KWK Architects Designs Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma

Words: Bronzella Cleveland
KWK Architects Designs Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma

KWK Architects, in partnership with architect of record ADG Architects of Oklahoma City, recently completed the first residential colleges in Oklahoma at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. A dedication ceremony for the new Headington and Dunham residential colleges was held on Oct. 11, 2017.

The new $75 million residential colleges are designed as living/learning spaces. The facilities opened the semester with 600 upperclassmen (300 students in each building). Oklahoma’s residential colleges are some of the first in the United States.

Taking cues from residential colleges on Ivy League campuses such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge, each building features a faculty master apartment and office, dormitories, private parking, seminar/conference rooms, lounges, study areas, libraries and dining rooms. The two residential colleges are also connected by a communal dining area and storm shelter, and each boasts a house motto, colors, crest and athletic teams. The architectural design of each college was influenced by the Cherokee Gothic style, which is featured on several buildings throughout the campus.

For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com.

Helical Beaming: Your Top 6 Questions on Installation, Cost, and Limitations
March 2026

Although helical masonry beaming is still an underutilized and relatively unknown method in masonry repair and restoration, the number of questions and requests I get on this topic increases every week, which I view as promising. Helical masonry beaming i

Wired for Safety: Electrical Maintenance for Fire Prevention
March 2026

Could your company survive if an electrical failure sparked a fire at your business? Electrical malfunctions cause thousands of non-residential building fires annually.1 Proactive maintenance and action are essential to help safeguard your operations.

The Behind-the-Wall Secrets Every Mason Already Knows (But Some Ignore)
March 2026

You’ve been around long enough to know this already: stone doesn’t fail on the face; it fails behind the wall. You can lay the prettiest veneer in the county, but if the prep is junk, that wall’s gonna start telling on you after a couple of winters. Manu

From the Mound to the Mortar: Jon Rauch’s Tall Order in the Masonry Industry
March 2026

In the record books of Major League Baseball, Jon Rauch is a literal giant. At 6 feet, 11 inches, he remains the tallest player to ever step onto a Big League mound. But today, the Olympic Gold Medalist and 11-season MLB veteran isn’t looking for a strike