Ponderosa Commons supports a vibrant, diverse university campus through a full range of uses: study, work, live and play. This major mixed-use student housing complex creates a 24/7 hub of activity, animates the campus core and fosters a sense of place to enhance the overall campus experience.
This project is a joint venture between KPMB Architects and hcma.
UBC Properties Trust sought to support a vibrant, diverse campus with Ponderosa Commons, the first of eight planned high-density, mixed-use hubs placed within the academic campus core. The concept integrates student housing with other social infrastructure to create vibrant centres that animate the campus and provide a sense of place.
The Commons also supports UBC’s ‘living laboratory’ commitment with innovative designs that have achieved energy efficiency with LEED Gold certification.
UBC Properties Trust recognizes that student housing on campus is more than an opportunity to attract and recruit students, but also as a venue for student engagement and community experience. The goal was to improve the academic community’s experience on this large campus, and to address issues of isolation, anonymity, and a lack of collegiality and vitality.
A new level of animation and vibrancy has come to life in this area of campus exceeding everyone’s expectations for its impact on social sustainability. Students walk through the lobby of the Art History and Visual Arts School (AVHA) to get to their suites. The Mercante Pizzeria Cafe opens directly to outdoor terrace seating and to an informal learning lounge. There is a yoga class happening next to a student residential lobby. Geological studies on riverbed erosion expose large 40 meter water tanks just down the hall from where residents migrate and mix with other commuter students at the Collegium, a VIP lounge space designed to serve everyday student interactions and campus activity planning. Ponderosa Commons’ delivers 24/7 activity and increases social connections between faculty, students and others.
Phase 1 - 2013
Phase 2 - 2015
54,000 m2
Construction Management
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[Ponderosa Commons] has come to life beyond our expectations. Students report high levels of satisfaction with their accommodations, amenities and proximity to the campus core. And the first Collegium is proving to be a well-loved home away from home for first-year commuter students who are members there.