A chain-link fence borders the construction site in the northwest corner of campus, protecting an expanse of dirt that once housed the iconic dwellings of Kresge College. Now, much of historic Kresge exists only in photographs and memories.
The newest UC Santa Cruz class never walked through Kresge’s eccentric architecture or alongside its unique array of buildings. Nor have they experienced the feeling of agency that came with Kresge’s apartment lifestyle, where roommates could cook together and spend time in communal living rooms. Even first-years experienced apartment living instead of standard dorms. As the second phase of construction continues, I wonder what elements of Kresge’s identity will remain and what will be lost to history.
Alongside the visual differences is a lifestyle change for Kresge residents: dorm-style housing. Kresge was, historically, the only residential college that consisted purely of apartments. It felt like a neighborhood where students weren’t corralled by the typical grouping of college dorms. The loss of this aspect makes me ache. Luckily, the completion of the renovation project will bring back apartments alongside the new dorm buildings.
The first Kresge classes were held in a temporary structure near Family Student Housing.
Between the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, Kresge-affiliated classes began in a dome-shaped building adjacent to Family Student Housing. Following that short era, Charles Moore and William Turnbull, of architecture firm Moore Lyndon Turnbull and Whitaker, brought Kresge College to life by constructing 11 apartment buildings, a town hall, a handful of classrooms, and administrative offices. Architects envisioned an alternative to the conventional college equation. According to Dennis Sharp’s Twentieth Century Architecture: A Visual History, the layout reflected a “cluster of semi-autonomous” buildings that resembled a Mediterranean village oriented around “a sequence of plazas and gardens.” It was intimate, colorful, cozy, and tucked away from the rest of campus beyond two large bridges off Heller Drive.
Bold colors graced exteriors of academic buildings and the interior of the Kresge Student Lounge.
The style and function of Kresge were like nothing else on any college campus, and remain a subject of interest for many architecture fanatics. The buildings had cut-out shapes and thoughtfully placed blocks of bold color across stucco exteriors. Near the college mailroom and offices, the Piazzetta held a communal space built around a rainwater runoff system that formed an iconic spiral at the heart of the quad.
The culture of Kresge College promoted student agency, freedom, and independence that went against the mainstream standards of other institutions. Instead of security, they hired students to keep watch at night. Residents gathered as “kin-groups,” which were close-knit groups that studied together. The nature and organization of Kresge was experimental until 2019, when Phase I of construction began. 
The demolished Piazzetta sits behind a fence, awaiting Phase II of construction.
So, why rebuild?
According to the university’s website, reasons include a lack of accessibility according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and deterioration of the original exterior materials.
As a former resident of Kresge, I witnessed the need for refurbishment. Many buildings had become outdated, with a worrisome amount of mildew and in need of tender love and care. I accepted the necessity of the upgrade, but never anticipated the visual and cultural shift that came with Kresge’s renovation.
Walking through Kresge now, there is no spiral in the Piazzetta, and half of the original apartments are gone after a demolition spree in summer 2023. Fences block the former site of Kresge as construction begins to renovate and repurpose the area. 
The brand-new academic building contains college offices, classrooms and lecture halls, including the campus’s largest hall with 600 seats.
Three new residential buildings and a monstrous academic building opened this academic year. An increase in ADA accessibility is a huge improvement, and the newly updated bridge and “stramp” (stair-ramp) make for a welcoming entrance to the college. The modern architecture and materials are the most noticeable difference in the renovated buildings. Instead of stucco, buildings are sided with lumber. Entire bottom floors or facades are made of glass and windows. There is no denying the new additions are larger and more contemporary compared to the old Kresge. However, the renovation tried to create unity between old and new, like the bright, statement colors that pop off of the building facades.
In Fall 2023, 3 new residential buildings began housing 400 students in dorm rooms.
According to Studio Gang, the architecture collective in charge of the renovation, certain apartment buildings will be refurbished and rebuilt in Phase II of construction. The sites of R3, R5, and R11 will not be saved and instead provide sites for landscaping, accessible pathways, and a new Town Hall and Lounge. In their current state, it is difficult to imagine how the character of the refurbished buildings will compare to their predecessors.
Alongside a handful of administrative and academic buildings, the Kresge Garden remains untouched. It’s a beautiful place to sit under fruit trees, stare out at Porter Meadows, and admire the work of the Kresge Garden Co-op. As of now, the garden stays in the hands of the students and remains a safe haven amid the roaring construction that surrounds it.
Kresge Garden is sandwiched between Porter Kresge Road and Porter Meadows. The space is open to the public, and maintained by the student-led Kresge Garden Co-op.
I will miss the Kresge I knew, and am unsure if the new plans will carry the legacy and culture that students built. In an ideal world, the old apartment buildings and village-like streets would be refurbished to their original glory, minus the mildewy bathrooms and cracked stucco. I hope that Phase II of the renovation brings back some of the special charm from the past, letting students appreciate and feel connected to the original Kresge College.
