A new mixed-use community designed by AVRP for students at San Diego State University (SDSU) has won a Golden Nugget merit award from PCBC.
AVRP was the design architect and KTGY was the architect of record. The developer was PEP-RGA Topaz LP, and Neal Singer was the project manager.
Topaz is a new private student focused residential apartment project located along Montezuma Boulevard at the front door of the university.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from PCBC, but the real honor here is the work did to create more housing and a place students will want to live,” said AVRP Founder and CEO Doug Austin, FAIA. “I want to complement our entire design team for their work on an important project for San Diego State University.”
Topaz includes 53 apartments for SDSU students.
The leasing website says: “Just steps from San Diego State University, Topaz offers the perfect mix of comfort, convenience, and connection. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel right at home with a welcoming community and features designed to support your student lifestyle. Whether you’re hitting the books in our study centers, staying active in the 24-hour fitness center, or getting support from our dedicated team, Topaz is built to help you thrive.”
At street level, the project design includes public spaces, along with retail and restaurant components that contribute to its location in the evolving campus village mixed use district.
Wide sidewalks and mini plazas, with outdoor dining activate the spaces along Montezuma, while improvements to the adjacent alley create pedestrian connection to the transit center and student union.
Above the street the architectural concept creates a feeling of a vertical village where open air courts, apartment windows and a giant open-air picture window expose life within the project. A palette of contemporary materials is used to create a modern expression of the historic Spanish style of the adjacent university.
This year’s Golden Nugget Awards will be issued on June 11 at the Westin Anaheim Resort. The PCBC Golden Nugget Award is the oldest and most prestigious residential design award in the nation, presented by the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC).