University of Massachusetts
Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
Project
Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community
Client
University of Massachusetts
Location
Amherst, MA
Completion
2013
Size
515,600 SF
Certification
LEED Silver Certified
Category
Residence Halls
This residential complex provides 1,500 beds in seven buildings for the Honors Program of UMass Amherst, in the heart campus. Seven new buildings are organized around intimately scaled court-yards. The buildings step down the hillside, creating the sense of an academic village for the Honors College, with a series of open outdoor quads for students to gather. The project brings together Honors College students in a mix of unit types, including approximately 600 beds of singles and doubles, and 900 beds in suites and apartments.
A principle concern was organizing the several buildings so that they could reach out to important adjacent sports and recreation precincts and connect to major campus pathways. As these paths cross through the site, they lead to a variety of outdoor gathering spaces – some hardscape, and some lawn. In turn, the buildings work together to create an Academic Village with a vibrant central hub.
Awards + Recognition
2016 National AIA Specialized Housing Award
2015 AGC of Massachusetts Build New England Merit Award
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering
Civil Engineer | Stantec
Landscape Architect | Stantec
Interior Designer | Lab [3.2] Architecture
Lighting Consultant | Horton Lees Brogden Design Group
Photographer | Robert Benson