Árbol de la Vida Hall

University of Arizona, Tucson AZ

September 2011

"Árbol de la Vida" means the Tree of Life, the source of the eternal, universal life-force. The name of this dormitory came months after beginning design. For quite a long time it was only named "Tyndall", the name of the street it fronts. Árbol, the true name, however, seemed to come about naturally and organically partway through design. We were focusing on the interaction of the long east-west courtyards with both the student rooms and the first floor public spaces, and the suggestion of the "tree of life" seemed a natural fit.

We integrated the new-found theme into the poetry-driven artwork engraved on the front windows of the entrance. The leaves of the tree are made of the lines of poetry, garnered by the design team, and gathered into tree forms in the glass. The effect brings together art, architecture, and a thousand years of culture together at the moment students enter and exit their temporary home each day.