Onyx Anneau Fall 2021

SMWC opens first residence hall in nearly 100 years

By Marissa Schmitter, Content Marketing Specialist The first thing you see along St.

Currently, the building is undergoing renovations to student rooms and bathrooms so that it may continue as a home for Pomeroys for years to come. Les Bois Hall will house upperclass and graduate students.

“Fitting within the natural environment of the campus, outdoor spaces are integrated within the design of the building,” Teismann explains. “A large plaza with seating and a bike rack is located near the entrance that serves as a gathering point for a campus store, dining center, market and student residence alike.” Also on the plaza are tables for the community to socialize and eat and a Juneberry bush – symbolizing life and renewal while also being part of the Woods culture of sustainability. The space contains a dedicated student dining center. With a 150-person capacity, the dining hall is a hub for the campus community, where students, faculty, staff and beyond will be able to share a meal and conversation. The marketplace gives students grab-and- go options during in-between hours. The SMWC Campus Store, previously known as the bookstore, will move from the lower level of Hulman Hall to a more prominent location in the building later this fall.

Mary’s Road, even before you reach the College gates and arrive on The Avenue, is the new residence and dining hall — Les Bois Hall — and it is beautifully paired with the iconic and historic Le Fer Hall. Together, these buildings are your first glimpse of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Pronounced “lay-bwa,” which is French for “The Woods,” this building was carefully planned, designed and executed to fit seamlessly into the campus culture. The name is a tribute to the campus yearbook, published from 1916 through the 80s. “It holds for us a promise for future generations of students who will tell new stories and have new experiences in a new building, while still appreciating everything that came before,” Dottie L. King, Ph.D., president, said during the ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 11. Le Fer Hall, opened in 1924, will continue to house underclassmen and be a focal point for the College.

Les Bois (lay•bwa)

The Woods

Built with the needs of today’s students in mind, the 92-bed facility features suites equipped with mini- kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms to give it a luxury apartment feel. Matthew Teismann, principal and director of architecture at MKC Architects of Columbus, Ohio, worked to create a modern building that knits together with the rest of campus. He also carefully designed outdoor spaces to highlight the beauty of The Woods.

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