Location Influences Formation of Community Identity

Brace Commons is inferior in design to the recently completed, stretched fabric “Sprung structure” that functions as the community center for the South and North Park houses. The Dartmouth reports that Dean of College Rebecca Biron hopes this Sprung structure will serve “the same purpose as spaces such as Brace Commons in East Wheelock.” However, the new furniture, natural light, and effective use of space actually makes the structure a much more desirable place to be than Brace Commons.

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The first sketch of the Sprung structure interior via The Dartmouth

Nevertheless, Brace Commons’ prime location at the center of the East Wheelock cluster compensates for the fact that it is a clear subordinate in design to the modern, dynamic Sprung structure. Brace Commons is at the center of East Wheelock and must be walked through in order to get from building to building in the cluster, but the alternative central hub is a separate structure, independent from the dorms which it represents. While sitting in Brace Commons for three random hours, I counted that nearly half of the people (80 students) walked through without taking advantage of one of the resources on the outskirts of the commons (printer, snack bar, etc.). Some of these people just walked straight through, but others bumped into friends in the commons and had conversations with one another. These bonus interactions are eliminated by the new structure that is a separate building, as students only go there with an exact purpose in mind (i.e. to print something, study, etc.). 

The sprung structure is completely isolated via The Dartmouth
The Sprung structure is completely isolated via The Dartmouth

While Dartmouth students may use the Sprung structure, many of them do not belong to the houses which the space is meant to serve. East Wheelock resident John Hall tells, “I go to the Onion,” a nickname for this new space, “everyday. There are no tables in Brace Commons. It just isn’t conducive to studying. The Onion is so much better, and it rarely has anyone in there. I go with all the guys on the swim team after practice. It has become one of my favorite spaces on campus.” I later asked John if his friends on the team were members of the South or North Park houses, and he replied, “I have no idea.” While John (and his teammates) clearly take advantage of the spectacular design, he is a member of the East Wheelock community, when the structure is intended to serve the South House and North Park House communities.

Dean Rebecca Biron
Dean Rebecca Biron via The Dartmouth

As a result of separating this community center from the actual clusters it is intended to serve, the Sprung structure serves the entire undergraduate population instead of just those in a sub-community. While Dean Biron says this Sprung structure is “an attempt to give a more centralized identity” to students, it is actually no different from other campus spaces that contribute to the broader Dartmouth identity. Meanwhile, the use of Brace Commons is mainly restricted to East Wheelock residents, which allows for a strong sub-community to form. Biron seems to be fully aware of this as she confirmed in an interview that the Sprung structure is temporary, and is intended to serve as a test-run before long term, expensive renovations are made to the dormitories themselves.

While the recently erected Sprung structure employs design strategies that improve the quality of interactions that people may have, its separate location limits the ability of these designs to be utilized by house communities. This reveals more broadly that the utility of design is inherently tied to location.

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