A portal to...

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, a visitor to Seattle University’s Campus Store was idly browsing the aisles when he turned westward and came upon a doorway he had never seen before. Opening onto a long corridor, the entry revealed an almost mystical looking destination, saturated with haze. 

Would he dare enter? And if so, would he be able to come back? 

Any lingering hesitance soon gave way to curiosity as the visitor tentatively made his way down the gently sloped passage before reaching its terminus, a ridiculously well-lit space…Is this heaven, he wondered? Not quite—although its majestic ceiling seemed to touch the celestial. 

No, this was the lobby of Vi Hilbert Hall, SU’s latest student residence and soon-to-be home of Enrollment Services. 

Standing in the common area, it was easy to envision the bustle of activity that will be visited upon the space in a few short days with 300 students taking up residence in its rooms. You could almost see the blurring motion, feel the kinetic energy, hear the chatter and the laughter. 

But on this day, it was an eerie silence that was deafening. Content with having stolen a glimpse of the future, our visitor retreated to the Campus Store, bought a pack of gum and rejoined the present.

Learn more about Vi Hilbert Hall here.