The University of California San Diego Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood marks a new iconic entry point to the UC San Diego campus. Anchoring the south side of this new precinct, the six-acre housing site contains two C-shaped buildings, each with a prominent tower to house over 1,300 upper-division students. Clad in glass with perforated metal sunshade elements, the project contains ground level retail and student amenity spaces designed to create an active, vibrant urban atmosphere. Coloration—drawn from campus murals and the natural canyon landscape—moves from one building to the next, stitching the interior and exterior experiences together.
A thorough study of the campus context and program needs resulted in iconic building forms surrounding active landscaped courtyards that integrate with larger campus networks of open spaces, bicycle paths, pedestrians, walkways, and campus building fabric. Adjoining the building courtyards, the 6-acre Open Space Preserve recreates a rustic canyon at the heart of the new precinct—filled with native plantings, art, walking trails, outdoor study spaces, and extensive stormwater mitigation areas.
