A Period Dormitory Reconstruction Based on Archival Research
This project involved the research, design, and execution of a period-accurate dormitory room created for a 50th class reunion alumni weekend. Developed between 2016 and 2018, the project resulted in six distinct room installations, each reconstructing student life from a specific era in the school’s history.
The design process was grounded in archival research. Extensive time was spent in the school’s archives studying photographs, student handbooks, and institutional records to identify period-appropriate furnishings, spatial arrangements, and material conditions. Oral histories from alumni further informed the reconstruction, allowing the interiors to reflect not only official regulations but also lived student experiences.
Research revealed that during the 1960s, students were prohibited from owning stereos, record players, and radios. Alumni accounts described how these objects were often concealed under beds, in closets, or replaced by small transistor radios hidden beneath pillows. These informal adaptations were intentionally incorporated into the installations as subtle details, reinforcing the tension between institutional control and student expression.
Additional constraints—such as restrictions against tacking posters or photographs directly onto walls—shaped the interior environment. Students often used felt panels or bed sheets as intermediary surfaces, a practice that was carefully recreated in the exhibit design. By foregrounding these overlooked details, the project aimed to present an authentic and nuanced representation of everyday student life, transforming archival research into an immersive spatial narrative.
