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Swarthmore College Dining and Community Commons
Swarthmore College Dining and Community Commons
Swarthmore, PA, United States
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Other Projects by DLR Group
Swarthmore College Dining and Community Commons
Swarthmore, PA, United States
Swarthmore College needed to grow sustainably, caring for an expanding student body without compromising its carbon neutral goals. DLR Group responded by transforming the existing Sharples Dining Hall into a community commons and delivering a new dining hall, where the choice to use mass timber instead of steel saved nearly 300 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The design is a physical expression of Swarthmore’s commitment to community, sustainability, and student well-being—woven into the landscape of the Scott Arboretum.
Mass timber defines the architecture, offering structural integrity while creating a warm, biophilic environment. Expansive glazing and soaring ceilings blur the boundary between indoors and out, reinforcing transparency, daylight, and a deep connection to place. A 100-seat outdoor dining area extends that experience further into the arboretum. Inside, ten diverse food platforms—including allergy-aware, vegan, and international options—offer variety and inclusion. The Community Commons houses student lounges, flexible gathering spaces, meeting rooms, and the Office of Student Engagement.
The design advances Swarthmore’s “To Zero by 35” carbon neutrality initiative with a comprehensive suite of high-performance systems, from an all-electric kitchen and rooftop solar array that supplies 40 percent of energy needs, to a new geo-exchange plant housed in the lower level of the Dining Center that serves the entire campus. Mass timber significantly cuts embodied carbon while providing long-term durability. These features work to create a resilient, forward-thinking model for sustainable campus development.
This new building stands as a national benchmark for how design can elevate campus life while advancing institutional goals. The project was shaped through a deeply collaborative process involving over 500 interviews and student-led workshops, ensuring it reflects the voices and values of the community it serves. It connects past and present, architecture and landscape, student needs and institutional vision. With its completion, Swarthmore College not only gains a high-performance dining facility, but a space of belonging.
Mass timber defines the architecture, offering structural integrity while creating a warm, biophilic environment. Expansive glazing and soaring ceilings blur the boundary between indoors and out, reinforcing transparency, daylight, and a deep connection to place. A 100-seat outdoor dining area extends that experience further into the arboretum. Inside, ten diverse food platforms—including allergy-aware, vegan, and international options—offer variety and inclusion. The Community Commons houses student lounges, flexible gathering spaces, meeting rooms, and the Office of Student Engagement.
The design advances Swarthmore’s “To Zero by 35” carbon neutrality initiative with a comprehensive suite of high-performance systems, from an all-electric kitchen and rooftop solar array that supplies 40 percent of energy needs, to a new geo-exchange plant housed in the lower level of the Dining Center that serves the entire campus. Mass timber significantly cuts embodied carbon while providing long-term durability. These features work to create a resilient, forward-thinking model for sustainable campus development.
This new building stands as a national benchmark for how design can elevate campus life while advancing institutional goals. The project was shaped through a deeply collaborative process involving over 500 interviews and student-led workshops, ensuring it reflects the voices and values of the community it serves. It connects past and present, architecture and landscape, student needs and institutional vision. With its completion, Swarthmore College not only gains a high-performance dining facility, but a space of belonging.
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