Building as common property: examining Ostrom’s model in an innovative university residence hall

Buildings are not only physical infrastructures but also socially and institutionally produced environments that structure access to space, resources and community life. This study draws from human–environment geography, common property theory and scholarship on built environments to conceptualize buildings as shared indoor environments that function as common pool resources and can be governed as common property regimes. Using an ethnographic approach, we examine a large, mixed-use academic–residential building at a U.S. research university to better understand how it was produced and governed as a shared resource. Data from stakeholder interviews, institutional documents and participant observation reveal governance dynamics that align closely with Ostrom’s design principles, including clear boundaries, collective choice, monitoring and sanctions. We identify both the institutional mechanisms and spatial strategies that contribute to sustainable, cooperative use of shared indoor resources. We also propose a conceptual framework that links building governance to broader national design trends, institutional mental models, and localized scarcities and abundances. Our findings offer practical insights for designers, campus planners and institutional decision-makers seeking to foster more inclusive, adaptive and sustainable building use.