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Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

independent.com

161–170 of 700 posts

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#161

8 people, 2 cans, and a kitchen sink. Guess what happens next! Answer: you pee out the window (because someone is already using the sink)

Sorry, no windows!

There's one at either end of the canteen/open plan toilet.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#162
ucsb has a small housing problem and a bigger party image problem. there’s great dorms, probably some of the best in the country. not because they are nice, they are old and small, but they are close to the ocean. you can hear the waves crash from your room in most dorms

there’s only space for freshmen and some upperclassmen. the upper class dorms are reserved for honors or scholarships. everyone else moves out to isla vista (iv) after freshman year. iv is adjacent to ucsb

iv is a fucking amazing place. high density shitty housing that costs insane amounts. home to good parties. iv is so famous for partying it has lots of students for santa barbara city college too even though that’s a 20 min drive away. and people come from all over the country for this community college just to party

ucsb wants to shake its party image. halloween is so nuts in iv they do id checks just to enter, have mounted police, close down roads, etc. so getting more student housing away from iv will let them say we have options for students who don’t want to party.

but holy shit that dorm complex looks horrible to live in

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#163
Looking at this design, I feel like Munger should team up with Zuckerberg. You could probably fit 45,000 students in this if, instead of tiny windowless rooms, you just dipped all the students in a nice nutrient electrolyte broth and hooked their heads up to the metaverse. Think of all the collaboration that would happen!!

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#164
post #122

From my point-of-view as a former firefighter, I would say this: A building meant to house 4500 students, with only two entrances? There's a word for that: deathtrap. Building this is setting UCSB up to be the site of the next Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire[1], Station Nightclub fire[2], or Hamlet Chicken Processing Plant fire[3]. At a first glance, based only on the information provided in the article, I'd say tha…

As point out elsewhere, 2 entrances doesn't mean 2 egress points. There are likely lots of one way doors out of the building.

Oh that sounds so great. I walk out the door to class, realize I forgot a pen, then get to take a 15 minute walk all the around the building just to get back up to my room. Wonderful

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#166
post #8

"Munger Hall, in comparison, is a single block housing 4,500 students with two entrances" Is it even possible to make it fire code compliant?

Yes, because what matters is exits, and I count at least ten stairwells on every floor: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FC1jlGjVEAIvAG8?format=jpg

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#167
post #18

"The idea was conceived by 97-year-old billionaire-investor turned amateur-architect Charles Munger, who donated $200 million toward the project with the condition that his blueprints be followed exactly." Absolutely amazing

We really need a way to protect ourselves against what the rich are doing to the rest of us.

Do you have any idea how criminally expensive housing is in SB??? This will provide low-cost accommodations nicer than any Ivy league dorm I've ever seen and enable 4500 people/year (or roughly 15% of Goleta CA) to live on campus. Good luck building that much housing off campus with CA Nimbys...

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#168
post #142

From my point-of-view as a former firefighter, I would say this: A building meant to house 4500 students, with only two entrances? There's a word for that: deathtrap. Building this is setting UCSB up to be the site of the next Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire[1], Station Nightclub fire[2], or Hamlet Chicken Processing Plant fire[3]. At a first glance, based only on the information provided in the article, I'd say tha…

Surely building codes mandate a comprehensive evacuation design. There are clearly aesthetic complaints many people will have here, but realistically safety shouldn't be a problem. This is simply not a "large" building by skyscraper standards, and those can be built safely. Honestly... I think this is very much a taste thing. Is it so weird that I don't think this looks so bad at all? Yeah, yeah, no windows. But dens…

False dilemma. They could make the first floor have food courts and gyms, while having windows or simply not having a 97 year old billionaire donor dictate taste with zero input just because money.

You are assuming a lot about whether the safety designs exist, or are adequate.

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