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Mark Heithoff 
Andy Ryan
Steven Holl is a rising star in the design world. Rapidly emerging as one of America�s premier architects, he�s now a finalist for the 2002 National Design Awards, a coveted honor in the rapacious world of black turtlenecks. Honorees — which this year include Whirlpool and ergo designer Niels Diffrient — are chosen for a body of work rather than a single project, but in Holl�s case it would be difficult not to be swayed by his latest building. Simmons Hall is the Bilbao of dorms, a 350-bed residence perched on the edge of MIT�s campus like a great Meccano bread box. Inside, immense vertical shafts create lounges and other unexpected spaces along the corridors, in striking contrast to the narrow hallways of conventional dorms. Also unusual is Holl�s bunk bed system of stackable plywood elements, which can be arranged into a variety of configurations to let students control their own space. �It�s the most exciting thing I have ever been involved in,� says Holl, who�s known for his creative approach to light and space. Unlike a museum, it is a perpetual work-in-progress shaped by the whims and needs of its residents. And the students have only just moved in.
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