The new low-rise buildings are grouped into residential colleges for 300 residents with a variety of spaces--faculty apartments, student services and retail shops, lecture and study halls--that support the living/learning community.

Each residential college in Phase II has two four-story buildings arranged around a "private" outdoor space primarily for the use of the college's residents. The exterior design has a residential feeling with steeply sloped roofs, brick, and residential windows in stark contrast to the older, institutional residences. Interiors make extensive use of wood to provide a warm, home-like atmosphere.

A unique feature is the Student Activity Space on the ground level of the east residential college. While in the same building, this space is completely separate from the housing above. This location is important because it runs along the main circulation spine to the academic campus. The entire 3,000 residents of the campus are expected to use this space.

The Student Activity Space houses a variety of uses: Residential Life offices; Student Government; Student Technology Center; entrepreneurial spaces for student-run, for-profit businesses; resource center to provide convenient access to tools and services in support of learning; and a cyber-lounge and cafe for informal social interaction.