flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Cornell University builds massive student housing complex to accommodate planned enrollment growth

Student Housing

Cornell University builds massive student housing complex to accommodate planned enrollment growth

Designed by ikon.5 architects, the 2,000-bed project includes a 1,000-seat dining hall.


By Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor | December 7, 2022
Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion.jpg
A view of the new North Campus Residential Expansion (NCRE) project. All photos courtesy ikon.5 architects

In Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University has completed its North Campus Residential Expansion (NCRE) project. Designed by ikon.5 architects, the 776,000-sf project provides 1,200 beds for first-year students and 800 beds for sophomore students. 

The NCRE project aimed to accommodate the university’s planned growth in student enrollment while meeting its green infrastructure standards. Cornell University plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.

On two separate adjacent sites on Cornell’s North Campus, NCRE includes residential rooms, a dining hall, and collaborative study and learning spaces. The residences are located in three- to five-story buildings that are organized around outdoor courtyards, encouraging social interaction and engagement with the adjacent campus. A highly transparent ground floor also promotes interaction with the entire community. 

To further enhance the student experience, a 1,000-seat dining hall offers a variety of micro-restaurants, including 11 food platforms and four hydration stations. The dining hall also has an interactive food lab with 24 teaching stations for both dining and academic classes.

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 7.jpg

In addition, a 5,200-sf fitness center focuses on Olympic lifting equipment and features the university’s largest collection of cardio equipment.

Red and gray terracotta masonry walls with punched windows complement the neighboring North Campus buildings, acting as modern reinterpretations of the existing residential facilities. At the building ends and corners, upper-level residential lounges are wrapped in a curtainwall, providing views of the campus and serving as visual beacons. 


RELATED: Developer Fred Pierce discusses the latest trends and innovations in student housing facilities


With NCRE, Cornell says it now has enough housing for all first-year students and sophomores to live on campus or in affiliated housing.

On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: Cornell University 
Design architect: ikon.5 architects 
Architect of record: ikon.5 architects 
MEP engineer: WSP
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
General contractor/construction manager: Welliver

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 5.jpg

 

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 2.jpg

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 3.jpg

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 4.jpg

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 8.jpg

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 9.jpg

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 10

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 12

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 13

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 14

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 15

Cornell_North Campus Residential Expansion 16

Related Stories

Cladding and Facade Systems | Dec 20, 2022

Acoustic design considerations at the building envelope

Acentech's Ben Markham identifies the primary concerns with acoustic performance at the building envelope and offers proven solutions for mitigating acoustic issues.

Sponsored | Multifamily Housing | Dec 14, 2022

Urban housing revival: 3 creative multifamily housing renovations

This continuing education course from Bruner/Cott & Associates highlights three compelling projects that involve reimagining unlikely buildings for compelling multifamily housing developments.

Multifamily Housing | Dec 13, 2022

Top 106 multifamily housing kitchen and bath amenities – get the full report (FREE!)

Multifamily Design+Construction's inaugural “Kitchen+Bath Survey” of multifamily developers, architects, contractors, and others made it clear that supply chain problems are impacting multifamily housing projects.

Student Housing | Dec 7, 2022

9 exemplary student housing projects in 2022

Production continued apace this year and last, as colleges and universities, for-profit developers, and their AEC teams scrambled to get college residences open before the start of classes.

Multifamily Housing | Nov 22, 2022

10 compelling multifamily developments debut in 2022

A smart home tech-focused apartment complex in North Phoenix, Ariz., and a factory conversion to lofts in St. Louis highlight the notable multifamily developments to debut recently.

Multifamily Housing | Oct 5, 2022

Co-living spaces, wellness-minded designs among innovations in multifamily housing

The booming multifamily sector shows no signs of a significant slowdown heading into 2023. Here is a round up of Giants 400 firms that are driving innovation in this sector.

Multifamily Housing | Sep 14, 2022

27 new kitchen and bath products multifamily developers and AEC teams are using for the first time

Multifamily developers and AEC project teams are adopting new kitchen + bath products and systems for the first time, according to the MULTIFAMILY Design+Construction Kitchen+Bath Survey 2022.  

Multifamily Housing | Sep 13, 2022

Take the Multifamily Kitchen + Bath survey – Maybe win one of 10 $50 gift cards

Preliminary results of 2022 Multifamily Design+Construction exclusive Kitchen + Bath survey.

Giants 400 | Aug 29, 2022

Top 40 Student Housing Facility Contractors + CM Firms for 2022

J.H. Findorff & Son, PCL Construction Enterprises, Juneau Construction, and Sundt Construction top the ranking of the nation's largest student housing facility contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Aug 29, 2022

Top 35 Student Housing Facility Engineering + EA Firms for 2022

Kimley-Horn, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, KPFF Consulting Engineers, and Jacobs top the ranking of the nation's largest student housing facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021