The Top of the Hop serves many functions (embedded link) including being a study space, site for visiting speakers’ lectures, performance area for Dartmouth ensembles, and the site of campus’s large career fairs. Although the Hopkin’s Center, where the Top of the Hop is located, is Dartmouth’s performing arts center, this room in particular draws in students with diverse interests for a variety of reasons. The components and design features of the room allow it to be multifunctional and practical, as well as beautiful and inviting, and this is what draws in a variety of students. Students can then use the space how they please to fit their individual needs.This sign greets people upon entering the Hopkin’s Center. Although it pertains to the entire building, the sentiments expressed especially pertain to the Top of the Hop’s function as a third space. It calls the Hopkin’s Center an arts and social center for Dartmouth and also mentions that it is open to residents from the surrounding region.

The entire back wall of the Top of the Hop is windowed and this fills the entire space with natural light during the day and also changes the mood of the area at night. There even seems to be some correlation between the usage of the Top of the Hop and the time of day with performances often occurring at night when the stage lights can be used and the space being used otherwise during daylight hours.

The Top of the Hop has an impressive grand piano which visitors are free to play. Students who are studying are basically treated to a concert as they work which lightens the mood.

There are numerous sofa chairs set up in various configurations across the room. They have ski-like bottoms so they slide easily on the carpet so students can move them as they need to or they can be moved out of the way entirely to set up for events.

There are clusters of stage lighting all over the ceiling of the Top of the Hop which can be manipulated by a control panel on one wall. These come in handy when student ensembles perform in the Top of the Hop. This image also depicts the acoustics that the unique shape of the ceiling provides which help magnify speakers and performers’ voices as well.

This is the staircase leading up to the Top of the Hop. It is situated close to the center of the large room which lets students upstairs hear what is going on downstairs and also people just passing through downstairs to hear performances, speakers, or simply individuals playing the grand piano upstairs. This contributes to the social aspect of the space.