WestEast designed Texas A&M-San Antonio Housing II to address a rapidly growing student housing demand. As only the second on-campus housing facility, it will double the university’s housing capacity. The hall includes 322 beds in a mix off our-bed/double occupancy and two-bed/single occupancy suites, along with a staff apartment. Each floor will feature laundry, trash rooms, and common areas for study and relaxation. The 4,000 SF lobby will contain a lounge, offices, restrooms, mailboxes, reception, and a large conference space.

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With a tight budget and lingering supply chain uncertainties post-COVID-19, the project adopted efficient, market-style, stick-built apartment construction. Partnering with Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, we completed a GMP package one Board of Regents quarterly meeting earlier than required to ensure delivery by the Fall of 2024. WestEast worked with Bartlett Cocke's internal housing team to ensure the detailing and document format would encourage market apartment subcontractor participation.

The design balance key objectives, including aligning with pedestrian paths to the main campus artery and future parking, while reflecting the existing campus architecture. It follows traditional design principles—defined mass, clear program, material hierarchy, and social spaces—while maintaining a simplified, contemporary expression that is both economical and consistent with the existing Housing I adjacent.

Student suites are designed for comfort but with durability and maintenance in mind. Acoustics between floors and from corridors are minimized by the selection of materials and construction of interior partition systems. The suites are designed to endure a temporary energetic living environment for 2 to 4 students in each share-bath suite. Each suite will have access to natural light through an exterior fixed window.

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Housing II was delivered on time for student occupancy even as new parking and a pedestrian bridge were added to the project to serve the residence and to connect it internally to the campus with an extension of the existing main east-west pedestrian corridor. The housing met budget and schedule constraints while reinforcing and setting the pace for a growing residential district of the campus.

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