Tyler Philipps

Project Associate

Ben Kaufman

Project Associate

Education

Designing for Mental Health and Well-Being in Student Housing

by Nicole DeFazio, Parva Markiw

As awareness grows around the mental health challenges that students face, colleges and universities are reimagining residential spaces to provide not just shelter, but also community, support, and opportunities for emotional and psychological growth.

Thoughtfully planned environments can significantly reduce stress, foster relaxation, and encourage positive social connections. Through intentional design, universities have the power to create spaces that promote safety, comfort, and connection—ultimately helping students succeed both academically and personally.

A 2024 study by U.S. News revealed that nearly 70% of college students have struggled with their mental health since beginning their academic journeys, citing anxiety, stress, and depression as top concerns. Compounding this issue is the fact that many students are unlikely to seek help, making the role of design even more important. While no space can solve these challenges outright, poor design can certainly intensify them, whereas thoughtful design can serve as a supportive, preventative tool.

The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the urgency. Students today need environments that are not only physically safe but also emotionally resilient. Whether through renovation or new construction, several key architectural elements can serve as touchpoints for supporting student wellness.

1. Privacy that Promotes Comfort and Control

A foundational component of mental well-being in student housing is privacy. While building codes typically require windows for emergency egress, optimal design should go beyond compliance to prioritize access to natural light and views of restorative outdoor settings. Whether students overlook a green courtyard, or a busy street can dramatically influence their personal comfort. In cases where views can’t be altered, strategic use of privacy-enhancing elements like window treatments can still make a difference.

Equally important is the design of private bathroom facilities. Single-use toilet and bathing spaces provide students with a greater sense of security and autonomy. These features are especially vital for LGBTQ+ students, including those who identify as transgender or non-binary, who may feel vulnerable in shared spaces. At Forbes Hall, for instance, DesignGroup collaborated with the University of Pittsburgh to introduce single-use bathrooms to shared residential areas, giving students private, secure options that contribute to their overall well-being.

In communal living settings, it’s also essential to integrate semi-private areas where students can retreat for quiet study, reflection, or personal conversation—spaces that foster mental clarity and emotional regulation away from the demands of shared living.

2. Designing for Community and Connection

Student housing should be more than a place to sleep—it should be a space that invites community. Environments that support social interaction, shared experiences, and organic relationship-building contribute to a sense of stability, belonging, and emotional resilience.

In projects like Forbes Hall and University Club at the University of Pittsburgh, the design incorporated dedicated areas for studying and socializing. These spaces naturally encourage camaraderie, trust, and supportive peer networks. The result is not only stronger interpersonal connections, but a living environment that nurtures students’ overall mental health.

In higher education, real estate is often seen as a driver of revenue. But prioritizing student well-being through inclusive, community-oriented design can be a game-changer—often influencing whether students feel supported enough to persist in their college journey.

residence hall common space with blue and orange accents

3. Prioritizing Inclusion and Equity

Equity and inclusion must be foundational principles in student housing design. Students come from diverse cultural, religious, socioeconomic, and neurodiverse backgrounds, and design must reflect that diversity with intentionality.

Inclusive environments make space for everyone. That means providing accessible layouts, incorporating culturally relevant elements, and supporting different communication and socialization styles. Multi-use areas that can shift to meet the varying needs of residents—from group study sessions to quiet reflection—create flexibility without sacrificing community.

A truly equitable approach also means thinking beyond who is already present and asking: Who might feel left out? Whose voices are we not hearing? Through this lens, we can shape spaces that support the broadest range of student identities and lived experiences.

student dorm room decorated with Pitt Panthers merchandise

4. Creating a Sense of Belonging

Creating inclusive environments also means supporting neurodiverse students. These students may experience the world in ways that differ from neurotypical peers—and housing should reflect that reality.

Design strategies can include quiet zones with controlled lighting and acoustics for students who are hypersensitive to stimuli. For those who are hyposensitive, furniture that encourages movement, such as rocking chairs or spaces that allow fidgeting and doodling, can provide essential sensory input. Additionally, flexible furniture and adjustable spaces empower students to personalize their environment based on how they feel and function best—supporting emotional regulation and cognitive well-being.

residence hall study room with various seating areas

5. Listening to the Student Voice

Perhaps one of the most powerful tools in designing successful student housing is including students in the process. By gathering feedback through surveys, town halls, and informal discussions, designers can better understand the lived experiences of students—and build accordingly.

Providing platforms for students to express their opinions fosters a sense of ownership and connection. Whether it's through interactive planning sessions or simple QR code feedback prompts posted around campus, these opportunities allow student voices to shape the spaces they inhabit, ensuring that housing reflects actual needs—not just theoretical ones.

graphic depiction of student poll results

6. A Human-Centered Future

At the heart of all of this is a human-centered approach. Every decision in student housing design should be filtered through the lens of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Who are we designing for—and who might be left out? How can we ensure as many student voices and experiences are represented as possible?

By centering design around comfort, connection, and care, universities can foster environments that promote not only academic success but also personal growth, emotional resilience, and community building. Student housing should be more than just a place to live—it should be a catalyst for well-being, inclusion, and meaningful human connection.

Nicole DeFazio

NCIDQ

Interior Designer

More about Nicole

Parva Markiw

AIA, NCARB, NOMA, LEED Green Associate

Project Architect

More about Parva

Taylor Umberger

HR Manager

CJ Andrews

RA, NCARB

Project Manager

Mat Vross

Process Improvement Specialist

Healthcare

From Virtual to Real: An Early Architect’s Path to Career Immersion

by Marissa Andrews

RA, LEED AP BD+C

Project Architect

There was a time during graduate school, just a few years ago, when it was hard for me to imagine working side-by-side with a client and fellow architects and planners on a project, let alone one of real significance.

I was halfway through my master’s program at Miami University when the pandemic hit. Many of my classmates lost internships because firms were uncertain how long COVID isolation would last, and whether or not projects would continue – or start at all. I, however, was one of the lucky ones. DesignGroup had offered me a summer position and honored the commitment. It was the opportunity I needed, at a time I thought it might never happen.

This was the summer of 2020, and despite working from home, that internship introduced me to DesignGroup’s largest project ever: the new 2 million square foot Inpatient Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Within days, I was working on actual construction drawings. I could hardly believe it was happening.

My internship consisted of many, many Teams calls and OneNote checklists our team used to collaborate virtually. Despite the isolation from one another, we made it work, and I came out of that summer having learned a ton — with the specific goal of continuing in healthcare architecture.

_{Aerial overview of the OSUWMC campus.}

Fast Forward

A year later, DesignGroup offered me a full-time position and I’ve been working in healthcare design ever since. It was a dream come true, and yet not at all what I expected. Yes, by now we had all returned to the office. But in my case, the office was still kind of remote: a construction trailer in the shadow of that massive new inpatient tower at OSU. For more than a year, I got to see the project I worked on as an intern actually be built!

I loved my time on site – I could spin my chair to ask questions or walk into the building itself to check on something specific (like inwall details or toilet pod installations). Watching what I drew on paper become real and seeing for the first time the various issues that come up during construction, influenced how I will document projects for the rest of my career.

_{View of an inpatient floor under construction during Marissa's first week on site at OSU.}

In the background of working on this and other projects, I was studying hard to take the six exams required to become a Registered Architect. My original goal was to be done with the exams within two years of finishing grad school. After struggling to study and work at the same time during my first eighteen months post-graduation, I decided the best thing to do was focus on work to get the experience I needed to pass. Two years later, in 2024, I passed my final three exams.

Just as I’d hoped, those two years working proved to be formative and inspiring. My DesignGroup managers assigned me to the new emergency department at another large healthcare system, which I got to see from the end of schematic design through construction documents. In early phases, I worked with planners to imagine the space in different ways, and I helped the senior project architect draw details that would bring the design to life. I helped design and build different mock-ups of the treatment room, and I was in every client meeting, working directly with them to create the best space possible.

After all that, preparation for those exams was much faster and easier. I was able to connect study materials and test questions to my experiences with these real-life hospital projects. It was not the path I had planned, but I came out a better architect. That experience made all the difference. I’m now working on a third hospital expansion, and I couldn't be happier.

Mentorship is Key

During my time on each of those projects, I worked with experienced teams from both DesignGroup and our partner firms. I always had someone to turn to with my questions. I was good at asking questions; during my internship, I called senior project architects with even longer lists of queries, which they would patiently go through one by one. Today, instead of questions about markups I’d been given, I ask about details I drew from start to finish, to get them just right.

Without the mentorship I received, I would have been overwhelmed by these large-scale projects and their hundreds of sheets of drawings. But DesignGroup took the time to help me understand both the details and the big picture. It prepared me to be a Project Architect who is confident in tackling projects of any scale, from small, single-room renovations to a new patient tower. I will always be thankful for the teammates and mentorship that got me to this point.