The Summits is a LEED Platinum freshman residence hall that anchors the entrance to Phase I of UC Merced.

The project was conceived as a go-to destination, welcoming incoming students both through programming and a strong sense of place. 'Neighborhoods' on each floor encourage intimate social bonding, counteracting tendencies toward isolation. Lounges and informal gathering places encourage individual and group study.

The Summits includes facilities for academic and extra-curricular activities, allowing UC Merced to expand Student and Residence Life Programs. Recreational and social activities are incorporated in a courtyard plaza with a stage and barbecue area, dance and music rooms, and a central marketplace. The building exterior employs a palette of regional forms and materials to connect this prominent building to the agricultural roots of the Central Valley.

Fast-tracked with six bid releases, this project was designed and built in 27 months.

Photography by Cesar Rubio