Renovation of Historic Dormitory 
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationStanford, California, United States
ClientStanford University

Branner Hall is a three-story undergraduate dormitory built in 1924 by Bakewell and Brown, prominent architects of the time who were also responsible for San Francisco’s City Hall. The renovation design creates two significant courtyards: an entrance courtyard flanked with four-decades-old magnolia trees shading a seating area and an interior courtyard with a fountain, creating space for students to gather. In addition, a barbecue area was recreated in a space that once held a rose garden. The design addresses critical Stanford site issues such as providing bike parking facilities, reconfiguring existing vehicular parking, and renovating the courtyards and peripheral landscape spaces.

Related Projects

Mill Valley Residence

Nestled on a hilltop in Mill Valley, this family residence presented a unique opportunity to unify multiple buildings within one cohesive landscape. Originally a home and ADU renovation, the project expanded when the owners decided to purchase the adjacent property for a new house, pool, and ADU. SWA was brought in to collaborate with TGH Architects to realize...

SunCity Takarazuka

Twenty percent of Japan’s population is 65 years or older and the demands for high quality residential communities for seniors is growing. Helping to meet that demand, SunCity Takarazuka is a new continuum of care retirement community in Takarazuka, a suburb of Osaka, Japan. The project, owned and operated by Half Century More Co., Ltd., a leader in Japan’s fa...

CREATE Campus, National University of Singapore

CREATE, the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, is an international research campus and innovation hub at the National University of Singapore. Home to a vibrant scientific community, CREATE hosts the National Research Foundation, interdisciplinary research centers from top universities, and corporate laboratories such as the Singapore...

Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center

Nestled in Novato’s rolling Oak woodlands, the College of Marin’s Miwok Aquatic and Fitness Center provides Northern California with a new destination for aquatic training and competitions. Part of the College’s Indian Valley Campus, the center neighbors over 1,400 acres of open space preserves. ELS and SWA worked closely to lay out the site ...

Birla Arika

Within Birla Arika, the development is designed to encourage exploration and celebrate activity. In Gurugram’s Sector 31, 30 kilometers southwest of New Delhi, where high-rise towers border a forest preserve, the new residential community spans 13 acres, prioritizing flexible greens and pedestrian corridors, bringing accessible greenery into a densely situated...

East Quarter Mixed-Use

Two neighborhoods that abut the Downtown Dallas Central Business District have been disconnected for years by derelict blocks and buildings. The East Quarter Mixed-Use development establishes a walkable retail, dining, and entertainment connection between the thriving Deep Ellum Farmer’s Market and highly programmed Arts District. The project included the pres...

Sonoma Residence

Set amidst a coastal oak grove in Sonoma, this modern residence provides a peaceful retreat for a family and their growing children. Selected for its trees and pond, the site offers a rural escape where the owners can connect with nature. SWA’s design integrates oak grassland, chaparral, and riparian planting over a clean, minimal hardscape. Native meadow gras...

Montclair State University Student Center and Quad

SWA/Balsley collaborated with DIG Architects and Montclair State University to reimagine the campus student center, adjacent quad, and connections to the surrounding campus. Through site analysis and project stakeholder meetings, key pedestrian and vehicular circulation routes were identified for resident students, daily commuters, and University staff. The st...