It has a unique structure and design unlike of the typical dorm. Composed of four wings forming a rectangle, its front wing houses the reception hall, the office and information counter, the dining hall and the residence head's quarters. The other three wings compose the 68 rooms that can accommodate four residents in a room.
All rooms faces an inner court lawn.
The spacious quadrangle boasts of a well-kept garden at the center of which is a sculptured fountain and sixteen fruit bearing caimitos along the corridors. Through the years, Ilang-Ilang has undergone a lot of changes. From Army quonsets built after World War II, this hall, then named UP Girls Dormitory, was composed of a quadrangle rest house and nine duplex units accommodating 420 students. The present Ilang-Ilang building which is home to 272 residents was constructed in 1958. Aside from physical changes, the dorm has gone through several re-christenings.