Tooker House
Client
American Campus Communities, Arizona State University
Location
Tempe, AZ
SCB designed the new Tooker House student residence at Arizona State University as replacement housing created to serve freshman engineering students.
In partnership with ASU and American Campus Communities, the seven-story, 458,000-square-foot project includes 1,582 beds for students, five staff units, and university offices. The student community also includes a 27,000-square-foot dining hall; a flexible classroom; a convenience store; numerous dedicated student study and social lounges, gaming, and fitness amenities; and a maker lab. The maker lab is outfitted with resources that specifically cater to the needs of engineering students. The lab provides students with a conveniently-located space that enables continued work, individually or in groups, on class projects and experimental ideas.
SCB conducted a number of thermal and shading studies to ensure the LEED Gold project positively responds to the natural desert conditions in Tempe, Arizona. As a result, the design incorporates landscaping of native species, a courtyard arroyo that provides shade and is responsive to dry and flood conditions, and exterior louvers to limit solar heat gain. The exterior skin consists of EIFS and stone and metal rain screen systems to protect the building from extreme weather conditions while adding visual aesthetic. The materials color palette was chosen to complement the local desert terrain. Sixthriver Architects provided interior design services for the residence hall.
Through the use of transparent materials and ground floor location, the maker lab showcases the engineering students work to passersby as a means to expand conversation and increase visibility around the engineering program.
