By Joleen Hultberg
Designing student housing in San Diego isn’t just about creating a place to live, it’s about crafting an experience that reflects the city’s laid-back energy, coastal beauty, and vibrant student culture. At our studio, we’ve designed student housing across the country, but there’s something uniquely inspiring about working in Southern California.
From beach-inspired interiors to community-driven amenities, here’s how we infuse every project with the spirit of San Diego.
Where Lifestyle Meets Learning
San Diego isn’t your typical college town. It’s a dynamic city where beach culture, sustainability, multiculturalism, and innovation intersect. That means student housing here needs to do more than function, it needs to feel like San Diego.
So we ask ourselves: How can we design student housing that lives and breathes the SoCal lifestyle?
6 Ways We Bring the San Diego Vibe to Student Housing
1. Indoor-Outdoor Living, Reinvented
With over 260 sunny days a year, San Diego practically demands indoor-outdoor living. Our designs embrace this by maximizing natural light, airflow, and access to the outdoors.
- Rooftop lounges with ocean views
- Shaded courtyards framed by palms
- Flexible terraces for studying, socializing, or sunset taco nights
We make it feel effortless – because in San Diego, the outdoors is part of everyday life.
2. Coastal-Inspired Interiors
Forget boring white boxes. Our interiors draw directly from the coast:
- Driftwood tones and sun-faded woods
- Hand-glazed tiles and sand-colored textiles
- Pops of surfboard brights and ocean blues
Even if the building is miles from the beach, the design brings the coast to you. Because let’s face it, everyone’s mentally at the beach anyway.
3. Neighborhood Vibes, Built In
Each San Diego neighborhood has its own personality, and our designs reflect that.
Near SDSU (like the Topaz Student Apartments we designed) expect vibrant, high-energy spaces with collaborative study zones and casual hangouts. In quieter areas, we lean into relaxed, wellness-focused environments.
We don’t copy and paste. We explore each neighborhood, understand its rhythm, and design student housing that feels like it belongs.
4. Sustainable, Social, and Student-Centered
San Diego students care about the planet and their communities. So do we.
- Eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems
- Water-wise landscaping
- Wellness-focused amenities like yoga courtyards, meditation pods, and communal kitchens
We design spaces that support student well-being and reflect San Diego’s eco-conscious spirit.
5. Smart meets Chill
San Diego may be laid-back, but it’s also home to a growing tech scene and ambitious student population. Our designs blend comfort with connectivity:
- Keyless entry and seamless Wi-Fi
- Flexible workspaces for solo or group study
- Chill vibes with smart infrastructure
Think surfboards in the lobby with power outlets at every seat.
6. More Than a Place to Crash
Student housing in San Diego isn’t just where you sleep, it’s where you grow, connect, and thrive. We design spaces that tell stories, spark friendships, and support every chapter of student life.
At our studio, we don’t copy-paste.
We do community.
We do color.
We do that unmistakable San Diego feeling.
See all of our Academic Design, including Student Housing, HERE
Ready to Design Student Housing That Feels Like San Diego?
Let’s bring your next project to life with the soul of SoCal.
Contact us to start the conversation. Send us a message HERE
