6 ms·

No windows? No natural light whatsoever? That's gotta have a serious negative impact on the mental health (and possibly sleep patterns?) of the students. Not t

No windows? No natural light whatsoever? That's gotta have a serious negative impact on the mental health (and possibly sleep patterns?) of the students. Not to mention that in case of a fire, all the people rushing to the two exits will get into a stampede, and those who remain in their rooms will suffocate, with no windows to open for fresh air or to be rescued from? This is the most dystopian thing I've heard of in a while.

raldi 5y ago
There are tons of windows and natural light in the common areas; the design is meant to encourage congregation there. The bedrooms are just for sleeping, dressing, and sex.
- Gare 5y ago
  I count 64 bedrooms per "house". That's a lot of people for a single common area that doesn't seem that big.
  - raldi 5y ago
    There's a small common area for every eight bedrooms, and larger ones shared between groups.
    - Gare 5y ago
      Yes, but the small area is also windowless.
- em-bee 5y ago
  i don't like to sleep in a room without windows. i like to see the night sky or signs of life outside my room, and most importantly i hate waking up in the dark. i would switch universities or sue if forced to accept a windowless room.
  - raldi 5y ago
    For students who prioritize windows in the room where they're almost never awake, they have every other dorm on campus to select from.
  - slownews45 5y ago
    Do you understand how how housing selection works ? There is zero requirement to live in their housing. So what the hell are you going to sue them over? There is a shortage of on-campus housing - do you understand that? That is what this project is trying to solve for in part. If you live off campus - go for it! In fact, even if you WANT to live on campus you'll have to enter a lottery after year 1, they only usually can prioritize first year students. So trust me, if you don't like this housing, no one is going to make you pay for it, and they'll be happy to have you out. This type of housing really works for folks who like working with others, getting along with others, making friends. And as someone who didn't get a single until senior year, being able to get it on without having folks walking through or in room will be seen as a MAJOR positive by students.
    - em-bee 5y ago
      i would sue them if i was forced. if there is a choice, i'll of course take that instead. but i am expecting that noone should want to live in a room without windows, so some people are going to get the short straw. of course i may be wrong and there are enough students who actually don't care, or even prefer it over the alternatives. however i fear that most of those are not aware of the downsides of a windowless room. This type of housing really works for folks who like working with others, getting along with others, making friends. that is not the point. i like working with others too. but waking up in complete darkness every day is not healthy. even if most students won't be harmed by it, some will. sure, i understand the tradeoff you are making. and i expect many will if that's the only way to get some privacy. that is understandable. but as a parent i would be worried sick if my kids would make that choice. there is no reason a building has to be designed that way. it should be entirely possible to give everyone a small room with a window. how much personal space do you need to sleep? 4m² should be enough.
raldi 5y ago
There are ten emergency stairwells on every floor: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FC1jlGjVEAIvAG8?format=jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FC1jlGjVEAIvAG8?format=jpg
mrweasel 5y ago
Even in the US having living quarters with no windows must be illegal. It’s dumb enough that people are allowed to work in offices with no windows, but this has to be illegal.
- mikeg8 5y ago
  But it is not. Not all rooms can be places along the exterior walls of the building.
  - em-bee 5y ago
    in many places in the world houses are designed to allow windows in every room. it's not that hard.
    - thehappypm 5y ago
      Yes, many buildings are shaped in interesting ways to allow it as well. For example, this building could have an interior courtyard and then have windows facing both out and facing in. Or even a few courtyards.
  - greedo 5y ago
    Most code requirements in the US require a bedroom to have an egress window.
    - mikeg8 5y ago
      True. But there are exceptions, including the presence of fire suppression which this building will most definitely have. And dormitories fall under different codes than residential building codes which is where the egress window rule comes from.
ciabattabread 5y ago
NYC has a law that for a room to be legally called a bedroom, it must have a window that's not on a lot line. I can't believe California doesn't have a law like that.
- black6 5y ago
  That's a pretty common building code across the US for typical residential units. Hotels and the like get around it by offering multiple avenues of escape in the event of an emergency.
- wyager 5y ago
  The NYC law doesn’t actually accomplish much though. The last time I lived in NYC, probably 4 years ago, I was in a $3k/month studio and my legally mandated window faced into the interior well of the building, maybe 50x50’ wide and probably 40 stories deep. No plants, only the palest hint of sunlight.
- throwawa21782 5y ago
  I once got a deal on a 1600sqft apartment in a Maryland row home. It was listed as a 1-bed, even though it had 2 more rooms that were as big as the bedroom, but couldn't legally be called bedrooms because no windows. I believe the codes required you couldn't have more people living there than could live in 1 bedroom.

raldi 5y ago

There are tons of windows and natural light in the common areas; the design is meant to encourage congregation there. The bedrooms are just for sleeping, dressing, and sex.

Gare 5y ago
I count 64 bedrooms per "house". That's a lot of people for a single common area that doesn't seem that big.
- raldi 5y ago
  There's a small common area for every eight bedrooms, and larger ones shared between groups.
  - Gare 5y ago
    Yes, but the small area is also windowless.
em-bee 5y ago
i don't like to sleep in a room without windows. i like to see the night sky or signs of life outside my room, and most importantly i hate waking up in the dark. i would switch universities or sue if forced to accept a windowless room.
- raldi 5y ago
  For students who prioritize windows in the room where they're almost never awake, they have every other dorm on campus to select from.
- slownews45 5y ago
  Do you understand how how housing selection works ? There is zero requirement to live in their housing. So what the hell are you going to sue them over? There is a shortage of on-campus housing - do you understand that? That is what this project is trying to solve for in part. If you live off campus - go for it! In fact, even if you WANT to live on campus you'll have to enter a lottery after year 1, they only usually can prioritize first year students. So trust me, if you don't like this housing, no one is going to make you pay for it, and they'll be happy to have you out. This type of housing really works for folks who like working with others, getting along with others, making friends. And as someone who didn't get a single until senior year, being able to get it on without having folks walking through or in room will be seen as a MAJOR positive by students.
  - em-bee 5y ago
    i would sue them if i was forced. if there is a choice, i'll of course take that instead. but i am expecting that noone should want to live in a room without windows, so some people are going to get the short straw. of course i may be wrong and there are enough students who actually don't care, or even prefer it over the alternatives. however i fear that most of those are not aware of the downsides of a windowless room. This type of housing really works for folks who like working with others, getting along with others, making friends. that is not the point. i like working with others too. but waking up in complete darkness every day is not healthy. even if most students won't be harmed by it, some will. sure, i understand the tradeoff you are making. and i expect many will if that's the only way to get some privacy. that is understandable. but as a parent i would be worried sick if my kids would make that choice. there is no reason a building has to be designed that way. it should be entirely possible to give everyone a small room with a window. how much personal space do you need to sleep? 4m² should be enough.

raldi 5y ago

There are ten emergency stairwells on every floor: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FC1jlGjVEAIvAG8?format=jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FC1jlGjVEAIvAG8?format=jpg

mrweasel 5y ago

Even in the US having living quarters with no windows must be illegal. It’s dumb enough that people are allowed to work in offices with no windows, but this has to be illegal.

mikeg8 5y ago
But it is not. Not all rooms can be places along the exterior walls of the building.
- em-bee 5y ago
  in many places in the world houses are designed to allow windows in every room. it's not that hard.
  - thehappypm 5y ago
    Yes, many buildings are shaped in interesting ways to allow it as well. For example, this building could have an interior courtyard and then have windows facing both out and facing in. Or even a few courtyards.
- greedo 5y ago
  Most code requirements in the US require a bedroom to have an egress window.
  - mikeg8 5y ago
    True. But there are exceptions, including the presence of fire suppression which this building will most definitely have. And dormitories fall under different codes than residential building codes which is where the egress window rule comes from.

ciabattabread 5y ago

NYC has a law that for a room to be legally called a bedroom, it must have a window that's not on a lot line. I can't believe California doesn't have a law like that.

black6 5y ago
That's a pretty common building code across the US for typical residential units. Hotels and the like get around it by offering multiple avenues of escape in the event of an emergency.
wyager 5y ago
The NYC law doesn’t actually accomplish much though. The last time I lived in NYC, probably 4 years ago, I was in a $3k/month studio and my legally mandated window faced into the interior well of the building, maybe 50x50’ wide and probably 40 stories deep. No plants, only the palest hint of sunlight.
throwawa21782 5y ago
I once got a deal on a 1600sqft apartment in a Maryland row home. It was listed as a 1-bed, even though it had 2 more rooms that were as big as the bedroom, but couldn't legally be called bedrooms because no windows. I believe the codes required you couldn't have more people living there than could live in 1 bedroom.