Inside IV: Architects Have Concerns About UCSB’s “Dormzilla”

A plan to build an eleven-story mostly-windowless residence hall at UC Santa Barbara that 4,500 students would call home continues to generate controversy both locally and across the country.

“It just seems wrong on almost every level.” Two Santa Barbara architects expressed their shock and concern over UCSB’s proposed Munger Hall mega-dorm on this week’s Inside Isla Vista radio program. Detlev “Detty” Peikert explained how considered the project dubbed “Dormzilla,” from the perspective of his work on affordable housing. “We would never design a building like that for poor people. Even homeless shelters are not designed in that manner for the poorest of the poor, even living on the streets.” Peikert and architect Cassandra Ensberg spoke with KCSB News Reporter Robert Stark about their concerns about Munger Hall. “It really is some kind of social experiment that hasn’t been researched in any way… as a way to treat students.” Many of the architects’ concerns were included in a letter sent to Chancellor Henry Yang from the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.