Campus news

Introducing UC Berkeley’s Anchor House, a remarkable gift built especially for transfer students

The 14-story building's design is intended to transform the transfer student experience by prioritizing residents' well-being and potential for success.

By Gretchen Kell

A view of Anchor House, a new building created just for transfer students, as seen from Oxford Street, across from the West Crescent lawn. — In August 2024, Anchor House will open its doors to 772 transfer students who will move into below market rate apartments and enjoy a building designed primarily to bolster their health and well-being and their potential for success, both on campus and after graduation.
Jason O’Rear

The front view of Anchor House shows the retail spaces that will be on the ground floor and include publicly accessible shops, a new Cal Student Store and a new location for the Student Transfer Center. — Anchor House, which will be managed by UC Berkeley Housing, is across the street from UC Berkeley's western edge and near downtown Berkeley and public transportation. The ground floor will include publicly-accessible retail spaces, including a new Cal Student Store, and a second home for the campus's Transfer Student Center.
Jason O’Rear

The main entrance to Anchor House is decorated with distinctive, curved metalwork . — The main entrance at 1950 Oxford Street has a modern facade with distinctive curved metalwork. It highlights the building’s dedication to integrating historical elements with contemporary design, as well as to resident safety and security through access-controlled doors.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

The distinctive curved metal work around the main entrance to Anchor House on Oxford Street pays homage to the arched facade of the former University Garage that once occupied the site. — The metalwork pays homage to the arched facade of the former University Garage that once occupied the site. A new plaque commemorating the garage has been placed on the northwest corner of the building, along Oxford Street.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Oxford Hall, inside the main entrance of Anchor House, features benches and chairs to rest on and a large bookshelf filled with art objects and books that evoke campus history, including Blue & Gold yearbooks and a set of origami bears. — Inside the building's main entrance, Oxford Hall greets students with bookshelves filled with UC Berkeley's Blue & Gold yearbooks that date back to the early 1900s, three large origami bears and other unique art objects and books that evoke school pride.
Jason O’Rear

A giant yellow tower crane stands in the middle of the Anchor House construction site in summer 2023. — In summer 2023, a tower crane stood at the center of Anchor House’s busy construction site. Construction began in February 2022 and lasted 2 1/2 years.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Chancellor Carol Christ speaks at a microphone wearing a printed coat in shades of blue. She is speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Anchor House. — Chancellor Carol Christ spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for Anchor House. She expressed gratitude for the donor’s support in helping to realize her ambitious goal of doubling the amount of student housing at UC Berkeley.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

The interior courtyard of Anchor House has a lawn, lush greenery and climbing plants. — Today, there is a lawn, lush greenery and climbing plants in the interior courtyard.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

A meticulously recreated brick arch in the interior courtyard of Anchor House is made from salvaged bricks of the former University Garage that stood on the site. The lettering that says University of California also is from the former garage, which used to serve the campus's buses, shuttles and other vehicles. Plants are being trained to climb up trellises beneath the arch. — A focal point of the courtyard is a meticulously recreated brick arch that honors the facade of the former University Garage. Before the garage’s demolition, its facade was laser-measured to ensure an accurate reconstruction, and the bricks and the metal University of California lettering were salvaged. The garage, designed by architect Walther Ratcliff Jr., opened in 1930 for the Richfield Oil Company station and later served the campus’s buses, shuttles and other vehicles.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

In the interior courtyard of Anchor House is a circular lightwell that channels light to the residential lobby below. Behind it, ivy is being trained to grow up wires placed vertically across an open brick archway and behind the archway is the entrance to two interior spaces that students and others can use to cook in. — The large lightwell in the interior courtyard of Anchor House channels natural light into the residential lobby below. In the background is the entrance to The Pantry and the Nutritional Sciences Teaching Kitchen.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

A space called The Well in Anchor House is the residential lobby. It gets lots of natural light from a lightwell that connects to the central courtyard above. — The residential lobby is called The Well and is bathed in natural sunlight from a lightwell in the ceiling that connects to the central courtyard above. The space has soaring ceilings and is a welcoming space for transfer students and their guests.
Jason O’Rear

Bedrooms in Anchor House are designed for one student each and offer expansive views of the surrounding area from large screened windows that open. Below each window is a wide, built-in desk, and a built-in armoire and a bed with drawers beneath it offer ample storage. The floors are wood, as is the bed's platform, the desk and the armoire. — Each student bedroom maximizes comfort and functionality. Beneath a large, screened window that opens to fresh air and expansive views, a built-in desk extends the width of the room. A spacious armoire (in the foreground) and under-the-bed drawers provide ample storage. Most Anchor House apartment units have four single-occupancy bedrooms, fostering a sense of community while maintaining individual privacy.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

The kitchen and living room area in an apartment four four students has an open floor plan, a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances and large windows that provide an expansive view of the campus and Bay Area. — A living room and full kitchen in a unit for four students has an open floor plan, expansive Bay Area views from large windows and stainless steel appliances. All apartments in the building have in-unit washers and dryers.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

An outdoor terrace on the second floor of Anchor House overlooks the campus's West Crescene lawn and offers beautiful views and many places for students to sit quietly or with friends and enjoy fresh air and sunlight. — This outdoor terrace on the second floor overlooks the campus's West Crescent lawn. It's just one of many areas of Anchor House that demonstrates the donor's emphasis on students' wellness and their need for fresh air, natural light and beautiful surroundings.
Jason O’Rear

An area with terraced seating called The Hill is a place where Anchor House residents can sit and watch movies on a giant pull-down screen. The steps are made of tile and wood and lots of light pours in from two stories of windows. — The Hill is an area with terraced seating where residents can meet for movies shown on a giant drop-down screen. Games and refreshments will be available at the bottom of the steps, and a shuffleboard court is on the floor. The Hideaway is beneath the stairs.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

A space in Anchor House called The Hideway is accessed through a circular entrance under a stairway. The space has comfortable seating for students to sit, relax or read. — Tucked beneath a large staircase, The Hideaway has a circular entrance that leads to a quiet sanctuary for residents to relax, reflect and recharge.
Jason O’Rear

Anchor House has an 8,600-square-foot space that contains a fitness center and yoga studio. A student is using a treadmill, while another is walking down a staircase to the fitness center from the yoga studio above. There are ceiling fans and large windows that light is shining through. — The fitness center and yoga studio together encompass 8,600 square feet and include state-of-the-art workout equipment and meditative spaces.
Jason O’Rear

An outdoor terrace on the 13th floor of Anchor House is called the Sun Terrace and is filled with tables and chairs, cushioned seats for relaxing and potted plants. — The Sun Terrace on the southwest corner of the 13th floor offers panoramic views of the campus, tables for work or meals, cushioned chairs, citrus trees and other potted plants.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

This is a view from The Sun Terrace looking eastward over the tops of the campus and toward the Berkeley hills. — This view from The Sun Terrace looks eastward over the UC Berkeley campus and toward the Berkeley hills.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

An area of Anchor House called The Pantry is a beautiful, fully-equipped kitchen with cabinets and an oven hood painted olive green. A large wooden table with unique wooden chairs is a place for residents to share a meal. There is a hardwood floor and open shelving above the countertops. — The Pantry is a versatile space where groups of students can meet and explore their culinary interests. It has a fully-equipped kitchen and a large communal table, plus an adjacent lounge with cozy seating and a library. This hub is a place for residents to connect, collaborate and celebrate.
Jason O’Rear

The 13th floor of Anchor House has a sophisticated meeting spot for campus events. There is a herringbone-patterned wood floor, moveable tables and chairs, a terrace with Bay Area views and an elevator with direct access from the ground floor to a reception area and a full-service kitchen. — On the 13th floor of Anchor House, The Venue is a sophisticated setting for campus events and meetings. There are high ceilings with modern lighting, wooden beams, a herringbone-patterned wood floor and a variety of seating arrangements. The windows open onto a terrace, and there is an elevator that provides direct access from the ground floor to a reception area and a full-service catering kitchen.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

An outdoor terrace at Anchor House has sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline, a tiled floor, plush armchairs, oversized lamps and planters. — The Venue's outdoor terrace offers sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline, a tiled floor, plush armchairs, oversized electric heat lamps and planters.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Anchor House, UC Berkeley's new residential building for transfer students, as seen at night from the West Crescent lawn. Its many windows and Oxford Street entrance are illuminated. — Anchor House, seen here at night, is on Oxford Street, on the western edge of campus.
Jason O’Rear

July 29, 2024

On Aug. 21, when 772 transfer students step into UC Berkeley’s Anchor House for the first time, they’ll quickly discover the new 14-story building on Oxford Street is no ordinary campus housing. Instead, it’s a home designed just for transfer students, a sizable population at Berkeley with talent, drive — and a unique set of challenges.

More than just bedrooms with desks, the approximately 450,000-square-foot building one block from campus includes an indoor/outdoor fitness center and yoga studio, a maker’s space run by the Berkeley Art Studio, and special places to unwind and watch movies, cook, garden and appreciate Bay Area sunsets with new friends.

A large, tastful wooden stairway leads from the first floor of Anchor House, near its front entrance on Oxford Street, up to the building's second floor, where there are academic and community offerings including an art studio and a teaching kitchen. — Oxford Hall has a central wooden staircase that connects upward to the building’s academic and communal offerings: the Berkeley Art Studio West, the Rausser College’s Nutritional Sciences Teaching Kitchen, the Sequoia Room and The Pantry. Below the staircase is a lounge area where students can meet, study or relax.
Jason O’Rear

What’s more, two new occupants of the ground floor, which has 4,700 square feet of retail and commercial space, will be a second location for the Transfer Student Center and a satellite Cal Student Store.

A reimagining of the student residential experience, Anchor House will provide transfer students — who often face financial, academic and social hurdles — with an anchor of support and a source of well-being and community.

Best of all, Anchor House is entirely a gift, and a most impressive one. It’s from the Helen Diller Foundation and includes the cost of project design, construction and furnishings. And the gift will keep on giving, in perpetuity: Proceeds from the net income of building operations will fund two-year scholarships for an estimated 400 low-income students at Berkeley each year.

“Anchor House is truly exceptional and is the best student housing I’ve ever seen,” said former Chancellor Carol T. Christ, who championed the transformative project. “Every aspect of it is thoughtfully designed with transfer students in mind, right down to the smallest detail.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Helen Diller Foundation, our transfer students will enjoy well-appointed, comfortable rooms, engaging shared spaces and a true sense of community. It is a tremendous pleasure to see the vision for Anchor House become a reality.”

The Sequoia Room in Anchor House is paneled with wood salvaged from a sequoia tree that naturally fell in Sequoia National Park. It is a place for studying and for events. The lights hanging over long tables are large paper globes, and a giant painting on the wall is a reproduction of California artist Wayne Thiebaud's "Boston Cremes," which depict slices of Boston Cream Pie on plates. — The Sequoia Room is designed for study sessions, gatherings and events. It’s paneled with wood salvaged from a sequoia tree that naturally fell in Sequoia National Park. It features long wooden tables with generous seating and a prep kitchen. A main feature of the room is a reproduction of California artist Wayne Thiebaud’s 1962 “Boston Cremes.”
Jason O’Rear

In 2023-24, Berkeley had 6,646 transfer students, 20.7% of the undergraduate population. Recent data show nearly all of Berkeley’s transfer students are from California community colleges, more than 40% are first-generation college-goers who are Pell Grant-eligible, and one-third are from underrepresented groups.

The guiding philosophy for Anchor House is to nourish students’ minds and bodies, to bolster their potential for success and to help them discover healthier ways of living, thinking and eating.

Anchor House, which took 2 1/2 years to construct, has a Northern California design aesthetic: abundant natural light, earthy hues, wood and tile, terraces and balconies with sweeping Bay Area views, and comfortable seating. It’s also LEED Gold certified. Meaningful art objects throughout include large origami bears, paintings of campus and a large print by California artist Wayne Thiebaud.

It was designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, along with locally-based BDE Architecture, with interiors by Brand Bureau and landscape architecture by ACLA.

A living wall in the interior courtyard of Anchor House rises 12 stories and is a carpet of lush, green plants. Students can be seen in the windows next to the wall. — The two green and verdant living walls that rise up 12 stories on Anchor House’s interior courtyard walls contribute to an atmosphere throughout the property of health and vitality.
Jason O’Rear

“Anchor House is a beautiful place, designed to reflect the bounty and beauty of our location in California,” said Chancellor Rich Lyons, “and it honors the donor’s longtime dedication to ensuring that young scholars can flourish.”

The building also contains multiple event spaces for large catered events and workshops, including on the 2nd and 13th floors and in the landscaped central courtyard. Some areas of Anchor House will be open to the campus community — the Rausser College of Natural Resources, for example, will operate a large culinary classroom in the building — and some to the public.

The nearly 800 beds in Anchor House will help alleviate the campus’s housing shortage. A significant percentage of the student body can’t afford to live in or near Berkeley, and many of these students are transfers. Rent at Anchor House will be comparable to that at other campus housing.

“Anchor House is in an especially ideal location, across the street from campus and close to downtown, where shopping is, and it’s easy to get onto main bus lines,” said Ashley Tigue, a Berkeley transfer student who was the ASUC transfer student representative in 2023-2024 and will graduate this December.

Not facing a commute allows more time to study, make friends, participate in student organizations and peruse campus resources.

It’s often challenging for transfer students to fit in with younger undergraduates, to be accepted into competitive student clubs and to “find a sense of community,” said Tigue, a bioengineering major who was on the campus’s three-year Task Force on the Transfer Student Experience. It wrapped up its work and recommendations in May.

In addition to offering an unparalleled residential experience for transfer students, Anchor House also features the campus’s first commuter lounge. Students who travel to campus via public transit can easily walk to Anchor House from downtown Berkeley and access the lounge’s storage lockers, restrooms and seating for approximately 225 people.

“This is an exciting time for Berkeley’s transfer students, and for our community as a whole,” said Lyons. “Transfer students are a vital part of our campus community, and this building reflects how much we value them and want them to thrive, both here and after graduation.”