UAB Gold Hall Residence Hall

Birmingham, Alabama

Size: 215,000 sf
Status: Completed 2015

With enrollment at a record high for the fifth consecutive year, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) initiated the construction of a New Student Residence Hall to accommodate the increased demand for on-campus housing. The 215,000 square-foot residence hall is located in the heart of UAB’s campus on the block bordered by 16th and 17th Streets South and 9th and 10th Avenues South. Approximately 714 students live in the new U-shaped facility comprised of an eight-story tower and four-story wing that includes common areas and multipurpose space in addition to student housing. The 8 story tower provides the density of housing required for this urban residence hall to meet demand while the 4-story wing helps the building relate in scale to it’s neighboring buildings on campus without overshadowing them. Together they create a dedicated green space for residents seating walls, a shaded pergola, tables, concrete table tennis for recreation, and wooden seating boxes which conceal storm drainage inlets. The atrium lobby provides access from both sides of the sloped site and includes a large stairway commons, and a custom dragon scale chandelier to emulate the UAB Blazers mascot. The Promenade is a blend of pedestrian walkways and green space constructed by vacating 9th Avenue South between 16th and 17th Streets South, adjacent to the new student residence hall. The Promenade supports the University’s ongoing efforts to create a more pedestrian-friendly campus by incorporating green boulevards and spaces in the midst of the surrounding metropolitan area. Lawn areas and informal groupings of trees surround the central plaza, providing an aesthetic connection between the indoor spaces and the exterior environment. Radial walkways connect the new student residence hall with the Quadrangle Lawn from east to west, along with the pedestrian route that bridges University Drive to the north. The corridor was constructed by vacating 9th Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets, removing the roadway, realigning 17th Street, redeveloping three parking areas and developing pedestrian thoroughfares in a park-like atmosphere.

Scope of Services
Architecture
Landscape