This LEED Platinum certified project was the first student residence hall in California to receive such a rating.
The project consists of two residence halls totaling 81,000 sf, housing 150 students in single room, suite style living. The North hall houses 73 beds; the South hall houses 77. Both buildings are 2 and 3 stories.
The project also includes an underground parking garage with a natural turf field above.
The College's progressive sustainable agenda catalyzed the complex's new architecture, departing from the campus' red tile roof vernacular. The design includes flat roofs that harvest energy and exterior sun shades made of terra cotta - a specific response to the harsh solar conditions of the desert landscape tying back to the roof tiles of existing buildings.
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The exterior material palette is warm and natural, echoing the historic buildings on campus, yet employs state-of-the-art technologies. ”
Thermal mass is achieved by a cast-in-place concrete structure and precast concrete walls with punched openings that also refer to existing campus buildings.
The numerous sustainable features are also demonstrated in two roof-top eco classrooms where the students can learn from the 82kW photovoltaic array system with 130,000 annual kWh output, producing 14% of annual electrical need. A solar thermal-siphon system consisting of eighteen 116-gallon storage tanks are also included on the North building's roof and produce 80% of the building's load.