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The landscaped residential quad supports Cal Poly's growth with student-friendly spaces that strengthen the local ecology, connect to the public realm, and create a sense of community.
In 2022, Humboldt State University became a polytechnic university — one of only three in the California State University system. With this transition came a commitment to revitalizing the campus infrastructure and building new student housing. Working in collaboration with SCB Architects and Sundt Construction, Groundworks Office created a resilient new residential community on a former industrial lot between two regional watersheds.
Located just north of the main campus, the new Craftman Student Housing is a self-contained community that will add 800 beds to the university’s student bed population — the first addition to the campus since the early 1980s. The new buildings surround distinctive quads defined by courtyards, trees, and pathways that give each residence a unique character. Drawing on nearby mudflats and eelgrass beds, we designed the new landscape to support the local ecology, including the threatened western snowy plover.
At the center of the site, a public "mews" extends the residential street to the south to become the true heart of the project. Lined with amenity spaces for students and local residents, including a cafe, post office, and fitness center, the courtyard-like landscape features shaded custom seating and resilient native plantings that create a sense of place where one previously existed.
The Craftman Student Housing development weaves together the regional ecology, student communities, and area residents to support the evolution of CalPoly Humboldt today and far into the future.