“Key design elements included study lounges that are a glassy ‘fish bowl’ concept that KSQ has designed on other campuses,” Studzinski said. “These transparent spaces allow students to model good study habits in this ‘see and be seen’ environment.”

Natural light was brought into the corridors to keep hallways from feeling dark, while community kitchens and a recreation and game-room area in the basement enhances the residence hall’s sense of community. A central, open staircase connects all floors to the basement recreation area, which allows that space to feel more connected and accessible to the rest of the building. Each floor also features its own color palette through paint and floor coverings to create a unique identity. Studzinski added, “The community kitchens are large, featuring a full-size refrigerator and oven with bar-top seating so that students can easily cook together and build relationships through the process.”
The student rooms — 19 of which are single occupant, while the others are double — include moveable furniture such as a fully loftable bed, desk and chest of drawers. The project also included a new laundry area and vending machines, a fitness room on the basement level, and new and redesigned community bath areas with lockable shower entry doors.
“Like many universities, the budget presented some challenges for the client and the design team,” said Jeff Doyle, Baylor University’s Dean for Student Learning and Engagement. “KSQ continually listened to Baylor’s input on what they wanted in this building and worked to minimize the loss of priorities to ensure the spaces still felt like somewhere a college student could call home.”
Construction on North Russell Hall is currently underway, while renovations to Martin, Penland, Collins, Alexander, Allen-Dawson and Memorial halls will soon follow, according to the university plan. All of the Baylor residence hall renovations will include faculty-in-residence apartments that, at approximately 2,400 square feet, provide faculty and their families a space that truly feels like home.
“We have kept our focus creating a transformational student experience, rooted in opportunities for positive peer leader, faculty and staff influence,” Doyle said. “With KSQ’s help, we have taken an almost 50-year old building and recreated it as a home for learning, friendship and growth that will serve our students for another 50 years.”

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The $250 million stadium, equipped with 5,000-square-foot scoreboard, will seat 45,000 fans and replace the 63-year-old off-campus Floyd Casey Stadium positioned miles from campus. At 860,000 square feet, the stadium will include a pedestrian bridge providing connectivity with campus, nearly 250 portable and permanent concession points and canopy shades will provide shading to 45 to 55 percent of seats throughout the day.

Designed by Kansas City, Mo.-based Populous and constructed by a partnership between Dallas-headquartered Austin Commercial and Flintco, LLC with offices in Austin, Texas, the new stadium will provide a much grander view to the university’s team loyalty.

“The stadium will now become the front door to the university it has prominent visibility will provide year-round connection to the campus,” said Sherri Privitera, principal at Populus. “When fans come to game day they’re really going to be coming and experiencing campus now like they never have before.”

The 93-acre site is scheduled to open for the 2014 football season and will become a spectacle to those driving down I-35. Visitors can arrive easily by car and enjoy the increased parking spaces, by boat or by foot via the pedestrian bridge, Privitera said. Much insight for the design was drawn from the unique qualities of Baylor architecture, Privitera said.

“The inspiration really came from campus,” Privitera said. “We spent significant time on campus and with Baylor officials, drawing from what their goals are as far as the football stadium and the university as well as their connection to the city.”

The firm created a set of eight design principles from the information they gathered on campus, she said, adding that the columns and kind of brick used at the stadium is representative of the campus.

“We designed this stadium for Baylor,” Privitera said. “We would not design the aspects of the stadium for any other location”

The unique shape of the stadium was planned to shade as many football fans as possible given the several angles of the sun and the allotted budget for the canopy. The numerous shaded open concourses, which Privitera said are similar to a baseball stadium’s concourses, also provide additional views to the school.

“You have a connection back to the city, back to the university and to the surrounding site,” Privitera said. “You’ll also be able to stand on the lower or upper concourse and always be connected back to the game.”

The family-oriented design of the stadium will create a fantastic weekend experience with great tailgating opportunities, Privitera said, and its proximity to Waco nightlife, restaurants and businesses will generate a boost in the local economy.

“It will attract nationally and locally more attention to the stadium,” Privitera said.

The Baylor University Board of Regents also approved the $13.6 million track and field stadium project to be built on the far east side of the stadium. Populous will also design the 5,000-seat stadium that will include a 13,500-square-foot indoor practice facility.

"It is a great and humbling day for the Baylor track and field family," said Todd Harbour, head coach of Baylor’s track team, in a statement. "It will be a huge blessing for us to be on campus with all of our other outstanding facilities. When completed, the overall facility, including the indoor workout area, will be one of the nation’s finest track and field complexes.”

Construction on the track and field project is expected to begin this summer with a projected completion date of spring 2015.

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