中央研究院從南港設院開始就有宿舍。
第一代的宿舍區約在今日民族所與歷史陳列館的位置。宿舍區入口有獨棟的飯廳，雙拼平房的眷屬宿舍，以及單身宿舍。其中眷屬宿舍沿著中心的空地環型配置，空地則是眷屬們與兒童們的活動空間，其中兩戶較大的眷屬宿舍甚至在中間的空地配置了網球場。
隨著購入更多的土地，開始在蔡元培紀念館所在的小山丘北側興建宿舍，後又擴增到了研究院路東側及現在主入口 (100巷) 附近。至此仍是不夠分配，而研究員們也想從租賃轉成購買，1970年代開始，政府開始大量興建公教住宅，範圍擴及研究院路東側及院區北側，建築型態也有別於初始的平房，變成五層樓的公寓。而四分溪的整治與截彎曲取直後，不管是院內所中心的建設，或是院區周邊公教住宅的興建，都飛速成長至用地飽和。
Academia Sinica has maintained dormitories since establishing the Nangang Campus.
The first generation dormitory area was located approximately where the current Institute of Ethnology and History Exhibition Hall stands. The dormitory entrance featured a standalone dining hall, duplex bungalows for dependents, and single dormitories. Dependent housing was arranged in a ring around a central open space, providing activity areas for families and children, with two larger dependent units even featuring tennis courts in the center.
As more land was acquired, dormitory construction began on the north side of the hill where Tsai Yuan-Pei Memorial Hall stands, later expanding to the east side of Research Academy Road and near the current main entrance (Lane 100). Even then, allocation remained insufficient, and researchers wanted to transition from rental to ownership. Starting in the 1970s, the government began large-scale construction of public housing, extending to the east side of Research Academy Road and the campus’s north side. Architectural forms also evolved from original bungalows to five-story apartments.
After the renovation and straightening of Sifen River, the construction of institute centers on campus and the surrounding public housing rapidly expanded until land saturation.
