Ourhouse: Gender-Inclusive Student Housing
| dc.contributor.author | Bhavsar, Astha Jatin | en |
| dc.contributor.committeechair | Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C. | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Green, Tuwanda Lee | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Feuerstein, Marcia F. | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Architecture | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-07-01T08:00:12Z | en |
| dc.date.available | 2022-07-01T08:00:12Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-06-30 | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Since the origins of academia, student housing has predominantly remained segregated and has excluded many people groups. Over the course of academic history, many people groups were slowly allowed to attend university and college, with enrollments gradually expanding from solely white men of a certain class to now a wide spectrum of people. Yet the construct of housing in the academic context has largely remained separated by gender, either by floor or by building. Where do other gender identities fit into this norm and how can we make all types of students feel safe and supported? The goal of this project is to address this inadequacy by proposing a gender-inclusive student housing building for the new Virginia Tech Innovation Campus located at Potomac Yard. Through extensive research of student housing in addition to the history of gender and gendered spaces, "Ourhouse" evolved into an architectural solution to the lack of inclusivity. It takes the typical dorm-style student housing to another level by creating safe, genderless spaces while simultaneously catering to the needs of an individual student. The project raises questions of what it means to be inclusive and how we can normalize highly gendered spaces such as bathrooms. By incorporating communal spaces for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry spaces, this can begin to remove the stigma surrounding gender within those spaces. Single-user restrooms are also available to those who may find that more comfortable. The variety of sizes, privacy levels, and porosity makes the residences agreeable and functional for anyone who lives there. It also retains the sense of community that students receive from living in conventional dorms. "Ourhouse" aims to be a model for the future of gender-inclusive housing that is expressed not only as a system but goes the extra mile by also being embedded within the architecture. | en |
| dc.description.abstractgeneral | As teenagers become young adults and go off to university or college, a large part of their higher education experience is where they live. Student housing has been a special, yet short-lived space where students form their community and meet new friends. Unfortunately, traditional dorms have not always been the most supportive for all types of students and can sometimes lead to uncomfortable and unsafe living situations. Majority of student housing systems are separated by gender which poses an issue for students who do not fit in one of only two categories. Additionally, dorm-style living can provide a sense of togetherness, but isn't the best solution for students who may be older, have children, or elderly family members to take care of. This thesis investigates how student housing is not very well integrated into urban campuses and cities, and how it can cater to a wider range of students. How can gender-inclusive housing become integrated into the design of the building rather than remain a system that plugs in to existing buildings. This thesis explores the intersection of the housing typology of architecture with the life of a college student. Taking a master plan approach to the building, the residential section addresses the lack of important support spaces for students such as study areas, laundry facilities, and access to green spaces outside. The other programming within the building allow it to fit in with the rest of the new Virginia Tech Innovation Campus plan. This thesis aims to "un-gender" the highly gendered realm of student housing and allow all kinds of people to feel connected, secure, and confident as they navigate life at college and beyond. | en |
| dc.description.degree | Master of Architecture | en |
| dc.format.medium | ETD | en |
| dc.identifier.other | vt_gsexam:35162 | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10919/111075 | en |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Virginia Tech | en |
| dc.rights | In Copyright | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | en |
| dc.subject | student | en |
| dc.subject | housing | en |
| dc.subject | gender | en |
| dc.subject | community | en |
| dc.title | Ourhouse: Gender-Inclusive Student Housing | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Architecture | en |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | en |
| thesis.degree.level | masters | en |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Architecture | en |
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