Appalachian State University - Academic Village

Boone, North Carolina

We are working with Appalachian State University to design an academic village that creates spaces for honors students to live and learn within the larger campus community, that fosters early integration of students into the honors program and develops a highly visible place for the University's "community of scholars" that symbolizes academic excellence on campus.

The new community is organized around the Honors Courtyard, a gathering space and focus for three core building elements including Cone Hall, a 287-bed first-year residence that we are completely renovating; the Living + Learning Community, a new residence tower housing 333 beds in a mix of semi-suites and connected to a 3-story academic classroom wing; and expansion of the adjacent Plemmons Student Center.

This project brings new life to the northeast corner of campus. The design preserves important open space on campus, linking buildings in a landscaped network of entry plazas, pedestrian paths and courtyards. In keeping with the University’s commitment to principles of sustainability, the projects are designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.