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An independent panel that studied the “dormzilla” proposed for the University of California, Santa Barbara, has concluded that the project, even as modified recently, represents a safety threat, the Los Angeles Times reported.
It should undergo a “robust redesign” with more windows, ventilation and bedroom space, said the report.
The project was designed for 4,500 beds in small rooms—most without windows—in an 11-story warehouse-size building. The design is favored by billionaire Charles Munger, who donated $200 million for the residence hall that will be named after him.
“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,” said the report.
The Munger Hall project team released a statement that said it was “actively working” with architects to add more windows where possible, additional ventilation shafts that will allow students to cook in their suites and greater airflow in the common rooms.
