Celebrating the Grove

Nestled into a steeply sloping site at the campus edge, this 343,665-square-foot housing community is bordered by an ecological preserve, residential neighborhood and the formalized campus grid. The design celebrates this context, drawing native landscape and pedestrian circulation through the site to create an immersive living/learning experience within the grove.

Living, Learning and Making

The project addresses critical demand for on-campus housing with 1,752 student beds, while revitalizing the campus edge. At the center is a signature commons with three levels of study and maker space—an inspirational campus resource that fosters innovation and connects students with layered views of the grove outside, from understory plantings to stone pine tree canopy.

Elevating Performance

An accessible pedestrian bridge strengthens connection between main campus and the hillside residential district. Aiming for LEED Gold certification, the design incorporates solar thermal panels, heat recovery from shower waste and an innovative cooling tower on-site to exceed the most stringent energy code in the nation by more than 20%.