Archinect - News

SOM, Mithun sign on to deliver seven-building Munger Hall replacement at UCSB

2024-03-22T18:55:00-04:00

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Mithun have announced they are collaborating on a new student housing project for the University of California, Santa Barbara (USCB).

The two-phase project will deliver accommodations for 4,000 students by 2029, led by the new 2,140-bed San Benito complex that will be completed in time for Fall 2027 after a two-year construction.

News of what appears to be the replacement for the infamous Munger Hall comes five months after the passing of its namesake Charles Munger in November at the age of 99. (SOM has previously completed the school's San Joaquin Villages and Tenaya Towers residences in 2019.)

UCSB has been embroiled in a student housing crisis that mirrors other public university campuses in the state and has been largely exacerbated by the exclusivity of real estate and dearth of affordable developments in the surrounding community of Goleta.

This led to the controversial self-design proposal for a mostly windowless 3,500-bed dorm building ...

UCSB megadorm designer Charles Munger passes away at 99

2023-11-29T18:57:00-05:00

Charles Munger, the billionaire investor whose proposed design for a monolithic, partly windowless dormitory at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) was the subject of a public controversy that drew critical ire and the eyes of outside media, passed away yesterday at his home in California. He was 99.

Known widely as Berkshire Hathaway founder Warren Buffet’s “right-hand man,” Munger was himself a lauded financier with a reported net worth of around $2.6 billion. His forays into architecture — which he had credited to the college experiences of his many children and grandchildren — included the late UCSB project, his own self-designed residence in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park neighborhood, and another dormitory at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, that was funded largely by his personal donation of $110 million.

Image courtesy UCSB

The controversy surrounding Santa Barbara's since-canceled Munger Hall project never seemed to dampen his ambitions to see its design...

UCSB responds to controversy by replacing Munger Hall with new student housing strategy

2023-11-13T11:50:00-05:00

In late October 2023, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) embarked on a new phase in its quest for expanded student housing. As reported by The Santa Barbara Independent, Vice Chancellor Garry MacPherson announced the selection of two architectural firms to develop housing for 3,500 students, aligning with the university's 2010 Long Range Development Plan. This announcement marked a significant departure from the controversial Munger Hall project, a plan that had been under intense scrutiny and opposition due to its design and scale. The shift towards a new design approach signals UCSB's response to the extensive feedback from students, faculty, and professionals in the field.

The saga ends just a week after Munger made a devaluing comment on the need to budget space inside dormitories. The school’s CHAMP! (Campus Housing Alternatives for Munger Hall, Please!) group had previously presented design alternatives in league with the 7,000-unit university plan before UCSB ...

Charles Munger makes devaluing comment on the architecture of windowless dorms

2023-11-07T17:25:00-05:00

Charles Munger is back in the news after some insensitive comments made over the weekend re-entered the debate over windowless dormitories and student housing scarcity nationwide.

Yahoo! Finance is reporting on comments the would-be billionaire designer of the derided and then dropped megadormitory project at the University of California, Santa Barbara had in a podcast conversation hosted by MarketWatch.

“The world of architecture is a game of trade-offs,” Munger told the outlet. “You’ve got to get used to the fact that billionaires aren’t the most popular people in our society. I’d rather be a billionaire and not be loved by everybody than not have any money.”

Munger’s cynicism is certainly evocative of many insiders’ takes on the industry in its current state. The comments also betray a troublesome societal trend regarding the mental well-being of young people, especially as it relates to college life.

A previous attempt at designing windowless student housing at the Universit...

UCSB's new $750M student housing request could signal a turn in the Munger Hall saga

2023-08-01T18:58:00-04:00

Appearing to substantiate reports that UCSB’s controversial Munger Hall proposal has been scrapped, the university issued a formal “request for qualifications” this week for architectural firms to design a new student housing project at the same campus location previously reserved for Munger Hall.

After Santa Barbara Independent Executive Editor Nick Welsh hinted at the end of the infamous "Dormzilla" student housing plan in a scathing editorial in mid-July, UC Santa Barbara's recently published RFQ for the "construction of the UCSB Student Housing Infill and Redevelopment Project" at the cost of up to $750 million appears to confirm a sudden turning point in the history of the hotly contested and breathtakingly window-deprived Munger Hall proposal.

Want to throw your hat in the ring? Submit your design bid by 4 PM Pacific Time on August 18.

Previously on Archinect: Munger Hall update: New report outlines 'safety hazards' in megadorm's design

Five unique workspace projects by ShubinDonaldson: Your Next Employer?

2023-05-22T13:28:00-04:00

Following last week’s visit to Culver City-based Johnson Favaro, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series in California this week to explore the work of ShubinDonaldson.

Led by partners Russell Shubin, Robin Donaldson, and Mark Hershman, the firm comprises 40 staff spread across offices in Culver City, Santa Barbara, and Orange County. Describing their approach as being “informed by modernism, craft, and a culture of experimentation,” the firm’s portfolio spans mixed-use, workplace, retail, multifamily, and custom residential typologies.

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring a Project Coordinator for commercial projects to join its Culver City office. For candidates interested in applying for the position, or anybody interested in learning more about the studio’s work, we have rounded up five workplaces by ShubinDonaldson that demonstrate their design approach.

3101 West Coast Highway

Located at Mariner’s Mile in Newport Beach, CA, ShubinDonaldson’s project a...

5 standout Santa Barbara projects by AB design studio: Your Next Employer?

2023-03-06T13:46:00-05:00

Following last week’s visit to Los Angeles-based Aaron Neubert Architects, we are keeping our Meet Your Next Employer series on the West Coast this week to explore the work of AB design studio, who are currently hiring for several positions.

Founded in 2005 “as a conversation between two architects about making a difference in the world through architecture,” the studio now operates offices across Los Angeles and Santa Barbara with a broad portfolio including residential, commercial, institutional, and hospitality projects. “Our multi-disciplinary approach addresses technical, ecological, social, cultural, and aesthetic concerns,” the firm says about its ethos. “We are problem solvers. We bring a holistic approach to environmental design and place-making to all project typologies.”

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for several positions across their Santa Barbara and Los Angeles studios. For candidates interested in applying for a role, or those interested in lear...

Munger Hall update: New report outlines 'safety hazards' in megadorm's design

2022-12-21T14:42:00-05:00

A new independent review produced by a 13-member panel made up of faculty and community members at the University of California, Santa Barbara has outlined a host of health and safety risks inherent in the contested Munger Hall megadorm design proposal.

The report cited the need for Covid-safe ventilation techniques, safer egress routes, and the psychological toll taken on students as factors to be considered in a “robust redesign” that would follow the changes made previously in response to a torrent of community feedback. It also decried a lack of outside input early on.

“[A] majority of Panel members believes that such information could have averted the critical concerns raised by the current design,” the report stated. “Research and analysis weighed by this Panel reveal significant health and safety risks that are predictable enough, probable enough, and consequential enough that it would be unwise for UCSB to proceed without significant modifications to the design.”

Previously...

Updated Munger Hall images show two floors removed as controversial project seeks approval

2022-10-21T12:18:00-04:00

New details have emerged of the controversial Munger Hall student accommodation planned for the University of California, Santa Barbara. The updated scheme has seen two levels removed from the original design, from eleven to nine stories.

The changes come as UCSB prepares to submit an Environmental Impact Report for the development before approval is sought from the University of California Board of Regents and the California Coastal Commission.

Video footage extract courtesy of UCSB

As reported by The Daily Nexus, UCSB’s student-run newspaper, the university’s initial plan to commence construction on the project in late 2023 has now been removed. If construction were to begin in 2023, a projected 40-month construction program would see the building open in 2026.

Video footage extract courtesy of UCSB

“We do not have a target to start construction at this time,” a UCSB representative told the newspaper. “It will all depend on the ongoing process, including filing the EIR and other ne...

A group of UCSB students pitches a thorough alternative to Munger Hall

2022-06-06T17:50:00-04:00

In an amazing rebuke of their university’s purblind pursuit of the Munger Hall megadormitory project last week, students at the University of California, Santa Barbara staged a public forum in order to showcase research-based alternatives to the development and long-term strategic plan.

Led by Professor Rita Bright, a group of 43 Environmental Studies concentrators took school administrators to task with a thorough proposal that simultaneously meets the campus’ attendant student housing crisis and a host of UCSB’s other stated objectives, according to a write up by Carolina A. Miranda in the LA Times.

Previously on Archinect: Munger Hall now has a walkthrough for the skeptical

The alternative plan calls for several new smaller dorms to be erected either above existing one-story dining hall structures, or else on a site currently occupied by a parking lot. It also recommended building at a smaller scale at the proposed site of Munger Hall, which is currently a maintenance facility. Mi...

Munger Hall now has a walkthrough for the skeptical

2022-06-03T18:31:00-04:00

Not giving up is an important aspect of undergraduate learning, and the University of California, Santa Barbara is neatly reinforcing that lesson by offering a new preview of its besmirched Munger Hall megadorm project seven months following the initial public rollout.

Billionaire donor Charles Munger’s ambitious design is now offering in-person tours of mockups to students, faculty, and staff in addition to an animated video walkthrough of its record-breaking 1.68-million-square-foot interior, which is beset with outward-facing lounges and common areas to offset an otherwise “inhumane” lack of windows and natural light in the living quarters.

Photo courtesy UCSB.

The university began erecting full-scale physical mockups a few years ago with the purpose of soliciting “campus feedback,” but plans of in-person tours were pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the opportunity of walkthroughs has reemerged, the exhibition also aims at dissuading a growing chorus of skeptics t...

12 architecture jobs in Santa Barbara

2022-03-10T13:53:00-05:00

Itching for a job in Southern California but don't want to work in the big city? The beautiful Santa Barbara region offers stunning ocean views with plenty of firms looking to hire the right candidate for their team. For this week's curated job picks here are 12 employment opportunities from firms based in the Santa Barbara region.

From entry-level positions to mid-career and senior-level roles, the Archinect Job board features employment opportunities for any career level. Search from hundreds of job listings each week to find the best position for you.

Image courtesy of Studio William Hefner.

Studio William Hefner seeks an Architectural Project Manager

Details: "A nationally recognized architecture/interior design/landscape design firm specializing primarily in high-end residential and estate design is seeking a full-time Project Manager for our Montecito office. This is a unique opening for someone who is self-motivated, enthusiastic and organized [...] The ideal applicant will h...

AIA Los Angeles joins growing opposition to controversial UCSB Munger Residence Hall

2021-12-21T12:23:00-05:00

The AIA Los Angeles chapter has issued an open letter to the President of the University of California, voicing opposition to the proposed UCSB Munger Residence Hall. The project, which has gained an intense media spotlight both within and beyond architectural spheres, would see the construction of bedrooms for 4,500 students, 94% of which would not have access to natural light.

The letter, penned by AIA LA President Mitra Memari, describes the proposal as one which will “create harmful and unhealthy living conditions for its residents,” setting a “negative precedent, literally and symbolically, for generations to come.”

“We urge UCSB to follow best design practices supported by numerous studies, and not advance the Munger Hall project further,” the letter continues. “We recommend that UCSB reconvene its design review board to re-examine best pract...

Eight former UC campus architects pen letter in an effort to stop Munger Hall

2021-12-06T19:40:00-05:00

More architects are speaking out in the controversy surrounding the planned Munger Hall development at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara Independent is reporting that eight architects representing several different UC campuses sent administrators a letter dated November 17 which detailed their opposition to the unanimously approved multibillion-dollar dormitory building.

“We ask that you take a step back and embrace the values of a humane environment, one that fosters health, safety, and welfare, instead of one that may forever harm generations of young students,” a portion of the group letter read, according to the Independent. “A failed investment of this size is bound to ripple throughout the University system.”

Previously on Archinect: 'A jail masquerading as a dormitory': Architect resigns from UCSB over a ludicrous, Charles Munger-designed dorm

Their letter joins a previous document from the local AIA chapter in which President Tai Yeh and others e...

AIA Santa Barbara signs open letter against “inhumane” Charlie Munger-designed/funded student accommodation

2021-11-09T10:51:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara (AIASB) has sent an open letter to the Chancellor of the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) in opposition to the controversial Munger Hall student residence. The letter, delivered in email format, was led by AIASB President Tai Yeh and signed by 34 individuals, most of whom are affiliated with the AIA.

The open letter, dated November 5th, was first published by Edhat Santa Barbara and sets out the AIASB’s position that the “Munger Residence Hall as proposed, does not meet [health, safety, and welfare] requirements and that there is no justifiable reason to proceed with the project as proposed.”

“Our collective response to this proposal is not a critique of style, rather this is a critique of the unacceptable, inhumane living conditions that will no doubt have a psychological impact o...

UCSB officials release Q&A addressing Munger Hall controversy

2021-11-05T17:21:00-04:00

The swirling controversy over the University of California, Santa Barbara’s proposed plan to add billionaire real estate investor Charles Munger’s massive self-designed dormitory building to its exhausted stock of student housing has been addressed by the university in a campus-wide Q&A published yesterday in which it answered “misconceptions” about the project’s design features and doubled down on its reasoning and necessity overall.

Last week’s revelation that architect Dennis McFadden had resigned in early October after a university planning meeting resulted in a heated letter to the design review committee, making waves on our discussion board, and even landing UCSB in national news outlets in part over Munger’s deep connections with billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

University officials failed to address McFadden’s indignation over its questionable contingent approval process but were able to issue a defense of sorts in the form of a self-prompted answer sheet that claimed...

'A jail masquerading as a dormitory': Architect resigns from UCSB over a ludicrous, Charles Munger-designed dorm

2021-10-29T16:01:00-04:00

A key architect has resigned his committee membership at the University of California, Santa Barbara following its proposal of a monolithic new dormitory building that purportedly fails to provide windows for some 94% of its single-occupancy residences.

After fifteen years sitting on UCSB’s Design Review Committee, architect Dennis McFadden resigned in protest over its decision to select financier-cum-ametuer architect Charles Munger’s plan for a 1.68 million-square-foot structure that will also bear his name following a $200 million gift to the university. Munger had allegedly stipulated that his plan be followed without alteration as part of the gift. McFadden referred to the design as “unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent, and a human being” in an angry letter sent to the university on October 25th.

“The building is a social and psychological experiment with an unknown impact on the lives and personal development of the undergraduates the university serves...

Four university architecture exhibitions to kick off 2020

2020-01-10T17:00:00-05:00

With the new year (and new semester) just getting under way, now is as good a time as any to take in a good architecture exhibition.

We have collected a few of the most interesting exhibitions currently (or soon-to-be) on view at four university campuses across the country, highlighting curatorial efforts by firms that include NEMESTUDIO and Architecture Office. Model-lovers will find much to love about the exhibitions developed by these two firms, while the other two highlighted exhibitions focus on environmental and urban planning initiatives.

Remember, the Spring semester moves fast, however, so don't wait to check these exhibitions out!

Installation photo from 74 Things by NEMESTUDIO at the Knowlton School of Architecture. Image courtesy of Philip Arnold / The Ohio State Knowlton School of Architecture.

Knowlton School of Architecture

74 Things by NEMESTUDIO

San Francisco Bay Area-based practice NEMESTUDIO is presenting 74 Things, an exhibition that positions the Knowlton Hall Banv...

The Santa Barbara Independent undertakes a mapping initiative to assess impacted areas after Montecito mudslides

2018-01-18T14:51:00-05:00

Last week, deadly mudslides and flooding devastated the Santa Barbara area, destroying at least 100 single-family homes, and damaging another 300 residences, according to the LA Times. While three Montecito residents unfortunately remain missing, government crews have also begun the long and arduous task of clearing debris and getting the region back up and running.

In an effort to help the recovery, the Santa Barbara Independent is undertaking a house-by-house damage assessment in order to provide a street-by-street look at which homes have been damaged, destroyed, or spared. All information gathered is and will continue to be added to this interactive map.

Clocks and Clouds, The Architecture of Escher GuneWardena

2017-08-04T13:03:00-04:00

The title Clocks and Clouds comes from philosopher Karl Popper’s essay on rationality and freedom, but also describes the dreamy precision, the spirit, and the material of Escher GuneWardena’s art.

A gem of an exhibition by Escher GuneWardena whose work meticulously navigates architecture, art and design. The quietly original and meaningful architecture of the firm can be classified as timeless and critical, alluding to philosophy of Karl Popper. The work reflects the best tenets of modern architecture and the geographical particularities of Los Angeles. Not to be missed if you are in Southern California. Curated by Lilian Pfaff and Jocelyn Gibbs, the show runs until Sunday, August 20, 2017.

The exhibition also features a new book on architects' work, 'Clocks and Clouds, Architecture of Escher GuneWardena.' Edited by Lilian Pfaff, featuring essays by Martino Stierli, Barbara Lamprecht, Nicholas Olsberg, Mimi Zeiger and Paulette Singley. Available here.

As a "last resort" in historic drought, Santa Barbara dusts off its desalination plant

2015-07-24T18:55:00-04:00

Santa Barbara City Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $55 million to reactivate a mothballed desalination plant that could provide the city with nearly a third of its drinking water. [...] “Desalination has been a last resort,” Mayor Helene Schneider told The Times Tuesday night after the vote. “The way the drought has continued these last four years, we are really getting at that last resort.”

More on the historic drought in the U.S. southwest:

Have an idea for how to address the drought with design? Submit your ideas to the Dry Futures competition!

Architectural review: Cliff May 'Carefree California' show at UC Santa Barbara

2012-03-30T18:24:00-04:00

To the extent that modernism in architecture was about clearing the historical decks — about dramatically and even gleefully breaking with the past — Cliff May was never cut out to be a modernist. Not an orthodox one, anyway.