RISD Student Housing

The student housing study was commissioned by the Rhode Island School of Design to investigate the potential of accommodating a greater proportion of its student body on its existing campus. The school sought to unify the campus and to expand its student housing in an attempt to accommodate students scattered throughout the city, often in substandard housing not controlled by the school. Lerner | Ladds Architects investigated three campus sites (east of Metcalf Refectory, Farnum Hall, and the rear of Woods-Gerry), as well as three housing types (traditional dormitory, suites, and apartments) and presented a solution, utilizing all sites and employing each of the three housing types, to provide housing for an additional 1,000 students on campus.