Conn College’s Newly Renovated College Center at Crozier-Williams

KSS Architects has completed a strategic, partial renovation of the College Center at Crozier-Williams (“Cro”) to revitalize an under-utilized Connecticut College campus asset into the social center and heart of campus.

Perched atop a hill at the center of campus, Cro was originally constructed in 1957 as an active space for students to socialize and engage in activities. Over the decades, the building underwent several renovations which de-emphasized its nourishing social power and students flocked to other buildings on campus.

“The new Cro has quickly become a vibrant hub for our campus community, strengthening connections among students, faculty, and staff. KSS’s partnership was instrumental in creating a space that truly reflects the spirit and needs of the Connecticut College community,” said Dean of Students Victor Arcelus, Connecticut College. "The building transformed from a quiet, underused space with bland, white-walled rooms to an activated, colorful, and inviting building that captures our identity as an arboretum campus. The renovation offers students a diverse array of spaces to connect with friends at the center of campus, and at night, it lights up as a beacon, drawing students in to gather in community."

The Cro’s re-design pulls inspiration from its identity as an arboretum. Bringing the arboretum inside is a unifying concept that employs biophilic and universal design strategies to activate the space, reinforce campus identity, and support student wellness. The renovation includes the lobby, the upstairs dining area and attached terrace, and the main event space.

The lobby redesign honors the Cro’s history as a beautiful Midcentury Modern space, with natural materials such as wood and stone, and several seating areas in which students can study and socialize.

“At KSS, we strive to deliver transformative design solutions, that evolve underutilized spaces into vibrant community-centered hubs. As student needs evolve, many campus buildings struggle to keep up, resulting in a growing inventory of underutilized, subpar spaces. Limited resources often make large-scale renovations difficult, but small, strategic interventions within existing buildings can yield significant results, especially in areas that elevate student life and invest in student success beyond the classroom. These are environments where meaningful human connections can flourish within the larger campus community,” says Petar Mattioni, AIA, LEED AP, Partner at KSS Architects.

Walking upstairs to the Cro’s Nest, students can enjoy an easily flowing dining space, including a relocated pub that also functions as an event space, and opens onto the large terrace, offering a lush seating area with views of the surrounding campus. Mindful landscaping and a partnership with the student garden further emphasizes Conn College’s sustainably minded identity and encourages a feeling of refuge, safety, and self.