CHICAGO, IL - Chicago-based Mary Cook Associates (MCA), a national, award-winning commercial interior design firm, announces it has completed the interiors at CANVAS, an 826-bed off-campus student housing community that opened in August 2021 in Tempe, Ariz., near Arizona State University, and today released images of the project for the first time.
MCA worked with project developer Toll Brothers Campus Living to develop the design concept for CANVAS as well as space plan and program common areas and amenities that foster wellness, creativity, focus and relaxation. The design considered the lifestyle of the project’s college-age residents to offer the type of amenities, technology and opportunities for interpersonal interactions that resonate with Generation Z.
“Regardless of what sector we are designing for, our team starts first and foremost with the psychographics – the values, attitudes, interests, and aspirations – of the end-user,” said Mary Cook, president and founder of MCA. “With CANVAS, our researched approach resulted in a one-of-a-kind project that speaks to Gen Z’s desire for authentic connections and is tailored to the student experience of its residents. We recently had the opportunity to walk through the completed project after it opened last fall, and it was incredibly rewarding to experience first-hand how students were using these spaces and hear their positive reaction to our design vision.”
Cook noted an important component of CANVAS is the flexible areas it offers for student interaction and collaboration strategically located throughout the building, including a variety of social zones, multi-function seating/study pods and “uber lounges” on the main level. Also on the main level, a dedicated café space – with coffee service including a cold brew tap – features an area for programmed events as well as access to an interior courtyard to take full advantage of Arizona’s climate.
With ASU’s technology-focused majors in mind, MCA maximized the two-story volume of the entry area by adding a mezzanine to the project’s original design – creating a “think tank” where students can access computer equipment and technology for specific majors such as architecture and engineering, as well as study spaces equipped with shared screens and other tools for collaboration.
“Gen Z is very tech-focused, but they also thrive on being around others and making true connections,” Cook explained. “This group won’t be excited about using a computer lab that’s set off on its own as a separate room, so we created this area as a ‘tech lounge’ where students can access the higher-tech computer equipment they need, but in a setting that’s communal, inviting and engaging.”
The project’s 7th floor is dedicated to socialization and recreation, with a multi-function clubroom that opens via a hammock lounge onto a resort-style pool deck with sweeping views of the ASU campus. The upper level of CANVAS also includes a dedicated podcast recording studio, a state-of-the-art gaming lounge with seating for both gamers and spectators, a fitness center with a group workout room, and a spa area containing a nail bar, sauna and spray tan booth.
“Whether it’s creating something fun and unexpected like the hammock lounge or dialing in on a specific activity such as creating podcasts and other content, we approached the amenity spaces and programming through the lens of these young adults who are living on their own for the first time,” said Cook. “As a result, CANVAS has a boutique, personalized feel that really resonates with this generation of students that prize individuality.”
To build engagement and increase referrals through social media, MCA also created an interactive wall in the lobby featuring the CANVAS logo comprising hundreds of pegs, which students autograph when they sign a lease – creating an “Instagrammable” moment for residents to share.
“From market-rate multifamily to student housing, today’s residents want to interact and share their experiences at a property across social channels,” Cook added. “Infusing those kinds of moments has become an important tool to not only differentiate a building’s personality for residents, but also ultimately connect with prospects over those same channels.”
CANVAS is one of five recent and upcoming student housing interiors projects from MCA. The firm is currently partnering with developers on projects near the campuses of University of Central Florida, Florida International University, University of Tampa and University of Notre Dame.
To view images of CANVAS, click here.
About Mary Cook Associates: Established in 1986, Mary Cook Associates (MCA) is a fully integrated interior architecture and design firm nationally known for creating innovative interiors for leading owners and developers of real estate. The firm’s projects include multifamily, model homes, student living, senior living, clubhouses, restaurants, and hospitality environments. MCA’s work emphasizes functionality, showcases possibilities, and delivers a measurable Return on Environment (R.O.E.℠). MCA’s team includes more than two dozen designers and architects that are strategic, imaginative and skilled at designing a wide variety of spaces that respond to demographic, geographic and lifestyle influences of target markets. Smart, functional spaces that establish immediate connections with their users and boost Living Better by Design℠, increase property value, and accelerate sales and occupancy rates are the hallmarks of the results MCA consistently achieves. Currently celebrating its 35th anniversary, the firm continues its national presence with award-winning work that spans 36 states. www.marycook.com