Engineering News-Record (ENR) has announced its 2023 Best Project Award winners, and The Suites Student Housing at California State University, Fullerton was honored with the Award of Merit in the Specialty Construction category in Southern California.
Saiful Bouquet provided comprehensive structural engineering design services for this 600-bed student housing complex, which has significantly expanded CSU Fullerton’s housing community by increasing its total capacity to over 2,200 students. Specifically tailored for sophomores and juniors, the suite-style housing units are thoughtfully designed to house eight students in each apartment, featuring 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a convenient kitchenette. Each floor offers both Active and Study Rooms, communal spaces and lounges where residents can socialize or study. Additionally, the project includes a spacious multipurpose room capable of seating up to 300 individuals, a dedicated mailroom, offices for Residential Engagement staff, and an inviting outdoor courtyard.
The development comprises three interconnected buildings, each standing six stories tall. The construction of these buildings primarily utilizes concrete with post-tensioned two-way slabs and shear walls as the lateral load-resisting system. Notably, one of the buildings boasts a column-free multipurpose room on its first level. To support the upper levels (2 through 6) above the multipurpose room, post-tensioned beams spanning over 65 ft were employed. The post-tensioning of these beams was carefully executed in stages as the building floors were being constructed, ensuring that the beams were not over-tensioned when additional weight was added.
“ It was a delight to collaborate with HMC, Sundt, and the entire team from the onset of design through construction and structure around everyone’s needs and parameters. The success of the project is the fruit of this collaboration, not to mention the fun we had along the way!”
-Mehran Pourzanjani, Senior Principal
A big congratulations to SUNDT, HMC Architects, and industry partners on this great recognition.
For more information or to see the full list of winners, visit ENR California’s website.
To learn more about our projects, visit Saiful Bouquet’s student housing portfolio.
Photo credits: Lawrence Anderson