ASU Casa de Oro

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Client

American Campus Communities

Location

Glendale, Arizona

Typology

Low-Rise Student Housing Community

Awards

100/365

Sustainability

Designed To LEED Silver Standards

To deliver design solutions using a 21st Century approach to programming, Casa de Oro, a 365-bed student housing community, utilized research-based design to examine future students’ needs. Amenity space was a key component of the desired design of the space. As a result, 3-story stacked residential neighborhoods were positioned on the northeast and northwest corners of the building. Each neighborhood has a spacious lounge, study room, kitchen, and laundry room, further supporting living and learning opportunities. Two residential neighborhoods per floor (58 beds each) are joined at the main entrance by a community center. The 2-level community center provides several appealing amenities for students, including a game room/lounge, study rooms – both private and group, and a social lounge space to unwind or entertain. Casa de Oro was strategically located along the pedestrian pedway to activate this campus corridor while promoting connectivity to the adjacent dining venue and student recreation center. Further enhancing the pedway, seating areas near the entry provide gathering spaces and extend indoor/outdoor relationships.

College & University

Selecting a college or university usually comes down to location and academic programs. However, an increasing number of students and their families are looking for the quality, type, and standard of living offered by student housing communities as one of the deciding factors. Secure and well-maintained housing facilities support the recruiting process and greatly assist universities in attracting and retaining highly qualified students. From years of planning and designing college and university facilities (both public and private), we believe that all spaces should be created with the end user in mind, especially when designing learning environments. Human-centered design focuses on people and how they will use the space, for growth and development, social interaction and living and learning. These should be spaces of inspiration, to supply students with the tools they need to succeed in today’s ever-changing world. At Todd & Associates, we are continually looking for innovative ways to improve the design of student housing communities. By exploring new ideas and processes, such as the multi-phased process of the 21st Century Project of ACUHO (Association of College and University Housing Officials), we are ensuring that these communities better reflect the ever-changing roles their residences play in the collegiate experience.