San Diego — The Quad, a privately owned, mixed-use student housing structure designed by Safdie Rabines Architects and located in San Diego’s 204-acre North City master plan, has been completed.
Located directly across the street from California State University San Marcos Campus (CSUSM), The Quad is a five-story, 230,600-square-foot building designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. It includes 591 dorm rooms housing 889 student beds, 12,000 square feet of academic, student life and event spaces, and 20,000 square feet of retail/commercial space.
The ground floor retail is oriented along North City’s main entrance road and features cafes, restaurants and outdoor dining. A parking arrangement allows all parking spaces to be located on the campus, encouraging students to walk or bike across the road to the campus.
The Quad is comprised of six separate buildings organized around a series of outdoor spaces including a large central courtyard. Exterior bridges and stair towers link the buildings. The courtyard includes a pool and barbecue area, with student classrooms and lounges along the perimeter activating the central quad.
The units are designed with central bathroom and kitchen cores, stacking the utilities to maximize efficiency within buildings.