University of Southern Maine Portland Commons Residence Hall

Portland Commons Residence Hall is the university’s first on-campus housing facility in Portland and accommodates nearly 600 students. This eight-story residential hall has 385 units, including single-occupancy rooms, studios, and larger multiple-room apartments. Students can comfortably study and relax in the shared kitchen and gathering spaces, semi-private courtyard, and the Sky Lounge, which offers stunning views of Portland’s skyline and Back Cove.

The design of the building prioritizes sustainability and includes a super-insulated building envelope, a geothermal heat pump system, and a photovoltaic solar panel array. The highly sustainable building is the second-largest Passive House university building in the country.

Design Partner: Elkus Manfredi Architects

Client

University of Southern Maine

Location

Portland, ME

Square Feet

217,000

Completion Year

2023

Awards

Passive House Certified, 2024 AIA Maine Design Award, Institutional/Commercial Category, 2024 Student Housing Business Innovator Awards, Best New Development by a University or College, 2024

Student Housing Business Innovator Awards, Best Public-Private Partnership Development, 2024 AGC Build Maine Award, Building Division, 2024 AGC Construction Risk Partners Build America Award, Building New $76 million to $125 million, 2024 Engineering News-Record, Excellence in Sustainability Merit Award, 2024 Society of American Registered Architects, National Award of Honor, 2024 Society of American Registered Architects, New York Chapter, Design Award of Merit, 2024 Architecture MasterPrize Award, Educational Buildings, 2024 MEREDA Notable Project Award, 2023

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Designed with the imperatives of sustainability and accessibility, the two new buildings are cornerstones of USM’s master plan to attract and retain highly qualified students and faculty.

The site and civil design included stormwater management and utility infrastructure to serve the new buildings while respecting and maintaining existing campus utilities. Stormwater management solutions utilize low-impact development methods and allow for the integration of landscaping into features. A new quad and a courtyard include bioretention swales as part of this project.