Varsity at Ann Arbor | WDG: Architecture, Planning, Interiors

Arlington Graduate Center, The George Washington University Arlington, VA	The George Washington University	Completed 2011	WDG provided a range of programming and interior design services for classroom, meeting, lab, and lounge space totaling 25,900-sf on two levels.
HHMI Janelia Farms Apartments Ashburn, VA	Howard Hughes Medical Institute \| Photos © Maxwell MacKenzie	Completed 2011	Four-story, 81,852-sf, 60-unit apartment building for visiting research scientists.
Madison Hall Study, The George Washington University Washington, DC	The George Washington University	Completed 2010	Feasibility study for the renovation of a 204-bed student residential hall that consists of eight residential levels and one basement level; total size: 48,240 sf.
Oakland Hall, University of Maryland College Park, MD	University of Maryland	Completed 2011	230,000-sf residence hall with 709 beds, active and study lounges on all floors, a 3000-sf multipurpose room, and 10,000-sf of classroom space for UMD’s Math and Science Learning Program.
Prince Frederick Hall, University of Maryland College Park, MD	University of Maryland	In Progress	186,000-sf, 462 bed residence hall and Satellite Central Utility Building (SCUB) on the University of Maryland College Park campus.
Sea Gull Square, Salisbury University Salisbury, MD	Rinner Development / Salisbury University	Completed 2011	Mixed-use student housing complex with 605 beds, 23,000-sf of retail and 5,000sf of ground floor community space.
The CUNY Residences, College of Staten Island Staten Island, NY	American Campus Communities / College of Staten Island	In Progress	167,000-sf, 607-bed student housing development with 4,000-sf of study, lounge, and office space. Amenities include: fitness center, study lounges, community rooms, and lecture/performance room.
University View I College Park, MD	WG Group	Completed 2005	16 story, 352 unit student high-rise student housing building.
University View II College Park, MD	Clark Enterprises	Completed 2011	232,000-sf mixed-use student housing complex consisting of 154 units, 517 beds, 4,000-sf of amenity space, and 11,000-sf of retail space.
University View Village College Park, MD	Clark Enterprises	In Progress	9-story, 272 unit high-rise student housing building.
Varsity at Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	Potomac Holdings	In Progress	13-story, 178,380-sf off-campus student housing with 173 student apartments totaling 418 beds and two levels of parking.
West Grace Student Housing, Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	Virginia Commonwealth University	Completed 2012	Student housing and garage complex with first floor retail; the 122-unit housing component has 459 beds with communal and study spaces on each floor, totaling 161,078-sf; the garage component has 212 spaces, totaling 98,675-sf.

Varsity at Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

CLIENT
Potomac Holdings

STATUS
In Progress

SERVICES
Architecture

PROJECT DETAILS

PROJECT SHEET

FOLIO

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Program

13-story, 178,380-sf off-campus student housing with 173 student apartments totaling 418 beds and two levels of parking.

Description

The Varsity at Ann Arbor, located just off-campus at the University of Michigan on E. Washington Street is an in-fill, urban project. The 13-story structure totals 178,380 gsf with one level of parking above- and one below-grade. The 173 student apartments will house 418 students.

Great importance is placed on the pedestrian experience and the building details. The streetscape ranges from urban to suburban, and the design considers the surrounding historic homes and churches. The Z-shaped footprint was conceived to form an entry plaza that orients southeast toward the University campus. A north-facing 2-story wall of glass looks out onto the entry plaza and reveals a dramatic 2-story lobby. A vertical metal element floats above the entrance plaza, runs vertically up and becomes a folded metal plan over the top of the building’s sky lounge creating a rooftop terrace. The composition of the building is a juxtaposition of simple brick boxes with vertical and horizontal metal planes separated by glass slots and a glowing lounge at the building’s top.

WDG worked in collaboration with J Bradley Moore as the Associate Architect.