A Dorm Story: Northern Illinois University and Carroll Seating Company
College dorm designs are becoming increasingly complex. While it was once enough to simply have a standard room with two beds and two desks as well as a bathroom on every floor, these days, colleges have to create a very different home away from home for those students who choose to live on campus. We were recently asked to work on the first new dorm in 40 years at Northern Illinois University, and our innovation and creativity made the project nothing short of success. 
The project itself was quite varied. With 1,000 different units in the complex as well as common spaces and a sizable community center that included a food court, recreation facility, and a lounge, creating a number of different challenges to overcome. Durability was a must in a college setting, as was the custom casework that would be necessary to give the residents the right level of space throughout the units while making everything look amazing at the same time. Our results were fantastic.
In the 80 cluster kitchens inside the complex, we installed the casework necessary to make them functional thanks to Case Systems Inc. Throughout the full 1000 units inside, we installed closet shelving and rods as well as solid surface tops and sinks. We also created an amazing look at the security desk thanks to the custom wood veneer panels. We installed a custom wood veneer mail counter to help make certain students had the mail facilities they needed, and in the food court, we created a custom checkout station to make certain students could get in and out with ease.
Diversity Means Everything
As a company, we’ve met many challenges in the past, but few quite like this one. It was a unique opportunity to step things up to the next level, and everyone loves the results, particularly the students who now call that building home.
