The students who have seen and signed up to live in the Taylor Place, 13-story,  Dorm tower on the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus are pretty "pumped up".  Designed by SmithGroup, the nation's oldest Architectural Design firm and Arizona winner of the 2007 AIA Firm of the Year award, the Dorms will be a very cool place to live, study or just hangout. 

In an interview with Jahna Berry from the Arizona Republic, Mark Kranz, Design Principal at SmithGroup said " we used bright pops of color to invigorate the project's gray and brown midrise.  Colored lights shine above each unit's door. Several student lounges, painted in vibrant colors, are visible from the street at night. There are many modern finishes, including bamboo plywood - it's called "plyboo" - in the lobby.  Outdoor spaces also played a role in the design, Kranz said. There are several open-air bridges that connect the first and second tower. Open-air study areas also take advantage of Arizona's weather. "Where else in the country can you have an outdoor study group in the middle of winter, 13 stories up overlooking your entire campus?" he said.

The dorm will also feature a shade garden, a 5,000-square-foot cafeteria, a coffee shop, convenience store, a fitness room and 24-hour security.

Students will start moving into the Tower on August 20th.

Jahna's article

Photo is courtesy of Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic