| 摘要: |
| 大学住宿书院通过重塑学生住区的
教育性，在促进学生全面发展方面具有独特
的价值，但其居学协同的育人理念在我国实
践中却难以充分落实，制约了育人功能的发
挥。美国在住宿书院建设方面起步较早，其
中耶鲁大学推行的住宿书院系统已有近百年
历史，并取得了较大成效。因此，本文以耶
鲁大学住宿书院的建设经验为例，分析梳理
其在育人体系建构和空间环境设计两个层面
的居学协同策略。对我国的启示在于：在整
体层面，首先明确住宿书院居学协同角色定
位，再从空间环境、课程活动和人员架构三
方面共同实践居学协同的理念；在空间层
面，注重居住功能与教育功能的兼容性，具
体包括利用日常生活类空间组织布局、拓展
日常生活类空间的基础功能和营造具有归属
感和文化性的场所氛围三大设计策略。 |
| 关键词: 住宿书院 耶鲁大学 教育场所 居学协同 育人体系 方法与策略 |
| DOI：10.13791/j.cnki.hsfwest.20241103002 |
| 分类号: |
| 基金项目:广东省基础与应用基础研究基金项目（2024A1515011660） |
|
| Living-learning collaboration: The educational system, design strategies, and implicationsof Yale University’s residential colleges |
|
HE Weizhen,NI Yang
|
| Abstract: |
| University residential colleges have become a transformative model in higher education,
fostering holistic student development by bridging the gap between living and learning. Rooted in the
concept of living-learning collaboration, residential colleges seek to redefine student residential areas
as educational spaces that nurture intellectual, social, and emotional growth. However, the
implementation of this concept in Chinese universities remains limited due to the lack of a wellestablished
education system and the dominance of traditional residential models that prioritize basic
living functions. This paper takes the residential college system of Yale University—a pioneer and
exemplar in this field—as a case study, aiming to explore its development history, operational
mechanisms, and spatial design strategies, and to extract insights applicable to the Chinese context.
Yale’ s residential colleges, with nearly a century of history, are not merely living quarters but are
intentionally designed as integrated learning environments. They embody a revival of the early
“collegiate way of living”, in which students and faculty members share communal life, meals,
academic discourse, and cultural experiences. Yale’s system evolved through three distinct phases:
the initial construction of ten colleges in the 1930s with enclosed courtyards and Gothic architectural
styles; the experimental modernist designs of the 1960s, and the completion of Benjamin Franklin and
Pauli Murray Colleges in 2017, which combine traditional aesthetics with modern spatial
programming. At the institutional level, Yale’s residential colleges are positioned as educational
entities that operate alongside, but independently from, academic departments. While departments
oversee specialized instruction and degree programs, residential colleges are tasked with providing
social support, academic advising, and co-curricular enrichment. Each college houses around 400
undergraduates and is led by a Head of College and a Dean—both faculty members who live in the
college and engage closely with students. Additional roles, such as residential fellows, writing tutors,
and peer mentors, form a supportive ecosystem that fosters living-learning collaboration. In terms of
spatial environment design, Yale’s residential colleges exemplify how architectural planning can
support educational goals. The newly built colleges employ a holistic design approach that organizes
functions into three main categories: daily life spaces, educational activity spaces, and logistical
support spaces. Rather than separating living and learning, the design emphasizes functional
integration. Student and faculty residences are strategically placed to encourage informal interaction;
dining halls serve not only as eating areas but also as primary social hubs, around which academic and
recreational spaces are clustered; and education-related facilities such as libraries, lounges, and
studios are interwoven throughout the colleges to facilitate spontaneous engagement and informal
learning. Moreover, the design introduces composite space strategies, where traditional daily life
spaces are endowed with multiple uses. Student suites are configured as shared apartments to balance
privacy and community. Heads of College residences double as administrative, social, and ceremonial
spaces; and the Buttery—originally a small student-run eatery—has evolved into a multifunctional
venue for informal learning, gatherings, and creative activities. These hybridized spaces encouragestudents to blur the lines between everyday life and academic inquiry, making learning a continuous and ambient process.A crucial element of the spatial
strategy is atmosphere creation rooted in a sense of belonging and cultural identity. The colleges use inward-facing courtyards of varying scales to create
intimate, protected environments amidst the urban campus. Natural elements, such as green courtyards and varied landscaping, enhance the sensory experience
and promote emotional well-being. Culturally, the architectural language maintains continuity with Yale’s historic campus through materials like brick and
stone, while decorative elements—such as stained glass, symbolic carvings, and thematic motifs—reflect Yale’s traditions, local heritage, and prominent
alumni, turning the built environment into an immersive cultural narrative. Drawing on Yale’s experience, the paper offers several implications for the
development of residential colleges in China. First, it emphasizes the importance of clearly defining the institutional role of residential colleges within the
broader university structure. Establishing living-learning collaboration as a core educational objective requires alignment across spatial design, curriculum
activities, and personnel structure. Second, Chinese universities are encouraged to move beyond the “patchwork” approach—where living and learning spaces
are simply juxtaposed—and instead adopt a more immersive and integrative model. This includes using daily life space organization to foster seamless
transitions, expanding the functional capacity of daily spaces to allow for diverse educational activities, and creating atmospheres with a sense of belonging and
cultural meaning. Ultimately, this study underscores that residential colleges, when supported by a coherent educational system and thoughtfully designed
spaces, can serve as dynamic platforms for interdisciplinary learning, social development, and cultural transmission. By translating and adapting the lessons
from Yale’s model, Chinese universities can reimagine student residential areas not merely as places to live, but as vital educational spaces that contribute to
the formation of well-rounded, engaged, and self-directed graduates. |
| Key words: residential college Yale University educational space living-learning collaboration education system methods and strategies |
