Standing at the gateway to the Carleton University campus, this new home to 450 plus students offers more than just a place to sleep. With both common spaces for residents and amenities open to all student residents across the campus, the new residence provides ample opportunities to gather and build community.  

Rideau House Student Residence is a contemporary living environment that integrates student life with the broader campus landscape through a clear and disciplined architectural expression. The building massing responds to the campus context and reinforces key pedestrian connections while a central courtyard allows natural daylight to enter every student suite. A refined material palette highlighting Carleton’s iconic red defines the exterior with carefully detailed assemblies that lend depth and rhythm to the façades. Rideau House was designed with Passive House principles in mind resulting in durable, high-performance systems. The residence includes barrier-free suites and also provides accessible individual study and collective engagement spaces. 

The Carleton Rideau House Student Residence was designed in Joint Venture by Diamond Schmitt Architects and KWC Architects, and is ultimately an exercise in clarity, restraint, and contextual responsiveness—an architectural framework that supports the evolving needs of student life. 

Photos by Tom Arban.