Each space in the two eight-story residential mid-rise towers and a dining commons is designed to engage the student’s senses through immersive experiences supported by the historic campus setting. The residential towers interlace shared social spaces, natural light, and open-air connections. Every floor has two 35-student households, providing many places to congregate, socialize, and study. A diversity of connections between indoors and outdoors is a defining feature. Ground-floor amenities are connected to outdoor spaces, promoting socialization and wellness. Balconies on the fifth floor connect students living on the upper floors to the outdoors, while living rooms and lounges use full-height glass to queue students into the social activities happening inside. The floor plates shift to bring in daylight mid-floor. Bedrooms feature abundant natural light, while hallways end in views toward the campus and capture amazing views of the nearby San Gabriel Mountains. During the project’s design, the design-build team sought student input, guiding many of the design decisions, including the bathrooms. With input from non-binary students, all residential bathrooms are gender-inclusive. Diverse social spaces with shared bathrooms and sizeable communal stairway lounges drive student engagement. Every nook and in-between space is designed for informal inhabitation where students can interact and make life-long connections.

The 650-seat dining commons connects the historic stables, student services, and the new residential tours. Warm materials, residential lighting, and large communal tables evoke the warmth of home for students. As part of a broader campus amenity, private eating areas and conference rooms equip the dining hall to accommodate late-night diners. The operational model is flexible to support meal plans and retail services.

These buildings have answered so much of what’s been missing. We are very proud of this project. Students use the buildings in expected and, of course, unexpected ways. – Dr. Megan Stang, Director of Housing