s it i on in
order t o g e t a pl e as ant exp o sur e at t he t ime s when m eal s ar e
b e ing s erv ed t o the s tudent s . It has b e en made l ar g e enough t o ac c omodat e s ome of t h e student s who l ive in t he ne arby
t own , as wel l as t ho s e who l ive in th e bu il ding .
The s o c ial r o oms on th e f ir st fl o or ar e u s ed f or
t he purp o s e s o f t he Un iver s i ty un i on , the t erm having b e en fr e ely int erpr e t e d t o mean a un i on of t he student s in the
s ever al dorm it or i e s , eac h having it s own g ener al s o c ial
r o oms in th e dormit ory bu il d ing s . The s e r o oms have b e en s o pl ac e d that they may b e t hr own t og e t her fo r s o c ial purp o s e s
or may b e u s ed indep endent l y , as t h e c as e may demand .
Su it e s of r o oms have b e en pr ov ided t o ac c omodat e
fr om s ixt y t o s event y f ive s tudent s , the numb er var y ing ac c ord ingly as t he r o oms ar e us ed s ingly or in two r o om
su it e s , arr ang ement hav ing b e en made for the u s e of e i ther
t yp e .
METHOD OF S TUDY
A s a pr ep ar at i on for t h i s p r obl em in de s ign a car e ful stu dy has b e en made o f s imil ar bu ilding s in Engl and
fr om t h e f our t e ent h c entury t o t he pr e s ent t ime . Dormit or i e s
have b e en studi ed as t hey app ear in o ther for e ign c ount r i e s ,
but ne c e s sar ily t o a l e s s er ext ent .
The e c cl e s ias t i c al de s ign s of th e Am e r i can fi rm
a o o o f Cr m , G dhu e , an d F ergus on have b e en g iven c ar eful c on
s ider at i on , s inc e t he work o f th i s firm i s g ener al ly r e c ogn i ' ed
as t he b e st of it s k ind in th i s c ount ry . Al s o th e b o ok s
Mr . R . r m wr it t en by . A C a , t he s en i or memb er of t he ab ove f irm , have furn i shed s ever al i de as wit h r eg ar d t o t he pr op er de s ign
ing of such bu il d ing s .
A numb er o f sk e t c he s wer e made of var i ous anc i ent
and modern bu il d ing s in t he st yl e o f the Engl i sh Got hi c , in order t o b e c ome famil i ar wi t h the g ener al char ac t er i st i c s o f
t he s t yl e . The s e sk e t che s included appr ox imat ely t h ir ty
s he e t s o f pl ans , el e vat i ons , se c t i ons , p er sp e ct ive s , and de t a il s o f bu il ding s r ang ing in t yp e fr om chur che s t o
monast er i e s .
Aft er t he pr el iminary study o f th e g ener al st yl e
had b e en made , th e ide as obt aine d fr om it wer e appl i ed t o a s er i e s o f bl o ck pl an s wh i ch involve d t h e gener al mas s o f th e
bu il ding and it s or i ent at i on . The l at t er c ons ide r at i on was
g iven much at t ent i on , as t h e l ight i ng o f a dorm it ory i s o f gr e at imp or t anc e , s inc e s o many student s ar e t o sp end th e ir
t ime in it .
The g ener al pl an wh ich was cho s en for t hi s pr obl em
U u u was a shap ed one wit h t h e op en c o r t fac ing t he s o t h .
Th i s s cheme was cho s en b e cau s e of th e e as e w it h whi ch t he
do rmit or i e s c oul d b e l ight e d fr om all s ide s , and al s o t o
g a in t h e ne c e s s ar y p r ivacy f or th e su it e s of student r o oms .
A um l arg e n b er of small s c al e p l an s , el evat i ons ,
and s e ct i on s wer e dr awn , in or der t o g a in an idea o f the
g ener al mas s and out l ine of t he gr oup , and t he r el at ive p r o
p ort i on . o f the var i ou s p ar t s o f t h e c omp o s it i on . In order t o e st abl ish a b as i s o f c omp ar i s on s ever al d iff er ent s cheme s wer
work ed up and t h e b e st one s el e ct e d fr om among t hem . At t h i s
st ag e o f t he study , s e ver al bl o ck p er sp e ct ive s wer e dr awn , t o sh ow the int er -r e l at i on of the p ar t s of th e gr oup ar ound
t he c our t .
The dr aw ing s wer e gr adual l y inc r e ase d in s c al e unt il
t hey had r e ache d t hat o f th e r e qu ir e d f inal dr awing s . The
differ ent drawing s wer e t hen r edr awn s ever al t ime s , in or de r t o c omp ar e t he di f fer ent mode s o f de c or at i on on t h e ext er i o r
and int er i or of t he bu il ding .
F r om t h i s out l ine o f the me t hod of stu dy u s e d on
t hi s de s ign p r obl em , it may b e s e en t hat t he f inal dr awing s in t h emsel ve s do not r ep r e s ent t he amount of t ime or e f fort
t put f or hon t he t he s i s , but mer ely t he r e sul t s at t a ined fr om a s er i e s o f stud i e s made t hr ough one s eme st er and r e aching c om
l o p e t i n in t h e f inal dr aw ing s , wh ich ar e t he work o f a few we ek
HISTORI CAL
The foll ow ing de s cr ipt i ons of t he us e s of a dorm it or y have b e en ob t a ine d fr om var i ous st andard s our c e s
A r o om or s et o f r o oms int ended f or sl e ep ing
su c h . ac c ommodat i ons , h enc e a bu il d i ng in wh ich r o oms exi st
The t erm i s u s ed chi e fly for ac c ommo dat i ons for many sl e ep e r s
at one t ime , e it h er in a s ingl e unbr ok en int er i or , or in
smal l cl o s e t s or r o oms ar rang e d under a c ommon r o of . The t erm may b e appl i ed in e it her of t he fol l owing way s
( 1 ) t o a bu il di ng c onne c t ed t o a c ol l eg e and int e nded f or
l o d in t he g g o f s tudent s , in wh i ch c as e th e t erm i s s tr et che d
a om t o include t he r o oms for stu dy , ( 2 ) t o t h e sl e ep ing c c e
dat i ons of a c onvent or monast ery . The l at t er may b e call e d
a dor t er or dor t our .
A bu il ding at , or b el ong ing t o , a s ch o ol or
c oll eg e in wh i ch student s study and sl e ep , and s omet ime s b oar d ; als o any l ar g e r o om in wh ich a numb er o f p er s ons
sl e ep .
Dormit or i e s of var i ous k inds hav e b e en u s e d fo r
s e ve r al c entur i e s , t he e arl i e s t known e xampl e b e ing t he
dormit ory of t he monast ery . Or ig inally t he bu ild ing c on
s i st e d of a r o om for monk s , c ont ain ing b eds or sl e ep ing c ell s .
It was u sually one st ory in he ight an d c onne ct ed t o t he
chur ch or chap el .
The dormit or i e s o f t he Engl i sh c oll eg e s of t h e four t e ent h and f ift e ent h c entur i e s ar e t he earl i e st exampl e s
m. u t he gr e at c o r t o f Tr in it y C oll eg e , Cma br idg e In th i s c as e t h e b e aut iful e ffe ct of qu i et s i pl i c it y i s pr oduc ed
by t he gr e at s i ' e of th e c our t , two hundr ed and s eventy f ive
nd f e et by t hr e e hundr ed f e et , t oge t her w i th t h e l owne s s a
irr egul ar it y of t he encl o s ing r ang e s o f bu ild ing s . The
gr oup s of student r o oms ar e arr ang ed on two s ide s o f t he
c our t , t hu s all owing t he higher ent r anc e g at e , chap el , and
hal l t o as s ert t hems el ve s .
The bu il ding s b e ing very l ow , much sunl ight p as s e s
over t hem and int o t he int er i or c our t . The chap el i s pl ac e d
o on t he nor t h s ide , s inc e it s gr e at er he ight would have b
stru ct ed t he p as sag e of sunl ight int o th e c our t , i f it had
b e en plac e d in any ot her p o s i t i on . The or ig inal bu ilding
had w ing s one r o om in widt h , w it h t he k it chen at t he extr eme
end , t o k e ep t he odor s fr om t he g ener al r o oms . At t he k it c hen
end , a p as sag eway t hr ou gh t he bu ild ing s ep ar at e d the k it chen
fr om t he gr oup o f student r o oms . In modern t ime s t h i s p as sag e
way has b e c ome a c onne ct i on b etwe en the ol d and new c ourt s .
Thi s hall in G ir t on C oll eg e i s very c onven ient ly l o c at ed , as
i t may b e appr oached e it he r fr om t h e afor e said encl o s e d
- p as sag eway , or fr om t he nor t h hall C l o i st er .
In t he ol d days , t he mast er had one or two r o oms
f or h i s bachel or su it e . Suc h su it e s wer e gener al ly pl ac e d
b e twe en t h e hal l and l ibr ary , at a d is t anc e fr om the k it chen .
In modern t ime s t he mast er has a su it e of r o oms in a s ep ar at e
bu il ding . Th i s ac c ount s f or t he r ambl ing gr oup ing o f t he
bu il ding s at t he pr e s ent t ime . In t he e arly bu il ding s e ach
fell ow had one l arge r o om wit h a sp ort - do or wh i ch op ened on t o t he p as s ag eway . The r oom had w indows on e ach s i de o f the
bu il d ing , as t he width o f t h ei w ing e qual e d t h e w idth o f the
r o om unit . The int er i or was r oughl y f in i shed in p anell ed
wo od w it h a fl o or o f sl ab s . Somet ime s one fel l ow or tut or
l ive d w it h two or t hr e e pup il s in a su it e of two r o oms , t h e
study and t he l arg e sl e ep ing r o om . Su ch a su it e wa s wel l
adap t ed for rugg e d , heal t hy l i fe , as t he cr o s s vent il at i on
and br ight sunl ight r e ached every c orner . The bu ild ing s wer e he at e d by f ir epl ac e s wh ich wer e l o c at ed in t he p ar t it i ons
s ep ar at ing th e indep endent s e ct i on s o f th e bu il ding .
At t he pr e s ent t im e t he p l an o f th e do rmit ory
bu il d ing i s mor e c ompl e ' t han formerl y was t he c ase , l arg ely b e c au s e o f t he fact that e ach su it e of r o oms has b e c ome as
c omp l ex as a fl at or apar tment . Each t i er of r o oms in t h e
i s e ct on , i s c arr i ed up fr om t he fir st fl o or , w it h it s own
indep endent st a irways .
The foll ow ing p o int s ar e c ons ider ed as imp or tant in t h e plann ing of such a bu il ding : ( 1 ) th e s it t ing r o om
shoul d have s ome sunl ight , ( 2 ) th e b e d r o om shoul d have a
minimum fl o or sp ac e of one hundr e d squar e fe et , and should
O have l arg e windows p en t o t h e sunl ight , ( 5) a cur r ent of fr e sh air t hr ough t he r o oms should b e p o s s ibl e when th e out e r do or t o t h e su it e i s cl o s e d ; f or t h i s r eas on t h e w in dows o f t he s it t ing r o om and b ed r o om should not fac e t h e
same d ir e ct i on , ( 4) e ach s e t o f r o oms mu s t ful f ill it s p ar t
of t h e r equ ir ement s for a c ompl et e h ou s e , ( 5 ) t he f ir epl ac e may b e ut il i' e d as a me ans o f me chan i cal v ent il at i on f or at
l e ast f our p e opl e , ( 6 ) it i s e c onomi c al t o have a un it of
t hr e e fl o or s and att i c , wit h e ight s et s o f r o oms t o t h e
s t air c as e , wit h one c ar e t ak er p er unit .
As dormit or i e s have b e e n u s ed in Engl and f or many
mor e ye ar s than in t h i s or any other c ount ry , t hi s hi st or i c al
u ac c o nt has b e en lar gely c onf ined t o t he bu ilding s of England .
The Un iver s ity un i on bu il d ing s have only b e en in
u s e in th is c ount ry for a f ew ye ar s , henc e t he ir r e qu ir e
o ment s have not y et b e en st andar di ' e d . F r t hi s r ea s on t he
Un iver s ity un i on in th i s t he s i s has b e en int er pr et ed t o me
u he pr ovi s i on o f su it abl e s o c ial r o oms student s e .
Univer s it y of Cal iforn ia ; New Gr oup Pl an .
- Ar ch . Annu al : 1 90 0 , p ag e s 55 90 .
Univer s it y o f Minne s ot a ; New Gr oup Pl an .
1 2 9 - 5 2 Ar chit e ctur al Rev i ew : vol . 1 5 : p ag e s 1 .
- Y 2 6 5 41 6 . al e Univer s ity ; Ar ch . Re c ord : vol . : p ag e s 59
N w e Uni on The ol og i cal Seminary , New York ;
g - 1 4 Ar chit e ctur al Rev i ew : vol . 2 2 : p a e s 1 51 5 .
2 1 -5 Pr inc e t on Un iver s it y ; Am . Ar ch : vol . 96 : p ag e s 0 .
H 5 56 amilt on Coll eg e Dormit ory ; Ar ch . Re c ord : vol . 0 : p ag e 5 .
H 5 : 56 - 56 obar t Coll eg e Dormit ory ; Ar ch . Re c or d : v ol . 0 p ag e s 0 5 .
- r R or . 51 5 2 6 5 2 Un iver s ity Club , Chi cag o ; A ch . e c d : vol : p ag e s 8 .
2 4 — Pr inc e t on F r e shmen Dormit ory ; Ar chit e ctur e : vol . p ag e s 1 0 0 1 0
- Pl ann ing Coll eg i at e Bu il ding s ; 1 90 5 4 : p ag e 581 .
Ent r anc e t o a C oll eg e Quadr angl e ;
5 . Amer i c an Ar ch . volume 9 9 : 1 9 1 1 , p ag e 8
T ower o f Che st er Cat he dr al ; The Ar ch it e ct (Br it i sh)
1 4 n un . 90 : J anuary a d. J e : p ag e 5 7
Apar tment Hous e Pl a ns ; Pl at e s
AmAr h 2 9 9 : 1 5 C oll eg e s and Dormit or i e s ; . c : Sep t . , 1 0 9 p ag e 0 .
H M Wi s Ent r anc e B ay t o igh Scho ol , adis on , . Cas s G ilb ert , Ar c ht .
Al t ernat ive De s ign for Pr inc et on Dormit or i e s ;
Ar ch . Le agu e Annual : 1 90 6 . W Bu il d ing s o f ash ingt on Un iver s ity ; Ar ch . Le agu e Annual : 1 90 6 .
Comp e t it i on Layout for Cal i forn ia Un iver s it y ; B e nar d , Par i s
Ar ch . Le ague Annual : 1 90 0 .
ul l9 ll No 1 : 2 4 Amer i can Un iver s it i e s ; Ar ch it e ctur e ; J y , ; . vol . .
The Got h ic Que st ; Ralph Adams Cram .