Untidy and unorganized are the common stereotype we commonly presume about dormitories. A place where a number of students live, however, is not necessarily like that. In fact, there are a lot of dormitories which actually were designed as a chic and cozy living space. You might even want to live in one of them.

1. Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s Student Residence Hall in Massachusetts

This stunning building owned by the Massachusetts State College Building Authority (MSCBA) is a student residence that was designed by architecture firm ADD Inc. Located in Boston, the vertically developed architecture marks the skyline and becomes quite a piece of art itself. Inspired by a famous painting called ‘Tree of Life’ by Gustav Klimt, the architecture uses 5,500 metal elements in five different colors starting from dark brown and progressing to lighter colors. The students call this $52 million residence hall ‘The Tree House’.

This 20-story building can accommodate up to 493 students where they can live, study and play as it features not only bedrooms but also rooms for social interactions and gathering. A café and living room are put on the ground floor. Meanwhile, the second floor accommodates health center and the third-floor has “Pajama Floor” with kitchen, game room, laundry facilities, and fitness center. Going along with their purpose as a venue where life and interaction happen, these rooms are designed in lively and colorful nuance to boost the mood.

The architecture has achieved Silver LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council for its energy efficiency. For instance, the architects put more windows on the north sides to provide natural lighting but fewer widows on the other side to help reduce heat.

2. Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver, Canada

Centre for Digital Media is another great architecture of dormitories. Located in Vancouver, Canada, the dorm is designed by Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership Architects and was launched in 2012. Standing in an area of 49,091 square feet, the dorm takes unique form characterized by two contrast elements: wooden and metal. The building is built for Masters of Digital Media (MDM) Program both as a student housing and academic venue. Given that the students are often required to work long hours, providing them with on-site accommodation is expected to help their success. Therefore, the building includes features for both academic purpose and living space.

3. Carlaw Park Student Accommodation in Auckland, New Zealand

Designed by the brilliant architects from Warren and Mahoney, Carlaw Park Student Accommodation has opened since 2014 to facilitate the students of University of Auckland, New Zealand. Located at Carlaw Park, near to the Auckland headquarter, the dorms get a splendid view to the green park.

In addition to its 433 beds which are arranged in units of double or clustered bedroom options, the dorm also has laundry room, lounge, game facilities and also study. A car parking is available at the basement.

The building is recognized by textured and monolithic panels that characterizes its façade. The materials used for this project have a high durability and natural look. Moreover, this project has also achieved an award in Property Council of New Zealand Multi-Unit Residential Property Award in 2014.

4. Dormitories for ITRI Southern Taiwan Campus in Taiwan

As a part of the 47 hectare campus of ITRI in Southern Taiwan, the dormitories are designed as a green building. Completed in 2010, the project was designed by Bio-Architecture Formosana emphasizing on ecological construction. The end result is simply brilliant. While maintaining the convenience for inhabitants, the whole dorm is a fun residence that fits with the nature as the site is surrounded by hills. The dorms accommodate not only bedrooms for students but also research buildings and cafeteria. There are also nature-related features like ecological ponds, bamboo forest, and green house while decoration is presented with bamboo furnace.

5. Residence Hall of Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in South Korea

Presbyterian University is located in the urban center of Gwangjang-ro, South Korea and so is the student’ dorms. Built to replace the old building, the residence hall of Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary was designed by architects from SAC International. The project was completed in 2013 and the result is agreeable. The idea of the design is to create a convenience living space that accommodates the needs of its residences as well as a place of retreat. Therefore, each room has its own balcony that allows the residence to enjoy tranquility before the panoramic view of green forest and River Han beyond.

6. Internat Montceau Les Mines in France

On the grounds of the Henri Parriat High School now stands a boarding school, better known by locals as L’internat de la réussite. Completed by X’TO Architectes, the dormitory is built on a site of 2213.0 square meters in Montceau-les-Mines, France. The character of the architecture is mainly established by the volume dynamic of its façade that uses different materials and contrast. The wooden sections on the outer layer also serve as solar protection while the balcony each room has offers openness from where inhabitants can enjoy unobstructed view. The dorm consists of two housings for different users: pre-high school diploma students and post high school diploma students. Each house accommodates rooms for disabled persons and functional rooms such as technical rooms and toilets. As for the rooms, students are given a comfortable and warm living space with modern style. Each bedroom allows each person to do their activities at ease either they are working, sleeping or socializing while still maintaining adequate privacy for everyone.

7. 380 Student Units and Public Space Design in Utrecht, Netherlands

The Utrecht University provides its students accommodation in the student housing built on 18600.0 square meters area in Utrecht, Países Bajos. Designed by Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer, the building has operated since 2008 as one of the coziest dorms.

Green is the dominant color that furnished its façade, although there are also various shades of grey and other vibrant colors. These colors are presented in a grid of aluminum panels. The building sure looks lively in these bold colors. And beneath these lively colors, there are 380 for students to live in, either independent or clustered rooms.