Atmosphere Madison

The eye-catching Atmosphere Madison student living building is located on a previously under-utilized parcel of land that originally served as a train depot, but more recently was a surface parking lot amongst several businesses. The Atmosphere’s vast structure strategically rests in front of the Kohl Center and a highly utilized Southwest Commuter bike path. With 460,603 square feet and 12 stories, the student living apartments contribute 341 units, 681 beds, 331 total vehicle parking spaces and 500 bicycle racks to the student community.

The project required 19,000 cubic yards of concrete, over 1,200 ton of rebar, and over 363,000 lbs. of post-tension cabling to construct this post-tension concrete structure. The building hosts four, staggered levels of parking starting one and a half levels below grade. The lower parking levels are reserved for neighboring businesses while the top level of parking provide 97 secure spaces for residents.

The façade begins with brick and then boasts a detailed pattern of ribbed, flush and perforated metal panels highlighted by aluminum composite material accents. The façade for the above grade parking levels uses a streamlined combination of ribbed and perforated panels that provide fresh air for the garage levels, while cleverly concealing the view of vehicles. The portion of the garage that faces the popular Kohl Center and bike path left an opportunity to reach the community through a unique design. The Owner took advantage of the high-visibility location by incorporating a playful mural of flamingos in various stages of flight. The mural is artfully provided by a local art studio, who commented that this is the largest custom mural in Madison.

The ten residential floors above the parking house 341 fully furnished studio- to five-bedroom apartments. Within the residential floors are offerings of shared and semi-private amenity spaces and terrace gardens. Each unit is finished with exposed concrete ceilings, VCT and carpet flooring, painted doors and trim, and more.

Amenities include a lobby with fireplace and study lounge, several terraces on the third floor, rooftop pool and hot tub, clubroom, podcast room, meditation room, fitness room, and yoga studio.