PHOENIX, ARIZ. – National architecture firm Shepley Bulfinch announced that it has completed a new luxury student residence building in Tempe, Arizona for Chicago-based CA Ventures and its student housing investment and development division, CA Student Living.
RISE on Apache is a new 15-story, 640,000 SF mixed-use student housing complex, located on the corner of Apache and Rural, across the street from the Arizona State University (ASU) campus. Opening in September for the upcoming academic year, RISE on Apache offers an amenity-rich, off-campus housing experience for 833 ASU students.
Shepley Bulfinch provided programming, planning, and design services for RISE on Apache, one of CAV’s largest luxury student housing projects to date. A design challenge was to site the large building, one of the tallest in Tempe, within the tight property footprint and to scale its size to neighboring buildings. Stepped-back massing achieves this by making 10 floors visible from the street, and increasing five additional floors of the building beyond street view.
To shade the south-facing façade from the harshest solar heat, concrete floor plates extend out past the building envelope. Concrete and exposed ceilings carry through the entry to create an urban feel. For the distinctive building exterior, natural rust-hued metal panels are interspersed in vertical stripes against light-finished concrete panels to create a balanced and modern look. Along with 384 residential units, the building features three ground-floor retail spaces to engage the street and a four-story parking structure and surface lot with a total of 414 parking spots.
“For over a decade, CA Student Living has been providing high-end, highly amenitized alternatives to traditional off-campus housing in college towns across the country, and Shepley Bulfinch has been a trusted partner in helping us deliver communities that continually set new standards in student housing,” said JJ Smith, president, CA Student Living. “Shepley Bulfinch’s design for RISE on Apache creates an impeccable living-learning environment that supports productivity, promotes health and well-being, and fosters community connectivity in an enjoyable atmosphere.”
Apartments at RISE on Apache include a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and four-bedroom floor plans, ranging in size from 322 to 1,359 SF and offering a private bathroom for every bedroom. Each apartment is fully furnished with designer furniture and features wood-grain flooring, modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, flat screen televisions, and in-unit laundry.
Residents at RISE on Apache have access to a full suite of community amenities designed for the fun-loving college lifestyle. Three outdoor amenity decks with shaded canopies offer space to encourage student life, and a rooftop Jumbotron is an inviting centerpiece at resident events to keep students involved. Along with an outdoor running track, grilling stations, and fire pits, the building boasts the highest rooftop pool in Tempe. Eight-foot high, concrete guard rails topped with perforated metal mesh provide security on the outdoor terraces, while a glass guard rail around the pool ensures safety without obscuring the best views of campus. Large-scale exterior and interior murals by local artists lend a street art aesthetic to the building.
Shepley Bulfinch designed the many lifestyle amenity spaces and academic-oriented luxury lounge areas located around the property. Indoor amenities include individual and group study rooms, fully equipped computer labs, massage rooms, and arcade and gaming lounges. Offering on-site group fitness classes in dedicated yoga, spinning, and running rooms, the state-of-the-art fitness center also features a rock climbing wall, sauna, and golf and ski simulators.
To date, Shepley Bulfinch has designed 4.25 million square feet of high-end urban residential complexes at 13 locations across the United States for CA Student Living. With a portfolio valued at $3 billion, CA Student Living is one of the country’s leading student housing developers. The firm creates extraordinary living experiences for students ready to move beyond traditional on-campus living.
