Ship cabin architecture is inherently compromised by multiple, sometimes complex, aspects related to overall function. Striving for this design on land seems to represent a misguided direction.
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And would you want to live that way for a year on a cruise ship? I know I certainly wouldn’t. Just the idea of going on a cruise gives me the heebie-jeebies and not having a window would make it worse.
I also think it’s a really boring box. Definitely not “stunning”. Just a great big box.
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Not my cup of tea either. But then again, cc kids are not the target market.
~30 students at UCSB are Pell Grantees. Over 50% of students are are need-based aid. (and that is not a HYS-level definition of “need”)
Cost of housing is a HUGE factor for most UC students and in particular, the more diverse students the University desires to attract. So the question becomes, how much extra would it cost per month (to the students) to have fewer rooms but all rooms have a window? (And how many fewer kids can live on campus?)
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Am I missing the fire exits?
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My son said there were 6-8, I don’t remember exactly.
6-8 fire exits for 4500 students in an 11 floor building? Sorry…but I wouldn’t live there and would not allow my kids to live there.
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Re: fire exits
The floor plan shows each 64-student “house” common area with access to two stairwells, most of which are shared by two “house” common areas per floor, in addition to the main entryway.
Based on the materials posted by @CheddarcheeseMN, the dorm is next to the Santa Barbara Airport runways. Hopefully the dorm has good sound insulation? Maybe it is good there are no windows?
And it is as far away from the beach as you can get and still be on campus.
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The airport isn’t very busy, so I don’t think that will be too big of a deal. Mostly smaller planes too. I was wondering if it was in the flight path, but it doesn’t look to be. Our son lived in university apartments not far from there and the airport wasn’t even something they thought about.
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Much love here for the airport and SB generally. SBA is probably my favorite airport ever (small size, not too busy, easy access), but I wouldn’t want to live that close to it.
No matter what you build in that particular spot, it isn’t going to get you a great view, like people assume. Unless it is tall. Which I don’t think you can do, so close to the runways. In fact, I highly doubt you could build a big dorm on land with a pacific view these days. None would be available, or not zoned correctly or too expensive. I can understand the sentiment behind the building, making the most of the available land in an area strapped for housing.
Regarding the location…
Looking at the document linked in the first post, the proposed site is not in the flight paths of the airport, and it is about a mile from beaches. The proposed building does have a surfboard storage room, so it appears that they are anticipating people walking to and from the beach with their surfboards.
My introverted extrovert was terrified of the “hall style” dorm concept and tried very hard to finagle a suite situation (she was unsuccessful, as most dorms at her university are hall style). Surprisingly, she is thriving - loves her living situation, has her door open most of the time, hangs out with everyone on her floor (they even have a floor intramural volleyball team).
Her boyfriend, at another university, lucked out with a high room pic and got into a coveted 4 room/double occupancy suite with a bathroom and common area. He is one of the most outgoing, charismatic young people that I have ever met. He can work a room in 5 minutes or less and introduce himself to everyone in it (we’ve nicknamed him “The Mayor” because he knows everyone). He has struggled being in a closed off suite. He is used to getting around and meeting everyone and all the suite doors on his hall are always closed. He doesn’t even know who is in the suite across the hall, or even whether they are males or females. He has visited my daughter and is very envious of her hall style situation (and predictably, he already knows most people on her floor 
)
I think it would be interesting to compare how freshmen in particular feel about being in a closed off suite vs. hall style. I think the latter is a better situation for freshmen who are new to the college experience (as much as they may be terrified of it). Leave the suites to the upper class students and grad students, who like you mentioned, are more mature and have successfully assimilated to the college lifestyle.
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I agree that grad students are a different animal from undergrads.
Another contrast between this design and the Munger Hall at Michigan is that every apartment there has a wall of windows in the living room. You don’t have to go anywhere to get natural light; just open your bedroom door. When I initially saw the UCSB suite plans, I thought this would be the same. But I was wrong – the only windows are in the big space shared by the 64 members of the house. That’s bananas!
This design wouldn’t meet code as a tenement on the Lower East Side in the 1870s. That’s…not good.
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I think my absolute biggest problem with this building is the number of residents to two exits. I’m also extremely concerned about lack of egress in case of fire. My son is applying to UCSB this year. I checked the date of when this building was expected to be completed and was pleased he wouldn’t risk being subjected to it. I don’t think I’d let him go if this was his likely housing his first year.
And I agree with the people before me - $200M is barely a dent in the 1.5B price tag. That’s nuts they’re accepting the conditions and agreeing to build it with no modifications. I’m glad that architect quit and brought attention to this thing.
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Don’t assume if you haven’t read the plans (https://www.dfss.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/docs/dcs/DRC%20Meeting%20Packet%2010.05.21.pdf specifically p57-59). There are two main lobbies but also 6 more fire escape staircases, three on each side. That’s plenty.
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Getting more press: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/29/business/ucsb-munger-hall/index.html
I feel the same way except, even if my D won’t be a possible guinea pig for the dorm, if she got in I’d still be concerned about sending her to a school where the admin thinks this is good for the students. I realize the housing shortage and pressure to increase student numbers puts them in a bind, but this is too much IMO.
I agree with others who say it might be ok as an option for upperclassmen or grad students who’ve had a chance to live in dorms and have a better since of what would work for them. I know for my kids, this would be unhealthy and unsafe.
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The architect who resigned from the project offers his views directly to the public in this L.A. Times opinion article:
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Munger doubles down.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/business/munger-residences-michigan-windowless/index.html
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The fact that he equates controlled artificial light (and I bet it’s LED light which is even worse) with sunlight says it all. The bedrooms are horrible and to be paying $1000 a month for it?? And how convenient there are no pictures of the bedrooms online. Mmmm……
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I just think it’s a time and cost saving measure. Windows cost money and time in a project.
And while I love Ann Arbor, I’ll be going back this weekend, it’s not Santa Barbara.
Also, I can’t wait to see all the surfboards on the 1-mile bus ride to the UCSB beach, because I don’t see the surfers carrying their boards to the beach.