Space Utilization Proposal
Building
a Better Briscoe
Overview:
The intended outcome of
this proposal is to move Briscoe into the 21st century as a living
and learning environment for
The renovation of space
would be beneficial for a number of reasons, including facility concerns,
safety concerns, and better programming services. Briscoe was constructed 40 years ago to meet
the needs of the campus and students during a high growth period.
This report will address
renovation dreams that have been complied from student interviews, student
government meetings, RA staff meetings, and Community Council discussions. It is divided into suggestions for five
different areas of the building:
residential areas, public social areas, academic study areas,
administrative service areas, maintenance upgrades, and outdoor space. It is our belief that these changes will have
a positive impact on the Briscoe environment for students and staff.
Residential
Area Modifications:
Students
have repeatedly requested larger room spaces, and additional ways to create a
sense of privacy in their living environment.
Additionally we have found that students like the “double suites” that
were created in the short hallway of Briscoe about 10 year ago. These are now amongst the most popular double
rooms, because they allow for personal space, but with a roommate. To this end we suggest creating similar
“triples” and “quads” by removing some closets between rooms, and allowing for
a more open feel. Rooms would need new
bed and desk furniture. Current built in
desks would be removed. Floors would
remain ceramic tile to allow residents to choose their own carpeting. The new floor structure would be as follows:
01/03 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
02 currently
a single remains
a single
04/06 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
05/07 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
08/10 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
09 currently
a single remains
a single
11/13 currently
a double remains
a double
12/14 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
15/17 currently a double remains a double
16 currently
a staff room remains
a staff room
18 currently
a double becomes
a permanent large single
19 currently
a single remains
a single
20/22 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
21/23 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
24/26 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
25/27 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
28/30 currently
two double rooms becomes a triple
32 currently
a single remains
a single
This would reduce the maximum number of residents on
a floor from the current 52 to 39. The
average floor size in Briscoe this year is 44 residents, so this does decrease
the overall occupancy of the center to 780.
This reduces the annual budget by approximately $600,000. However, it does not impact Briscoe’s ability
to host its traditional summer conference guests. Based on other efficiencies that could be
created by renovating this should not cause an extreme financial strain on the
center budget.
The
other major change in the residential area would be to privatize the
bathrooms. The restrooms in the hub of
the building would be pulled out and
converted into seven individualized restrooms.
These restrooms would each contain a sink, toilet, and shower. Each sink drain would be designed with a
large enough pipe to also accommodate the washing of dishes. A central “vanity” area would be provided in
the bank that would also have a large sink for washing dishes as well as
mirrors and electrical plugs so that residents could have a common area for
getting ready. Students have requested
that this area have storage units where they could lock up shower caddies. These bathrooms would be unisex, so that
either men or women could use them, and secure their privacy. This would also allow residents who identify
as transgender to feel less isolated, as well as providing security for
residents while they shower, as no one would be able to “peek” at them.
Additional Concerns and Ideas
Public
Social Area Modifications:
Briscoe
students would like to be supportive of the Northwest Neighborhood social
space. We envision using space in the
1) Create a movie theater off the current 3M space. Using the back half of the current 3M, or a
portion of the current informal lounge.
Would require brining in a large screen TV and a projection screen and
equipment. Comfy couches or old movie
theater seats could be brought in an arranged on various level plat forms to
create a true movie theater environment.
2) Create a large “expo” kitchen area. This community kitchen environment can be
created in a portion of the old kitchen area behind the 3M, with access through
the current Student Activity Room. With
a communal kitchen area residents could store food in a bank of personal
refrigerators and lockers, and could share kitchen utensils. This area would also provide a programming
space for the FWC to present cooking demonstrations and classes with the
assistance of RPS Dining Services or local catering companies.
3) Create an artsy coffee lounge space in one half of
the current informal lounge. This
environment would be designed like the Cheshire Café in Collins, with low
lighting, shelves for board games and magazines. Maximum occupancy would be approximately 35
people. Wall space would be created for
residents to display artwork. The
funkier and more eclectic this space the better.
4) Create a “sports bar” atmosphere. This area would be designed to hold
approximately 75 residents hanging out to play pool, darts, and ping pong, or
watch a super large screen TV. This area
would have low ceilings, limited lighting, and bar room type furniture. A small stage area for open mics or karaoke
would also work. It would be ideal to
have DirecTV or other satellite service in this area, so that multiple kinds of
sporting events (from all over the country and the world) could be broadcast
regularly.
5) We would like to maintain our current Student
Activity Room for social programming space and our FWC/HPER courses. These social dance, yoga, and group exercise
classes are meeting a need for our residents and the campus community.
For all of these spaces it
would be essential to have some kind of food service available. Residents would expect to be able to use RPS
meal points, or at least Campus Access money to buy popcorn, bar-type appetizer
snacks and beverages.
Public
Academic Area Modifications:
Briscoe
has been delighted to be the host of the
Residents
report that the Gucker Formal Lounge is too large for studying, and does not
have furniture that is conducive to group or individual work. They propose creating some private study
rooms that would have a library table, comfortable desk chair and good
lighting.
Residents would also like
to see additional small conference rooms created that could be reserved for
group study in the evenings. Rooms would
need to have a table for six to eight people, a dry erase board and good
lighting. These rooms might also be
signed out during the day to faculty and Associate Instructors for office hour
space. We anticipate adding these rooms
to the key card access system, so that they would be available primarily to
Briscoe residents. This is a large
concern, because currently our public computing lab becomes overrun by
non-residence hall students during mid-terms, finals, and I core group
projects.
Residents
would like to modify the computer lab area in Briscoe. The current lab has an abundance of
computers, but no work space for students if they need to spread out their
research notes of work with a group.
Group study/computer tables like those in Willkie, or more spacious
computer tables would be preferred. We
propose using our current student study lounge on the second floor of the
center building for this space.
We
also discussed reducing the Shoemaker Formal Lounge in half again to
accommodate expansion of the FWC, which if all other plans go through, would
likely expand at a minimum to incorporate the entire Shoemaker tower. We would wall off the left hand side of the
formal lounge at the pillars, and create a new doorway out of the
facility. This new area would become
home to the treadmills and ellipticals which require less staff monitoring, and
would allow for a few more machines, and less clutter in the main portion of
the FWC. More free space would allow for
easier usage of the fitness facility by the two classes that are taught there
each semester.
General
furniture requests for the formal lounges include couches and individual chairs
that offer work space tables, and additional table space for setting out and
working on large projects.
Administrative
Service Area Modifications:
Briscoe
can be unwelcoming to visitors who have not learned their way around. The staircase in the middle of the center
building that obscures the center desk from view does not lend itself to
creating good customer service. No
amount of signage can take the place of a friendly face as soon as you enter
the building.
We propose reshaping how
staff access space when they enter the center building, by moving the center
desk 85 degrees, and redoing our staff office layout. This would place the main window of the desk
either to a visitors left or right as they enter the center building. It would give our staff visual awareness of
issues and traffic flow in our circle drive.
Access via a hallway would still allow people to easily find the
activity areas, and
Maintenance
Upgrades:
Upgrade the plumbing
Upgrade the electrical
Install new windows
Install air conditioning
Install an intercom system for communicating with
residents during emergencies
Install video cameras in key locations to reduce
damage and theft, especially laundry rooms and formal lounges
Install an elevator unit in the center building to
make the entire facility
Outdoor Area Modifications:
For the last two years students and staff have discussed
the need for greater green space in and around Briscoe. Residents would like to have a courtyard for
throwing around a football or other outdoor games. Residents would also like to have a safe smoking area that does not
require them to stand in the middle of the circle drive or walk halfway to
McNutt. We propose working with the
Architects office to shorten the depth of the circle drive. This would allow us to create more outdoor
social areas with benches and picnic tables.
We have also discussed for the last several years how we
might enclose the breezeway to allow for access to all three buildings without
having to go outside. This is an
especially important issue for our non-smoking residents who can not get
smokers to respect the university’s guidelines on not smoking. It would also allow for a greater area to
work with in terms of creating an open and inviting public gathering area at
the entrance to Briscoe.
Conclusion
These modifications have several benefits. It allows Briscoe to consolidate its
administrative, social and academic spaces so that they are located logically
and are easy for residents to find. It also
helps residents feel a greater sense of privacy while ensuring that they will
still interact with a number of residents.
It allows for a building that is beginning to wear out to get a needed
face lift, and better respond to the needs of its residents and visitors.
This proposal was discussed over the course of the 2004-05
and the 2005-06 school years in the Briscoe community council and student
government meetings. It was unanimously approved
by CC on