Desert-adapted Sustainability for a Vertical Community

The 1960s-era dormitory Manzanita Hall, once the tallest building in Arizona, was obsolescent when Arizona State University hired the Studio Ma team to improve its energy efficiency and quality of life. With its memorable curved façade and early use of post-tensioned concrete slab construction, Manzanita Hall is an iconic building within metropolitan Phoenix. But its living quality did not meet expectations. Systems were failing, and the dormitory’s porthole windows neither offered good natural lighting nor reduced heat gain.

The Studio Ma team undertook an extensive evaluation of the structure, finding that retrofitting Manzanita Hall’s exterior with a new window system recessed from the precast concrete façade would result in both reduced heat gain from the surrounding desert while bringing in more natural light. While this required each window to be cored out of the façade individually, the cost was feasible and provided a significant return on the investment.

Interior spaces are based on the ACUHO-I 21st Century Project tenets of community, flexibility, innovation, technology and sustainability, which were developed by a professional association of college and university housing officers to improve residential life on campus. Students are provided spaces that range from private rooms, or separate dwelling areas within doubles, at the Home level, to increasing levels of community: the Street or Block, the Neighborhood, and the Village. To create social hubs in a vertical structure, Studio Ma worked with the contractor to open double-height spaces among Manzanita Hall’s floors without impairing the performance of the post-tensioned construction. “Street” hubs are placed throughout each wing; they include social space, study rooms, laundries and kitchens.

Connecting the 15-story tower to its surrounding context is a new, dynamic shade canopy and a free plan of programmed social and community spaces. These elements ground the building and allow the extension of activities to the adjacent study areas, meeting rooms, and the new fitness center and lounge. A terrace landscaped with desert plants overlooks new outdoor amenities: basketball and volleyball courts, barbecues, shaded seating and gathering spaces.

Studio Ma with SCB (Solomon Cordwell Buenz), Associate Architect