"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?
This seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
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Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#62"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.
The easiest way would be to do it like in most of Europe and fund universities properly with tax money so that they do not need to waste half their professors' time chasing grants and depend on wealthy donors to fund basic operations.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#63"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
>with the condition that his blueprints be followed exactly. How is this even allowed from an engineering perspective? Unless his design and blueprints are perfect, which I highly doubt, it’s insane that no changes could be made. Is this common practice in architecture? I’ve never seen anything like it.
It’s probably shorthand and doesn’t mean literal blueprints accurate down to lowest level of detail, but rather adherence to the project plan as a whole (windowless rooms, size, etc).
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#64Are 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.
Fire code exit requirements depend on the construction style, materials, suppression equipment and use.
You can have a bedroom with only one exit (the requirement you reference is for a second exit, not a window) if walls/doors are rated high enough and you have sprinklers.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#65Glad 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…
100%. Sure, the billionaire is probably an asshole, but he’s also 97 and not an architect. The real problem here is the leadership at the university deciding to move forward with this monstrosity just to get a big donation.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#66> an 11-story, 1.68-million-square-foot structure that would house up to 4,500 students, 94 percent of whom would not have windows in their small, single-occupancy bedrooms. > Munger maintains the small living quarters would coax residents out of their rooms and into larger common areas, where they could interact and collaborate. That seems unlikely.
Yeah this doesn't work. The Marines stuffed me into a very small barracks room and gave me a room mate. It doesn't make you leave any more often, it just makes you fight.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#67Are there no laws against this in the U.S? In Norway there are building codes that prohibits bedrooms without a real window.
Building codes, at least in my part of the US, dictate that in order for a room in a home to be a bedroom it must have a window. Public buildings probably have different rules.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#68"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?
There must be an exception for structures with intentionally limited exits, such as prisons and billionaire-designed student housing.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#69That seems spectacularly awful--although there's probably been an overall trend in US college dorms (not that I've made a real study of it) towards small single rooms with common areas in general.
> small single rooms with common areas in general This is fine; the problem with Munger's design is that most of them don't have windows.
The challenge is that as you shrink individual room size, it gets harder to give every room a window. It can be done--though you may have to have smaller windows. And you basically need to have a more linear design or something that otherwise has a lot of outside surface.
Re: Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
#70"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?
Entrances != Egresses. Do you ever notice those doors that say emergency exit only?