international
house
johannesburg
student residence, university of the witswatersrand, johannesburg
International House is a student residence primarily, but not exclusively, for international students. The physical layout of the building encourages social interaction and chance meetings so that students do not become isolated. This is seen in the use of short, open walkways instead of long dark corridors as well as courtyards with views across from groups of rooms to another. Stairways are not continuous and require you to move through common spaces before continuing to another floor again making chance encounters possible. The main entrance to the building straddles a major pedestrian route through the campus thus giving the residence visibility and prominence. All the existing trees and ground terraces were retained and the buildings designed to fit between.
The building is designed to engender a sense of community, create a feeling of inclusivity and promote interaction between local and visiting students - its success can be measured by the laughs and smiles of the users and the popularity of the residence amongst students.
International House is a student residence primarily, but not exclusively, for international students. The physical layout of the building encourages social interaction and chance meetings so that students do not become isolated. This is seen in the use of short, open walkways instead of long dark corridors as well as courtyards with views across from groups of rooms to another. Stairways are not continuous and require you to move through common spaces before continuing to another floor again making chance encounters possible. The main entrance to the building straddles a major pedestrian route through the campus thus giving the residence visibility and prominence. All the existing trees and ground terraces were retained and the buildings designed to fit between.
The building is designed to engender a sense of community, create a feeling of inclusivity and promote interaction between local and visiting students - its success can be measured by the laughs and smiles of the users and the popularity of the residence amongst students.
