Fall is upon us, and along with the usual lineup of football, colder weather, shorter days, and bigger waves, we also welcome the opening of ICON–the newest student housing complex at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 
ICON is a 21-unit development located at the top of the Embarcadero Loop, one block from the UCSB campus and two blocks from the beach. Offering living accommodations for 80 residents, ICON also includes numerous amenities such as ground floor retail, a state-of-the-art rooftop fitness center and study lounge, a lushly landscaped rooftop sundeck, and an automated car lift. 
In order to achieve nearly 20,000 square feet of building space on an infill site, ICON utilizes subterranean parking, an elevated concrete podium deck, and three stories of wood framing. Faced with a challenging design timeline, Jeff Morgan, P.E. and I collaborated on the project, and we’re proud to say that attention to detail during both the design and construction phases helped to achieve a look and feel that will greatly benefit students. We look forward to tackling similar projects in the near future! 
