Exploring Liminal Spaces— “Corridor” in the Hall of Residence

Loneliness is an issue in University Halls of Residence which can have devastating consequences and which can negatively impact the lives of those who experience this form of shared living. The aim of this study is to address this issue by identifying contributing factors to loneliness within the built environment of the student hall, with a focus on a common space which is often overlooked, the corridor. The methodology centered around focus groups run with students living in university accommodation and an analysis of the feedback which they provided in regards to how they would like to improve the corridor as a shared communal space. The analysis was fed into iterations of a design for a student hall which would reduce loneliness through its built design until a final design was decided on. The result identifies key factors in halls of residence design which would reduce loneliness and provide opportunities for socialising, catering for all personality types.