Bastyr University has a naturally focused vision as a naturopathic university. So when it came time to rethink the way it housed students, the CollinsWoerman vision of doing so naturally fit right in. Instead of construction a traditional dorm structure for the 130-plus students staying on campus, Bastyr opted for a plan to house its students in 11 three-story, freestanding cottages. The eco-friendly village had a design goal of LEED Gold. The village was so sustainable, however, it was certified LEED Platinum.

Designing in harmony with the staff and students of the school, CollinsWoerman created not only a less expensive solution for the school—the freestanding units were more economical to construct and maintenance and operation costs offer savings over a traditional dorm structure—but also serve the needs of the students, often more independent and older than a traditional school, by offering flexibility within the cottages nestled within the 51-acre campus outside of Seattle.

Each of the cottages offers three floors with four bedrooms and a bathroom on each floor. Space for a kitchen and common area, which faces a central courtyard, ties the buildings together. The list of sustainable features runs long on the Bastyr project, including design elements that eliminate unnecessary space, adding butterfly roofs to capture rainwater, green roofs and using salvaged wood for accent construction. Then there were the construction elements, such as radiantfloor heating, high-efficiency boilers, water heaters and heat recovery, whole-house natural ventilation, locally sourced VSC-certified lumber, low-VOC paints and urea-formaldehyde-free cabinets and doors, such as in the painted hardboard doors from Lynden Door.

An added benefit to the doors manufactured by Lynden Door comes in the sound transmission classification on the painted prefinished hardboard variety. The cores of the doors are all tested to ensure they meet the acoustical needs, often a critical part of a building project when multiple residences—especially college dorms— fall so closely together. A natural focus for everything marks the environment at Bastyr University. And natural has its benefits.

Prefinished Hardboard Doors

Durable and stable, Lynden Door Prefinished Hardboard doors arrive ready to install with a professionally applied, uniform finish that will keep them attractive and easy to maintain.