TCA Architects

SDCCD Affordable Student Housing

tcaeditor - Nov 13, 2025

The City College Affordable Student Housing project addresses the need of the San Diego Community College District for affordable student housing. The development replaces a vacant urban block with a 7-story building of 283 units (797 beds). The student housing program offers a mix of unit types including studios, 2-bedroom apartments, and 4-bedroom suites and apartments. Shared amenities that promote socialization and academic support are concentrated on the ground floor; each level shares a laundry room, study space, and vending lounge. The top level features an indoor sky lounge with views of the city. Green street design elements contribute to a walkable community that connects to the adjacent campus. Two courtyards provide outdoor socialization space for the students while indoor ground floor amenities activate the street front. DSA will conduct the plan check review, and the project team is using the informal collaborative process to engage DSA and solicit their feedback during the design and documentation phases.

Cabrillo College Housing Concept

tcaeditor - Dec 21, 2024

Located on the community college’s campus, the envisioned affordable student housing community provides a live-learn environment for families and students at Cabrillo and UC Santa Cruz. The design is driven by creating a place where students can be proud to live. An iconic jewel building for childcare, landmarks the community and establishes neighborhood identity. The grand promenade is a residential version of the central spine on campus that says, “welcome home.” Along the promenade and in building courtyards are opportunities for outdoor socialization and study. Facing the ocean view and visible from the freeway, the 4-story facades feature indoor sky lounges as special architectural elements that offer a branding opportunity for Cabrillo. The facilities feature an array of amenities both shared and tailored to the family and student populations. There are common study areas, a food pantry, and counseling offices; children play areas, game room, and fitness room; and sky lounges, meditation room, and laundry facilities. The design promotes pedestrian connectivity to the campus, encouraging healthy living and community engagement.

ORCHARD PARK STUDENT HOUSING

tcaeditor - Dec 10, 2024

Orchard Park marries the rigor of the Prescient system with the playful, organic nature of a field of trees. The 19-acre site at UC Davis is a community of 11 graduate and family residential buildings and 2 amenity buildings. TCA designed the buildings to incorporate Prescient, a panelized light-gauge metal framing structural system. With an on-site assembly process, Prescient enabled the entire project to be built faster and with fewer costly on-site modifications. The TCA team embraced the efficiency of only 3 building types and oriented the buildings to introduce variety as they are nestled among the Heritage trees sprinkled throughout the site. The two unique and playful community buildings activate the site’s open space while blurring the line between indoor and outdoor space. The family community building, The Treehouse, features a CLT roof, with an exposed wood ceiling. This mass timber feature combined with interior design by TCA’s Interiors Studio, embraces the organic themes of the community and creates a strong connection to nature. Orchard Park’s residential buildings achieve LEED Platinum certification.

CSUMB Master Plan Concept

tcaeditor - Sep 01, 2024

The CSUMB 2nd Avenue master plan achieves the Client’s and University’s design goals for a socially vibrant, wellness-focused community that is integrated with nature. The 72-acre development opportunity is located a half mile from the ocean and just adjacent to the CSU Monterey Bay campus. The largely undeveloped site with existing sporadic development presents an opportunity for a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development, ranging in market rate residential, to senior and family affordable housing. The Client and CSUMB envisioned a supportive community to the university and surrounding area. The concept starts with restorative design by transforming the asphalt parking lot into an active, pedestrian friendly community with housing for all ages. The existing Cypress Grove is preserved for its natural beauty and contribution to identity of place. To complement the natural beauty of the site, the architectural and landscape design will create beautiful spaces that the community will cherish. The grading of the property influenced vehicular/pedestrian circulation, along with the preservation of cypress groves.

ASCENT TUCSON

tcaeditor - Aug 09, 2024

Ascent Tucson is a five-story residential wrap designed to foster a vibrant, community-focused living environment. This community will bring 235 residential units with a total of 800 bedrooms, offering a diverse mix of layouts ranging from one-bedroom/one-bathroom to four-bedroom/four-bathroom configurations to meet a variety of lifestyle needs, especially students. At the heart of the building is a spacious internal courtyard, complemented by a rooftop deck with sweeping views toward University of Arizona to the north. With approximately 13,000 square feet of amenity space, the project provides residents with a wide array of shared spaces and experiences designed to promote comfort, connection, and well-being. Architecturally, the design inspiration is influenced by the local climate and landscape, with the architecture reimagined as a modern interpretation of a desert oasis.

Orchard Park Interiors

tcaeditor - Mar 10, 2024

Orchard Park is a student housing project located at UC Davis. The interior design consisted of residential design including common areas, corridors and units. The scope also included two community buildings. This project was unique in that there are two separate housing components – graduate and family housing. This along with the architecture led to the evolution of two different concepts that would co-exist on the property. The graduate concept being “greenhouse vibes” – a fun and eclectic vibe, with medium wood tones, industrial metals, mix of indoor/outdoor furniture set against an A-frame backdrop. The family concept was coined “the treehouse” to playfully create an experience for adults and children. This concept had a strong wood component, highlighting shades of green, tree forms as inspiration and hammock details in the furniture. Overall the project design intent has a vernacular and indoor/outdoor feel to connect with its location. Also to be playful, modern and approachable for the residents to enjoy.

Community College Affordable Student Housing

tcaeditor - May 10, 2000

The proposed four-story student housing community delivers 63 apartment-style units totaling 158 beds. The unit mix includes studios and two-bedroom suites, each fully furnished with a private bathroom and kitchenette to support convenient, affordable living. At the heart of the project, a ground-level common living room and kitchen open directly to an outdoor courtyard, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor gathering space. Additional shared amenities include study areas for individual and group work, a community laundry room, and convenient vending. Administrative offices are located adjacent to the main entry, alongside flexible spaces for counseling and student services. The design draws from the campus architectural language through a complementary brick material palette, with integrated campus branding to reinforce identity and place.