A Center for Scholarly Community Life

UC Irvine Verano 8 Graduate Student Housing

Irvine, CA

Building Community, Inside and Out

Set within an existing neighborhood of low-rise residences, the design presents a new paradigm for graduate housing with a series of five higher-density residential buildings surrounding a vibrant community center that welcomes all. The new, taller buildings fan out on the site, defining outdoor rooms and gardens.

Serving Graduate Student Needs

The vibrant, student-centered residential complex supports UCI graduate students’ priorities including community-building, affordability and wellness, and provides shared amenities for the surrounding Verano neighborhood. With more than 1,000 student beds, Verano 8 increases access to affordable housing for students, relieving housing insecurity that many students face in Orange County.

Advancing Student Health and Wellness

The project strives to optimize health benefits from detailed material selection to the neighborhood scale. Well-being is supported throughout the community with active stairs, biophilic design strategies, community gardens and interspersed lounge spaces for planned and spontaneous gatherings.