The Rambler Columbus: Redefining Student Housing at Ohio State

A Gateway Between Campus and City

Located at 222 West Lane Avenue, directly across from The Ohio State University, The Rambler, a community of 900 students, connects campus life and the larger Columbus community. With an emphasis on openness and engagement, the ground-floor retail, cafés, and student lounges activate the street, while outdoor plazas, porches, and courtyards create welcoming thresholds that invite interaction. This approach turns the edge of campus into a lively, pedestrian-friendly corridor.

Designing for Choice and Belonging

One of the project's primary goals was to provide students with options tailored to their individual needs. The Rambler’s 379 units, housing 889 residents, range from studios to six-bedroom apartments, providing students with the flexibility to select the living arrangement that best fits their needs and budgets. Units are fully furnished and leased by the bedroom, supporting independence and community living.

Abundant, well-curated amenity spaces range from a third-floor pool deck with a jumbotron for game days to quiet courtyards for focused study. A 24-hour fitness center, yoga and Pilates studio, sauna, and cold plunge create opportunities for wellness, while multiple study rooms, workspaces, and lounges support academic success. The layered environment accommodates different energy levels, schedules, and learning preferences.

Architecture That Builds Community

The Rambler is activated vertically and horizontally. From the ground-floor café and lounge to the pool deck on the third floor and a wellness-focused roof terrace, the building offers a progression of spaces that connect residents to one another and to the city around them. By breaking down a large building mass into approachable elements, we ensured the project fits comfortably within the urban scale of the University District, enhancing the pedestrian realm with a celebrated relationship of the pedestrian sidewalk to the porous storefront. Two-story townhome units face the residential neighborhood to the north, giving scale to the streetscape and activating the pedestrian corridor.

We carefully considered circulation patterns, secure entries, accessible pathways, and lighting strategies to create an environment where every student feels comfortable.

Strengthening the District

Replacing outdated apartments and a surface parking lot, The Rambler reflects the larger transformation of the Lane Avenue corridor into a more modern, student-focused neighborhood. By integrating retail, public space, and community-oriented amenities at street level, the building contributes to a more walkable and connected district. EV-ready parking and the site’s proximity to OSU landmarks reinforce sustainable, pedestrian-first mobility options.

Setting a New Standard

The Rambler Columbus showcases OZ Architecture’s dedication to designing student housing that responds to evolving trends, integrates seamlessly into its neighborhood context, and enhances the student experience. It demonstrates how thoughtful architecture can balance density with livability, create choice while ensuring safety, and contribute positively to the fabric of a campus community.

For us, The Rambler's success is measured not only by the number of beds and variety of amenities, but also by its ability to foster belonging, connection, and opportunities for Ohio State students. It stands as both a new home and a new benchmark for what student housing can and should be. We celebrate the student housing philosophy of our clients, LV Collective, and look forward to the upcoming openings of successful projects at major universities across the country.

Stay tuned…