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Modern housing projects are crucial for fostering a positive and supportive environment for students. They go beyond merely providing a place to sleep, focusing on enhancing the overall student experience through community, amenities and a sense of well-being. These projects often include communal spaces, such as kitchens, lounges and study areas, designed to encourage student interaction.
Furthermore, some modern student housing projects concentrate on community building rather than just serving as residences. Events and activities organized within the accommodations help students feel at home and build a sense of belonging and friendships. Additionally, by offering opportunities for social interaction, modern housing helps reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation, which are significant concerns for students.
Moreover, modern student housing increasingly incorporates features that promote mental well-being, such as quiet spaces, social areas, and access to support services. Amenities such as gyms and social spaces encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, which are vital for students’ overall well-being. Additionally, many modern student housing developments incorporate sustainable design elements, promoting environmental responsibility and attracting students who are environmentally conscious.
Modern student housing plays a vital role in creating a positive and supportive environment for students, thereby contributing to their academic success, social well-being, and overall university experience. Here are a few examples from the United States to Germany.
Around the Corner – Student Apartment Building in Berlin Oberschöneweide
By Sehw Architektur, Berlin, Germany
Completed in 2023, Around the Corner is a housing project featuring 159 flats for students, developed by the city-owned housing company Berlinovo in the promising district of Oberschöneweide within the Treptow borough. This building serves as a pivotal element in completing the existing block development. Its design is marked by the equal visual treatment of wall and sloping roof areas, contributing to a monolithic look. Additionally, the color scheme divides the structure into 2 sections, interacting with volumes and surfaces in relation to the surrounding scale and proportions.
Miller Creative Quad
By Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects, Conway, Arkansas
The design of the new building replaces Hulen Hall, a historic dining hall located in the heart of campus, by inverting its figure-ground relationship. Instead of mimicking the original building’s impervious structure that hindered campus circulation, the new design features an open ground plane with an internal courtyard that encourages engagement and movement for students and visitors alike. Completed in 2020, this building proposes a new model for student housing, one led by visual and physical connections to art, promoting activity throughout the site, maximizing outdoor space, celebrating the creative process, and, most importantly, allowing students “to dwell with the arts.”
Researchers and Student Housing
By Herault Arnod Architects, Grenoble, France
La Maison des Etudiants (Researchers and student housing) is a student residence constructed in the 1930s. This eight-story building, characterized by its minimalist style and unadorned façade, is a notable feature of Grenoble’s Grands Boulevard skyline. Initially, the building offered relatively spacious rooms but only basic amenities, with communal showers and bathrooms. The university cafeteria was located on the ground floor, elevated above the pavement at the mezzanine level. Redesigned in 2013, completely isolated from the street due to its raised position and its solid pedestal structure, the back of the cafeteria connected to the kitchens, which were built on a single level.
The Broadview Vanderbilt Graduate Student Housing
By Valerio Dewalt Train, Nashville, Tennessee
Built in 2023, the Broadview graduate student housing complex at Vanderbilt University connects academia and professionalism by offering students an affordable living, learning, and collaboration space. Valerio Dewalt Train first created a master plan for a graduate student village that would extend the campus northeast along Broadway. Reflecting the campus’s identity as an arboretum, our team suggested maintaining this landscape through a series of connected green courtyards and using red brick as the main exterior material, consistent with Vanderbilt’s historic buildings.
Excelsior Transitional Student Housing
By Patrick TIGHE Architecture, Los Angeles, California
Excelsior Transitional Student Housing spans 13,800 square feet (1,282 square meters) with 29 bedrooms, located in East Hollywood. This 2-story building is positioned on an infill lot near the Metro Vermont/Santa Monica Red Line stop. It includes 15 row-house style units, each featuring 5 to 6 bedrooms that share a kitchen and social areas. Leveraging Tighe’s co-living expertise, this facility was designed to help incubate social connections and a community-minded culture by providing enhanced shared spaces. The elevated apartments offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains, the Hollywood Sign, and the downtown Los Angeles skyline.
Torre
By Rhode Partners, Austin, Texas
Constructed in 2021, Torre Apartments is situated at the heart of West Campus of the University of Texas at Austin. This 18-story building consists of 153 units and 558 beds, available in diverse configurations, from studio apartments to large townhome layouts. The tower’s striking, tiered design was developed to meet particular zoning regulations and program demands. Visitors enter through a sculptural entry canopy, leading into an expansive coffee lounge characterized by high ceilings and abundant natural light.
Topaz Student Apartments
By ID Studios, San Diego, California
In 2024, Pierce Education Properties partnered with ID Studios and AVRP Studios to develop Topaz Apartments, a new seven-story off-campus student housing complex located just steps from SDSU. The two-story, glass-enclosed lobby features angular blue graphics and globe lights that create a starlit atmosphere. The common areas showcase a vibrant modern design and an open floor plan, with furniture arrangements designed for maximum flexibility. Additionally, the building’s design aims to provide a safe and friendly space for students.
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