As an integral part of the semester, we explore the role of community in sustainable design. This community living experience is an opportunity to explore group dynamics and interpersonal communication - both important skills to architects, community activists, urban planners and others. One of the benefits of living in Ecosa housing is the opportunity to form a close bond with your fellow students. While students may be living in separate apartments, time and again we have seen a class who all live in one place form a community from a diverse group of people. This makes the program that much better for all the participants.

Past participants have emphasized that discussions with fellow students outside the studio setting are a valuable part of the learning experience.

Except in extreme extenuating circumstances, it is expected that students participating in the semester will stay in the housing provided by Ecosa. Local students with their own housing need to plan ways and make every effort to be integrated into the Ecosa community during the semester.

Ecosa housing options are a single or double room in a furnished apartment building leased by the Ecosa Institute located at 411 Whipple Street. This is approximately a 25-minute walk or 10-minute bike ride from the Ecosa Studio and downtown Prescott. Single occupancy rooms are $500 a month and double occupancy rooms $400 a month including utilities. Each unit has two bedrooms, one single and one double, a living/dining area, a kitchen, a full bath, and a laundry room with washer and dryer. There is a phone for local and incoming calls only. The apartments have a wireless internet and access to a small patio in the rear of the building.

While we make every attempt to provide you with your room preference, we cannot guarantee the option of your choice.

The non-refundable housing administrative fee helps to defray our costs of managing your tenancy. We encourage you to prepay the semester's rent so that you don't have to think about it during the intensity of the program. We offer a discount of $25.00 per month if you prepay the entire term's rent. We recognize that not everyone can do this, but it does help to minimize administration and paperwork during the program.