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 the building would be in fact be up to code, safe for students, and situated on lower ground in a bowl that would be both appropriate and comparable to other structures on its 1,127-acre campus.
A question from the prompt provided some insight as to the most apparent flaw in the 1.68 million-square-foot proposal intended to house more than 4,500 students. The university stated that the floor plan was based on a traditional “House System” model and included “significant access to natural light and fresh air ventilation” and pointed to the argument that it did indeed include 1,000 exterior windows and had more than a few perimeter units facing the outside.
UCSB addressed the interior residences’ confounding lack of windows, stating that the approach “allows for more student bedrooms and amenities on the site” and repeating its claim that the dorm’s common areas all featured “large external windows, and therefore significant access to natural light.”
The statements made by the project team also rebuked reports taken from McFadden’s claim that the dorm features a paltry two entrances, stating the correct number is actually fifteen –– a more sensical amount for dorm buildings of a similar size, according to the university. Another prompt addressed concerns over the “design philosophy” behind the building raised in the architect’s letter, claiming:
“Munger Hall is larger than but very similar to the Graduate Housing building for the University of Michigan and improves on many of the Michigan concepts. In a recent survey taken by ‘VeryApt,’ an apartment survey guide, 117 reviews about the Michigan project were compiled and resulted in a score of 8.8 out of 10 in user satisfaction, with particularly high rankings for the amenities and convenience. While some residents expressed a dissatisfaction, most are quite pleased with the building and do not mind the windowless bedrooms — lacking even virtual windows such as those planned for [the building]l.”
“Again,” the statement continues, “the University recognizes that this communal and co-living experience and environment is not for every student. That is why there will be many other housing options, both on- and off-campus.”
The rest of the answers served more as a promotion of the building’s sustainable concept and use as an alternative to off-campus housing in the more expensive nearby Santa Barbara County communities.
The UC system as a whole is undergoing a tremendous housing shortage crisis that has consumed campuses up and down the coast in a mirror to the overall crisis affecting Californians statewide.
Archinect will publish further updates as they are provided. The full public Q&A from the university can be found here.
44 Comments
It's still a shitty project.
The top picture is a good example why I don't care much for shiny renderings in folios... Anyone can make a turd look slick and shiny. Does not change the fact that it's a turd.
Right. This response, much like Munger's antagonistic interview earlier, does nothing to address the criticisms of the building. They bithely gloss over any sort of quality discussion, instead tossing out facts and figures like 'One thousand windows!' (.22 per student!) and 'The correct number of entrances' (congratulations you comply with the law) like those are the real problems.
Then again, I suppose this is the thinking we should expect from an educational culture run by spreadsheets.
I was opposed to this thing until they showed that fabulous first floor plan above. Color me impressed, Now I'm sold!
It does have a pretty nice surfboard storage room... and it even has windows. Priorities!
at least the MEP space has good exposure to natural light and ventilation.
i love that "apt" plan east sandwiched between mechanical rooms. beautiful. also the "apt" completely cut off from the hallway plan northwest. genius. why would student need doors or ways to get into and out of their units?
An eager freshman emerges from Munger Manor and heads to class.
Humanities major Trevor Coleman told The Daily Nexus, "Yeah, it takes 'til halfway through Animal Ethics 220 for my retinas to recover, but Pod 4469117 is where I call home!"
"Sorry, it's 4496711. Come on by."
I have had to mute this project on Twitter. I can’t put into words how rage-filled it makes me. I’m sick to my stomach just thinking about it, and I only clicked because I’m standing in a pizza joint waiting on a pizza, surrounded by people who are busting their asses to earn a wage that barely, slimly allows them to almost survive another week, and I just fucking can’t with rich people waving their dick around. I hope Munger dies before this thing gets built.
I hope Munger dies before his "donation" check clears.
Hope that pizza slice has pineapple on it. A pizza without pineapple is a waste of pizza.
Delete your account.
I’m kidding Non! Pineapple on pizza is fine *if* there is also ham.
Ham (or Canadian Bacon) and Pineapple pizza.... good stuff.
Donna, I expected my comment to be moderated. double Pineapple, ham, double cheese, and jalapenos.
Notice how they don't show any plans of the cellblocks, er ... "dormatories".
Probably trying to foil future escape plans by keep the plan out of the public record.
This could happen in a dorm like that.
https://www.ohio.edu/housing/c...
https://media.library.ohio.edu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Bancroft Hall at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It can house 4,500 students - the entire student body. The original building is at the top center of the first photo and was completed in 1908.
It’s lovely , and reminds me of the Quad at Penn.
bottom left surf board room? Wtf
"Munger," what an ugly name, but very appropriate for this monstrosity.
Great programming news! They found a spot for The Munger Center for Intense Counseling to Relieve Depression from Environmental Desensitization. Hang a left then a right after the surfboard garage.
For those who haven't OD'd on Munger Dorm—
The best possible outcome would be that UCSB decides not to build this monster, but victory would be hollow. They were locked in to this decision six years ago, which means six years wasted and they'll have to start from scratch, adding a delay of more years to deal with a long standing housing crisis. Even if Munger accepted compromise, none would be acceptable. A smaller, less dense dorm would still have many of the same problems.
What will be learned?
One thing that cannot be concluded is that the concept is a good one. Above, the basic unit for the Michigan dorm—are those queen-sized beds? It is more spacious, less densely packed. Note the large windows in the common area. And this thing is loaded with amenities, which make it attractive but can't be cheap.
https://www.veryapt.com/Apartm...
Above, the link to the survey everyone refers to. The high ratings come from from its excellent location and all those amenities. No one likes the windowless rooms, though one said they were good for afternoon naps. At best, they were something to get used to. Many who gave top ratings still thought they were a downside. Some found them completely unacceptable.
Good luck surviving seasonal depression or maintaining your slowly failing eyesight, especially during a pandemic and you should not be spending long periods in common spaces, when 95% of the rooms in Munger have NO WINDOW.
The response by a Michigan medical student.
What we don't see is a survey of how important windows are to students, which might have been factored into the design. They weren't asked.
You don't ask the sheep if they want to be sheared.
Meanwhile—
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/art...
A list of other billionaire proposals, including:
Construction will soon begin on a particle accelerator funded and designed by billionaire Doug Moriarty, who managed Warren Buffett’s softball team from 1988 to 1991 and from 1994 to 1995. Dozens of scientists have quit, citing the possibility that the accelerator, which amateur physicist Moriarty designed himself, might open a black hole into which Earth and eventually the entire solar system will disappear. “There are always risks,” Moriarty said from his office, which he also designed, and which also has no windows.
I didn't have heart to check if any were actually true.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QfArEGCm7yM
The proposed site of this building is only .35 miles (1800 feet) south of a runway on the local Santa Barbara airport. The airport has commuter jet and very large corporate jet aircraft use. (figure 60,000 to 100,000 pound airplanes taking off and landing around 130 miles an hour) The site is not on the extended centerline of the runway but height restrictions still apply. A building at the proposed location cannot exceed 150 feet in height. The proposed dorm is 14 stories which just squeaks in, apparently. Is it safe?: Who knows. Is is even necessary to build at this location? Absolutely not.
Announcing the Munger Hall Rooftop Auxiliary Landing Strip. Even easier for the wealthy kids to come and go on the weekends.
well then it makes sense to do without windows. good thinking Mungie!
That interior rendering sold me. Bleary eyed kids come stumbling out every day, not knowing what time of day of it is to sit comfortably on... plastic fake laminate wood conference table seating...... bathed in the loving glow of the artificial LED sun overhead day or night. delightful. But not to worry! They can always just watch whatever is on the community controlled television that is conveniently located on a side wall not facing any of the seats.
I remember being at the UCSB campus and having three thoughts:
1. So great that they embrace biking and created a bike/skate board only roadway throughout campus (just don't get hit as you cross it).
2. The campus infrastructure (paths, roads, old buildings, walls) was in pretty rough shape, esp compared to Berekely and UCLA, with "jewels" that were more recently built standing in contrast.
3. The climate was extraordinary and a lot of the buildings took advantage of it with outdoor circulation or in a similar vein thought carefully about shading / solar gain. Mostly from the most recent buildings and buildings from the 50s/60s (not so much 80s/90s/20s)
Putting aside the horror show of a design and the story of Munger's questionable "largess" and role - this is a TERRIBLE way to build a structure that is connected to and takes advantage of the climate it is in. How is it reasonable to create a building that must be so reliant on HVAC in particular if you are building it RIGHT AFTER a global pandemic where we (educators, architects, society) have had a re-awakening about natural ventilation.
Just really disappointing that decisions on these campuses are being made by people that run fossil fuel companies and corporations that put badly calculated ROI and other short term thinking ahead of humanity.
This is on the UCSB administrators. The way they are trying to ram this down everyone's throat without answering any questions or engaging in discussions but relying instead on public relations topspin is about as far from the classic role of the university as you can get.
Surfboards don’t need heating and cooling. What a joke.
Thanks, I needed that!
Petitions here:
https://www.change.org/p/ucsb-...
and here:
https://www.change.org/p/ucsb-...
Both getting votes.
How can anyone in their right mind consider inflicting this nightmare on innocent students?
Just tell Munger, thanks, but no thanks.
This thing is just plain nuts. In addition to the above:
A music room next to elevators and a study room (multi-purpose?). Noise? Note the two baby grand pianos, which will have to be purchased and periodically tuned. I assume they will also need security and surveillance. UCSB doesn't have a music department?
Note the pet corner. It looks like four pens, maybe a window, and a door to the exterior. I'm lost—visitors, or at least four of them, will keep their pets there unattended?
I assume there are more laundry rooms on the main floors? Why come all the way down to one that will be overcrowded if used?
The dorm has created the need for a full security staff and a place for them—five offices, a conference room, some kind of common area, where they'll need to find something to talk about. A building this size, with all its many functions, creates all kinds of special needs which will require special staff and facilities—and extra costs.
Custodial/maintenance is probably nowhere near large enough. If the food service areas get the use intended, they will be a mess. The place will look like a mall closing hours on a Saturday night. Imagine what it will look like in five years.
Trash lifts? How will they manage the trash generated by 4500 students on nine floors?
Elsewhere, a 40 seat theatre—again for 4500 students. Why?
The most significant ritual space, the first floor, exists largely for entry and to house the mechanical equipment, about a quarter of the area, that done so it won't be put on the top, allowing an open landscaped area there that has no view of the campus. Beyond that, the plan is crowded, incoherent, and uncertain—a half dozen TBD's. Munger's just cramming stuff in there to make it "nice," more because he doesn't know what to do with it. His primary motivation, however, seems to be that he doesn't want anyone to leave his dorm.
But back to the music room. You have a sudden urge to practice your tuba. So you lug the thing to the elevator, wait, go nine floors down to the practice room only to find it is full. Nothing else to do but go back up to your cube and blast away.
Does anyone ask sardines how they would like to be packed in the can?
Mock-ups of the rooms and common area have been sitting in a warehouse for several years. Story and pix here:
https://dailynexus.com/2021-11...
Count the utilities, multiply by 576.
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