OSU Corvallis Campus Housing and Dining Vision Phase 1 – Residence Prototype and Building Design Services

Corvallis, OR

In collaboration with Mithūn.

Oregon State University’s Corvallis Campus Housing and Dining Vision highlights the role of high-quality housing and dining in student success. With the demand for on-campus housing growing for first year and upper-division students, OSU has begun strategically expanding and diversifying its housing and dining inventory. Over the next ten years, OSU will steadily increase the Corvallis campus’ capacity to accommodate approximately 7,500 students, or 3,500 more than those currently housed.

The Rowell Brokaw + Mithun team have been selected to complete Phase 1 of the Corvallis Campus Housing and Dining Vision. Phase 1 lays the groundwork for the design of future residence halls through the development of a residential prototype that will be implemented in all phases of the Vision project. Phase 1 work also includes the design and construction of three new residence halls in the south campus neighborhood, a new dining facility, and a District Utility Plant that will serve new and existing facilities.

In close collaboration with OSU and CM/GC Turner Construction, the design team is developing a residential prototype that utilizes strategies and systems that can be successfully repeated and scaled. The team is establishing a clear “kit of parts” that spans programmatic and technical aspects. Modularity, prefabrication, panelized technologies, flatpack strategies, and systems with low-carbon impact are all being explored. Mass timber elements have been identified as a key component in the prototype. Inclusivity and ways to build community are central to the design. Ultimately, the prototype will be efficient and flexible, with the ability to adjust to particular sites, dwelling types, and community needs.

Using the prototype, Rowell Brokaw + Mithun are designing three new residence halls that will add 1,200-1,500 beds to the Corvallis campus. The Phase 1 buildings will primarily consist of double occupancy rooms configured in a semi-suite arrangement, clustered around gender inclusive restrooms and gathering space. In order to support an increased resident population in south campus, one of the Phase 1 buildings will contain a new, multi-venue dining facility. The District Utility Plant (DUP), which houses essential mechanical and electrical equipment, will be integrated into an existing parking structure and serve old and new buildings in the area.

Currently, the team is finalizing the prototype and beginning Schematic Design of the residence halls, DUP, and neighborhood site improvements.