CSUN New Suites at University Park

C A L I F O R N I A S T AT E U N I V E R S I T Y N O R T H R I D G E

UNIVERSITY PARK The Suites at

[ northridge, ca ]

PROJECT

The Suites at University Park California State University Northridge LOCATION

Northridge, CA

California State University’s new Suites at University Park are organized around the living room concept. The common idea behind the site and building design is the goal of having students see and be seen in a comfortable and familiar environment.

The proposed residential community model creates a gradually scaled social setting which allows freshman students to adapt to the university experience. Each floor features clusters of bedrooms and bathrooms centered around living/study areas. Each 32-student group serves as a ‘home base’ and provides choice for developing friendships. Bathrooms are located outside of the bedroom to encourage interaction among roommates and neighbors.

The site design promotes interaction between students by focusing entrances and activities around a central outdoor space. The overall site scheme maximizes site area, preserves existing pedestrian circulation, sensibly responds to site conditions, and creates a safe living environment for freshman students. The new housing units are positioned to create their own sense of community while maintaining a visual and physical connection to existing roads, parking, paths, buildings, and pool. Common program features are oriented inward, thus energizing the courtyard.

SUSTAINABLE FEATURES & DESIGN STRATEGIES • L ocated within dense campus with no new parking added; bicycles and proximity to campus tram reduce vehicle use.

• E xisting parking lot is replaced with building and landscape, increasing natural permeation and reducing the heat island effect.

• A cool roof reduces the heat island effect.

• N ative landscaping and large vegetated areas reduce temperature of outdoor microclimate.

• S un shades on south-facing walls reduce solar heat gain and energy consumption.

• E xterior wood is resistant to insect and weather decay, extending the life-cycle of the building.

• Interior finishes feature high levels of recycled content.

• Individual temperature controls in each space reduce energy use.

Recreation Room

I N T E RNAL ORGANIZATION Designed for freshmen, the Suites comprise 12 clusters, each housing 32 students and a resident assistant. Double bedrooms and bathrooms shared by four students are clustered around a living and study room on each floor. The 32-student group serves as a nurturing ‘home base’ for young students: it’s small enough that students can get to know everyone in their group, and large enough to provide sufficient choice for developing friendships. Bathrooms are located outside of the bedroom to encourage interaction among roommates and neighbors.

POST-OCCUPANCY STUDY:

Freshman-Engagement Housing Supports First-Year Students’ Adaptation to College Summary

CSU Northridge built a 400-bed facility specifically designed as freshman-engagement housing for a campus that had previously only had apartment-style housing. Statistically significant results from a behavioral post-occupancy study show that, compared with campus apartment residents, first-year students living in the new, cluster-style, freshman-engagement housing have higher Academic, Personal/ Emotional, and Overall adjustment scores on an adaptation-to-college assessment.

Research Context

First-year college students are more likely to drop out of school: they face the greatest challenges and are the least prepared to meet them, National research shows that students’ experiences in campus housing are a key factor in supporting retention and engagement in the campus community. 1 Current neurobiology research indicates that young students’ brains are not yet mature enough to support an entirely independent lifestyle. Brain functions crucial to success in higher education—the executive functions of decision-making, organizing thoughts, setting priorities and weighing consequences—are not developed to adult levels when a student enters college. Students’ ability to make friends within their living environment strongly predicts their successful adjustment to college. 2

Suites’ freshman show statistically significantly higher Overall, Academic and Personal/Emotional Adjustment scores on the SACQ adjustment-to-college questionnaire.

Suites’ students are more likely to sign up for on-campus housing for next year.

Cluster Housing at CSU Northridge: ‘The Suites’

CSUN’s new cluster-style housing model was designed to support students’ engagement and adaptation to the university experience by encouraging friendship formation and supporting the development of social bonds among its residents.

Small communities of 32 freshman and a Resident Assistant share a semi-private wing within the larger residence hall. Double bedrooms are grouped around a ‘living room’ which serves as the cluster’s own informal gathering place and each cluster includes a quiet study room. Eight clusters occupy the L-shaped facility which, with a one-story community building, encloses a large courtyard.

Research Design

AC Martin conducted a behavioral post-occupancy study comparing 83 freshmen in student-engagement housing with 122 freshmen in campus apartment housing. On-line surveys included the Student Adaptationto-College Questionnaire (SACQ), a nationally normed, standardized assessment of students’ adjustment to college, and the Student Housing Questionnaire (SHQ), designed to assess various aspects of students’ campus residential experience. Students and RA’s participated in telephone interviews and focus groups.

This project was so successful that the University’s schedule for building Phase 2 has been moved up.

1

Tinto, V. (1993) Leaving College: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. (2nd Ed.) University of Chicago Press

2

ilcox, P., Winn, S., Fyvie-Gauld, M. (2005) “It was nothing to do with the University, it was just the people”: The role of social support in the first-year experience W of higher education. Studies in Higher Education, v30 n6 p707-722.

Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire: Normed Scores

Research Results Suites students have higher Overall, Academic and Personal/Emotional Adjustment Scores.

Suites students are more likely to sign up for campus housing next year.

Suites students have higher first-year GPAs than Apartments students.

Suites housing had fewer crimes (thefts, etc.) reported to campus police than Apartments housing.

44

48

F=6.31 p=.01

Overall Adjustment*

47

50

Academic Adjustment*

F=3.69 p=.06

43

47

48

F=4.28 p=.03

Personal/Emotional Adjustment*

50

49

NS

Social Adjustment

50

NS

Attachment/ Commitment

Student Housing Survey: % Responses

Suites’ students have stronger social networks.

When asked, “What is the BEST thing about where you live on campus?”

Suites students say it’s Friends & Community. They are more likely to have several close friends, to have a ‘best friend’ in their building, to feel a strong sense of community, and to engage in activities with their friends every day.

15

In contrast, Apartments students say it’s Space & Convenience.

They like having a large apartment with plenty of personal space, but they are less likely to have close friends on campus, to use the common space in their residence hall, or to want to live with the same apartment-mates the following year.

42

X2=22. p=.001

Friends & Community*

38

11

X2=18.5 p=.001

Space & Convenience*

Resident Assistant Survey: % Responses

Suites’ freshmen have more positive group connections.

“My freshmen are making friendships that will last, even into next year.” (Suites RA) “...they tend to go home on the weekends, so they don’t make friends at school.” (Apartments RA) “The Living Room is a place for everyone to hang out and get to know each other.” (Suites RA) “...their rooms are big, so they stay inside and hide...it’s hard to get them out for group meetings.” (Apartments RA)

SUITES-STYLE HOUSING * Statistically Significant Difference

APARTMENT-STYLE HOUSING

11

70

Group is Cohesive*

X2=6.7 p<.01

44

90

X2=4.5 p=.03

Many Close Friendships*

66

90 NS

Good Social Adjustment

DETA I L S Open exterior stairs provide a visual connection to the courtyard. Natural wood is used to signify entrances, while metal windows and cement plaster provide a durable building exterior. A variety of interior colors are used on each floor to give a unique character to each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home.

california state university nor thridge

THE SUITES AT UNIVERSITY PARK Client Size Completion Location Key Points

California State University, Northridge 92,700 SF / 400 Units 2010 Northridge, CA • Organized around the ‘living room concept’—to see and be seen in a comfortable and familiar environment.

• Gradually scaled social setting allows freshmen to adapt to the university experience.

• The site design promotes interaction between students by focusing entrances and activities around a central outdoor space.

• Internally, bedrooms and bathrooms are clustered around a living and study room on each floor. The 32-student group serves as a ‘home base’ and provides choice for developing friendships.

• Bathrooms are located outside of the bedroom to encourage interaction amongst roommates and neighbors.

• The new housing units are positioned to create their own sense of community; while maintaining a visual and physical connection to existing roads, parking, paths, buildings, and pool.

• Sustainable design strategies include: a cool roof, native landscaping, sunshades to reduce solar heat gain, high level of recycled content in interior finishes, exterior teak panels are naturally resistant to insects and weather decay, and individual temperature controls in each space to reduce energy usage.