The School & Corporate Campus Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. North Housing District at CSU is one of several great projects we are excited to showcase on LandscapeArchitect.com.

Renewing a Residential Core
Colorado State University (CSU) engaged RVi (then Russell + Mills Studio) to lead the transformation of its aging North Housing area into a modern, sustainable residential district on campus that reflects the character of the local Colorado foothills. Seamlessly weaving old with new, the 21-acre North Housing District integrates four renovated residence halls with the new construction of Laurel Village, a 900-bed student housing community comprised of two new residence halls, two towers, the Pavilion community center, and Durell Dining Center to significantly increase capacity while enhancing outdoor life, circulation, and an authentic sense of place.

Balancing these objectives with a sustainability-forward design strategy, RVi collaborated with architects and campus staff to provide services ranging from campus master planning and site planning, to comprehensive landscape architecture design, planting design, grading and drainage, construction documentation, and construction administration.

A Campus in Motion: Circulation and Multimodal Strategies
At CSU, active transportation is integral to the campus experience. The majority of students travel on foot or by bicycle, creating a constant rhythm between academic buildings, dining facilities, and the campus core. With the expansion of the North Housing District now serving 2.5 times its previous population, the concentration of a highly active user group increased dramatically, as did the need for uncongested circulation planning.

A primary design objective was to create a unified landscape that supports efficient pedestrian and bicycle circulation, while enhancing safety and reinforcing connections to the broader campus network. As a result, a hierarchy of village-style pathways integrated clearly defined pedestrian corridors, designated bike routes, and intuitive wayfinding to help organize the flow on campus and reduce modal conflicts.

 
The site planning efforts involved close coordination with campus operations. RVi collaborated with university staff to consider dining and food services, waste management, site programming events, and outdoor educational and gathering areas-all contributing to better informed decision-making to support the many campus activities.

Form, Function, and an Authentic Sense of Place
Situated near the Colorado foothills, the landscape itself is a major draw for students attending CSU. With scenic views and no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities, it was important that the campus aesthetic integrated with the nearby foothills landscape, reflecting local character with a look and feel anchored in Colorado. Going beyond appearances, sustainability was at the forefront of design, guiding drainage and stormwater solutions as well as materials selection.

Balancing form with function, the team looked locally. Planting design incorporated a native and low-water use palette throughout, while integrating existing trees into the design. Stone, boulders, and cobble were sourced locally, enhancing the natural landscape and contributing to the unifying sense of place on campus.

Utilizing the right plants for the climate and other locally sourced materials contributed to sustainable, low-impact stormwater management strategies that improved water quality and conservation. Further strategies for water conservation involved irrigation zoning and converting underutilized lawn areas into a more productive landscape.

Removing the lawn areas, however, did not mean limiting gathering space on campus. Instead, a variety of spatial types-from small, intimate spaces, to large gathering and event areas-were designed to provide ample opportunities for campus life to flourish. Landscaping elements and amenities were carefully woven throughout the site, integrating fire pits, amphitheaters, plazas, courtyards, and gently contoured hills and mounds into the fabric of campus life.

Sustainability as Infrastructure
For a campus shaped by its natural surroundings like CSU, sustainability served as a core driver of design. Thoughtful plantings and integrated drainage strategies support water quality and conservation, while extensive bicycle and pedestrian networks encourage low-impact, active transportation. Beyond the landscape, several key design features within the new and renovated facilities further reinforced the North Housing District's commitment to environmental performance, earning multiple awards and LEED certifications.

RVi's site planning and design helped establish the infrastructure that allowed for buildings to be equipped with solar panels and other features to reduce energy consumption. At the new Laurel Village community within the North Housing District, a passive katabatic cooling tower aids in building cooling without active mechanical systems, directing denser, cool air downwards throughout the building. In turn, a Trombe Parapet at the Laurel Village Pavilion provides passive solar heating by absorbing daytime solar energy and storing heat to radiate into the building at night.

These combined sustainability features earned LEED Gold certification for Laurel Village and LEED Platinum for the Pavilion. Additionally, the Pavilion received an Excellence Award from the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) and an Urban Design Award in Sustainable Design from the City of Fort Collins.

A Legacy in the Landscape
With construction completed in 2018, CSU's North Housing District has become a vibrant residential environment for up to 2,500 students, supporting campus growth while celebrating Colorado's unique landscape and lifestyle. The successful transformation from decades-old housing facilities to future-ready design is distinct, yet maintains a defined sense of place driven by the foothills context.

Through improved circulation, sustainable design, and flexible spaces that accommodate a wide range of campus activities, the transformation demonstrates how landscape architecture and thoughtful planning can uncover opportunities for innovation that reshape the campus experience.

As students move through plazas, gather in courtyards, and travel seamlessly by foot and bicycle, the North Housing District continues to serve as a long-term investment in community, resilience, and the future of Colorado State University.

To see more School & Corporate Campus projects, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/sneak-preview-of-the-school-and-campus-issue

For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php