Uniting the Lehigh Student Experience with the South Side Bethlehem Community
In 2016, Lehigh University announced ambitious plans to add up to 1,000 new undergraduate students and 500-800 full-time graduate students over the next eight years. As part of this initial growth plan, Lehigh announced a competition for a developer-led residence hall project team to provide a new student housing facility as the first part of their Path to Prominence growth plan. AOS, as part of the Greystar team, was selected as the competition winner for SouthSide Commons, a new 428-bed apartment style residence hall. The site for the new building is at the edge of the Lehigh University campus on Brodhead Street. The six-story 165,000-square-foot building includes a fitness center, study lounges, and three distinct landscaped courtyards. The challenging site slopes down from the campus to the north dropping 50’ in elevation along the building’s length providing commanding views from the new residence hall to downtown Bethlehem, the former Bethlehem Steel plant, and the Lehigh River beyond.
The design of the exterior of SouthSide Commons draws inspiration from both the City’s industrial past and from the University’s own buildings; the building is clad with iron-spot brick masonry and vertically-ribbed metal panels to create a lively, contemporary pattern that respects the historic context. Abundant natural light, south-facing sunshades, recycled and recyclable materials, and highly efficient mechanical systems address both sustainability goals and support Lehigh’s reputation as an outstanding academic institution with an engineering focus. The building opened for student occupancy in August 2019.
Project Team:
Civil Engineer: Pennoni; Structural Engineer: O'Donnell & Naccarato; MEP Engineer: Bala; Landscape Architect: Andropogon; Envelope: RWDI; Photography: Jeffrey Totaro
