Breuer’s office began working on the comprehensive plan for Saint John’s Abbey and University Complex in May of 1953. Four years later, Marcel Breuer and Associates designed the first of two student residence halls for the university. Residence Hall I consisted of two, flat-roofed rectangular wings set at ninety degrees to each other and connected by a thin passage. Concrete block walls with vertical strips of glazing formed the end facades of each rectangular volume, while the long facades featured a grid of deeply recessed windows shaded by projecting concrete fins. The basement contained a large recreation center, along with laundry facilities and storage. The upper floors consisted of a series of identical rooms with centrally located stairwells and bathrooms. Study lounges projected from each of the main wings near the stairwells.