Housing the Few and the Proud for Decades to Come

Marines housed in the new Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California, now reside in a more than humble abode. Boasting a modern design, one goal of the state-of-the-art,
483,573-square-foot, energy-efficient complex is to enhance the quality of living for enlisted Marine Corps personnel. Another goal is longevity and sustainability. With a 50-year life-span in mind for the quarters, careful consideration was given to all design decisions to ensure the finished buildings withstand the next five decades.

To uphold this structural life-span, building materials were selected that minimize long-term maintenance and operations costs. Photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into electricity were installed to reduce energy usage, and potable water usage for landscape irrigation was reduced with the installation of approximately 1 mile of reclaimed water. The combination of these sustainability and energy-saving strategies helped earn the four-story quarters certification as a LEED Gold facility from the U.S. Green Building Council.

A sense of community in the quarters was also a desired end result. To accomplish this, a design that accommodates a variety of recreational activities and shared training in the complex was incorporated. Both elements help foster a sense of solidarity and enjoyment. Various support facilities are provided in addition to several sports activities. The community centers for each barrack are all-inclusive offering a training lounge, a large laundry room, kitchen, café, a movie theater, multipurpose room, restrooms, vending areas, and even a central lounge with sky lights. At any community center, even one at a bachelor’s enlisted quarters, sports are a central ingredient. Outside recreational areas include volleyball and tennis courts, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, an amphitheater, covered areas with built-in barbecues, and shaded pavilions that provide relief and protection from the blazing San Diego sun. In addition to all of these and other amenities, the quarters has a look that is far from institutional and provides a warm, welcoming environment that more than 1,500 Marines call home.