The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Post-WWII housing

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Institution Name: Principia College
Original/Historic Place Name:
Location on Campus:
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

post- 1945

original construction Unknown

Type of Place: Building group

Style(s) of majority of buildings: Modern/post-WWII

Style(s) of minority of buildings: not applicable

Building group type: Other: post-WWII housing as a response to need for housing by married Veterans and faculty and staff.

Relationship to landscape:

none specified

Ideas associated with building group:

none specified

Function:

ca. 1945	residence hall (for higher post WWII enrollment)
ca. 2004-present (2007)	private residence (multiple)

Significance: history
Landmark designation:

none

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
During WWII, Principia College adjusted their curriculum to fit the needs of students who would be serving in the armed services. After the war, a surge in enrollment by older students needed to be accommodated. Whereas faculty and staff had lived in small apartments and individual rooms prior to the war, there was an increasing demand for single homes in the postwar years. Prefabricated houses, site built small houses, and student apartments, as well as the traditional dormitories, were filled with traditional age students as well as returning and new students who had served in the conflict.

Buildings constructed during this period reflect the trends of a post WWII society. The architects that had designed for the college prior to WWII found these trends in conflict with the total design image of the college. Nevertheless, the economic pressures prevailed in determining some of the architectural styles and materials. These buildings represent this time period and its impact on design.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

None specified.

II. Location of other data:

University: Special Collections