BERKELEY, CALIF. — The University of California, Berkeley has completed Anchor House, a 772-bed residence hall for transfer students. The 14-story community spans 450,000 square feet and offers 244 units in studio, two- and four-bedroom configurations.
Apartments are fully furnished and offer private bedrooms with built-in desks, full kitchens and in-unit washers and dryers. Shared amenities include a central courtyard with multiple outdoor terraces and balconies; outdoor space for work and gathering; maker space run by the Berkeley Art Studio, which hosts classes for students and the community; a culinary classroom and rooftop vegetable garden for the Rausser College of Natural Sciences; two event spaces with catering kitchens; and an 8,600-square-foot fitness center with a yoga and meditation room.
The community offers flexible rent prices to help transfer students with low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students.
The development team for the project included Morris Adjmi Architects, BDE Architecture, BCV Architecture, Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture, PAE Engineers, BKF Engineers and Luma Lighting Design. The development was funded by philanthropic donations and opened ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year. The development team is also targeting LEED Gold certification for the property.