Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm • Hacker News Board

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#21

Post by dsauerbrun » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:08 PM UTC

as someone who attended ucsb and has also spent a week in a bedroom without a window I really hope this doesn't happen.

it'll really mess the kids up. I felt awful waking up in that room. not having any natural light to cue you in to what time it is forces you to turn on the light to wake up. waking up to artificial light is an absolute miserable experience and if I had to do it for a year I would leave... of course all of these kids would have already signed a lease for the year and can't just afford to call that money a loss and live somewhere else.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#22

Post by Gravityloss » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:08 PM UTC

In comparison, this is some cool student housing: https://copenhagenarchitecture.dk/tietgen-student-housing/

It's a ring. The personal rooms have views to the outside, and the communal spaces open to the inside.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#23

Post by bob1029 » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:08 PM UTC

praptak wrote: post #18

Saint_Genet wrote: post #4

"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.

This is really difficult when a large part of the population is either apathetic or actively sympathetic to the policies of these insane people.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#24

Post by daniel-thompson » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:08 PM UTC

Munger also did the same thing for the University of Michigan's graduate residence building^; 95% of the rooms have no windows.

^ https://housing.umich.edu/residence-hall/munger/

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#25

Post by chubot » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:08 PM UTC

Wow this is an idea by Warren Buffett’s business partner? I thought he was widely respected but this indeed seems like a monstrosity.

Why would he put his name and legacy on it? There must be another side to the story, though it’s hard to imagine what.

Wikipedia mentions that he has done this at University of Michigan too:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Munger#Architectural_w...

https://observer.com/2019/05/warren-buffett-vp-charlie-munge...

It's hard to imagine what "windowless" has to do with encouraging new ideas. It feels more like a cost-cutting measure.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#26

Post by time0ut » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:09 PM UTC

Saint_Genet wrote: post #4

"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

It looks like a prison. Maybe worse. I think prison cells still have a small window (at least what I have seen in media). Totally crazy.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#27

Post by CapitalistCartr » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:09 PM UTC

krembanan wrote: post #5

Are there no laws against this in the U.S? In Norway there are building codes that prohibits bedrooms without a real window.

This design isn't even in the same field as American fire codes. I don't know any jurisdiction in the country in which this could get permitted, certainly not California.

The usual expectation is total time for a fire to cause an alarm, all occupants of a building to respond to an alarm, and make their way to a fire rated area, usually a stairwell, is 2.5 minutes.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#28

Post by gt565k » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:09 PM UTC

Glad he had the balls to step down and call them out. The other committee members and people in charge of the project should be embarrassed as they failed to represent the best needs of the university and its students.

Windowless dorms, crazy 97 year old billionaire amateur architect and a bunch of corrupt university staff and committee members who would do anything to save a few bucks. What could go wrong? Humanity at its finest.

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#29

Post by rvba » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:09 PM UTC

krembanan wrote: post #5

Are there no laws against this in the U.S? In Norway there are building codes that prohibits bedrooms without a real window.

[flagged]

Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm

#30

Post by mbg721 » Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 2:09 PM UTC

amarant wrote: post #20

Huh, here in Sweden you can't include rooms without windows as living area. If this building was sold in Sweden, it would be listed as a pretty tiny house with huge storage/accessory areas.

To a university, undergraduate students are kind of accessories, so it fits. The real money is in research grants and maybe athletics (although nobody seems to agree whether they cost more than they bring in).