Latitude at River Landing
Inspired by barn quilts seen on local Iowan farms, we used bright colors and created geometric patterns throughout the project. We also used a palette of hard-working materials such as concrete, plywood and painted lumber to meet the durability needs of the space and represent a genuine characteristic of the space.
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An Off-Campus Apartment Community Built on Iowa Color and Craft
Latitude at River Landing is an off-campus student apartment community in Coralville, Iowa, set in the Iowa River Landing district between Coralville and Iowa City and a short shuttle ride from the University of Iowa campus. Completed in 2019, the property offers studios through four-bedroom units, fully furnished, with a bathroom for every bedroom.
Kuchar's brief was to design a hard-working, genuine space for students who want energy in their building but distance from the on-campus scene. The team pulled material cues from the surrounding agricultural landscape — raw and painted plywood, stock lumber, pegboard, and concrete — and translated the geometric language of local Iowa barn quilts into accent walls, custom lighting, and upholstery. Bright primary colors carry University of Iowa school spirit through the lobby, a two-story study lounge, a main lounge anchored by an elongated fireplace and a garage door that opens onto the pool deck, a penthouse lounge, and a fitness center.
Multifamily interior design works across two distinct tracks at once. The amenity spaces — lobby, lounges, study rooms, fitness, pool deck — set the building's first impression and shape leasing decisions. Resident units carry daily wear and have to read fresh through years of tenant turnover. Off-campus student housing design in Iowa River Landing benefits from looking outside the catalog and pulling cues from the place itself. Agricultural materials, regional patternwork, and primary palettes can signal school spirit without veering into kitsch when handled with restraint. Designing apartment communities at this scale calls for durability above all, layered amenity spaces that give residents reasons to leave their units, and a brand identity confident enough to compete with anything a national developer might put up nearby.
A Multifamily Design Partner You Can Build With
Multifamily interior design is our craft, and our team brings over 90 years of combined industry experience to every engagement. Kuchar shapes residential communities that hold up under daily use and stand out in a competitive leasing market — purposeful design rooted in each building's place and audience.