Thursday, February 14, 2019

Introduction to Erdman Hall

Eleanor Donnelly Erdman Hall is a student dormitory on the campus of Bryn Mawr College--a women's Liberal Arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Architects Louis Kahn and Anne Tyng began designing the building in 1960, and construction was completed by May, 1965. The dormitory serves primarily as student housing with accommodations such as spacious common areas, meeting areas, laundry rooms, and "the College's largest dining hall".[1]

Floor Plans

(click images to view at a higher resolution)



Main Entrance



The dormitory's slate-clad, monolithic visage betrays Kahn's fascination with Scottish castles.

Aerial View



The interlocking diamonds are the form and thematic foundation of Erdman Hall, yet they are only apparent in floor plans or from an aerial view. 



Central Hall from Entrance



Barren concrete walls, sparse furnishings, and ambient sunlight in this entry hall evoke the cold stone chambers of a medieval ruin. 


Satellite View