Gillian Paguila / Thresher
College interior design can make you feel like royalty, or it can make you feel like you’re stuck in a cheap motel. From the grandeur of Baker’s Chandelier to the creepy skeletons of Hansen Commons, explore the cozy and uncomfortable, aesthetic and banal of each residential college’s design.
Tier A
baker university
Baker comes first. The Commons is similar to Hogwarts, and Baker Library is much better than Fondi. The wooden floors give it an antique feel, and the chandeliers make you feel like you’re in a museum. What some of the Old Wing’s lackluster rooms make up for in its common areas. Baker has an “old money” aesthetic that adds a historic and grand feel.
Mater University
Martel is home to the best (and only?) DDR machines. The game room and movie room are definitely Martel’s top attractions. Rooms are OK, but open to a quad outside (think cheap motels). The lighting in the Commons adds an interesting element and is the perfect place to host a faux wedding or quinceañera. It has such a wonderful design that you will forget that it is a parking lot.
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Lovett University
This property barely made it to the top (due to the questionable dormitory), but the homely and bright commons boost its rating. If you’re not from Lovett, their commons is where you want to go just to get a feel for it. A great place to work, chat, or just relax. Lovett’s basement is a little musty, but it’s the perfect place to host a celebration and make (or forget) memories.
Tier B
McMurtry & Duncan College
These two are basically the same thing, so I put them together. When I walk past, I have no idea if I’m in McMurtry or Duncan. The only difference is the shape of the commons (McMurtry’s is circular, Duncan’s is rectangular). Each college room is neat and the adjacent PDR is perfect for holding meetings or “locking in.” Overall, McDuncan’s new facilities and interesting commons boost its ratings, but its lack of uniqueness prevents it from reaching the top tier.
Wyss University
TFW (Team Forgettable Vys). Wies’s design isn’t outstanding. Their Commons looks like a 90’s shopping mall, but with a great stage for theatrical performances. The game room feels more like a nap area than a shared lounge. However, while their PDR is one of the best on campus and their dorms are very spacious, that alone is not enough to earn them a high rating. I wanted to talk more about Wies, but I forgot.
jones college
Jones Commons looks like the set of a low-budget Bollywood movie. Why are there so many trees? The Commons is usually empty (outside of meal times), so during the term it’s more empty than the pub. But Jichen has a “homey” feel that makes you feel like you’re baking cookies in your grandma’s kitchen. Each floor has common spaces and study rooms, but Jones’ dormitories and facilities could be improved.
brown college
Unless you’re from Brown, you probably won’t go there (it’s too far), so let me describe Brown for you. It’s in the middle. Commons apparently tried to copy Martell and Jones’ homework, but he didn’t want the teacher to notice. The rooms and facilities are among the worst on campus. However, Brown received “brownie” points for a much-needed cosmetic renovation this year that updated the college’s basement and furniture.
Tier C
hansen university
If you can get past the stench of Southern Servery, the Commons is fine. The skeleton in the middle of the commons adds a spooky element, but I only notice it about 1% of the time. New Hansen is okay, but I would classify Old Hansen as the worst dorm on campus. There is no elevator, and although the rooms are nearly 100 years old, they have hardly been renovated.
Will Rice College
The Will Rice Commons is small and cannot accommodate many people, which is not surprising given the size of the university. The game room is connected to the common area, so all the noise echoes around, making it a terrible place to work. Similar to Hansen and Baker, there is an extreme dorm disparity. Although the new dormitory is relatively new, the old dormitory is comparable to the old Hansen dormitory. The contrast between each residence hall makes living at Will Rice a lottery for new students.
sid richardson university
Sid Richardson’s room is brand new, but it feels like a McDuncan knock-off. The entire university has a sterile, corporate atmosphere. Sid should be in a dormitory, not an office where he does his consulting internship.
