NYU Residential Life and Housing Services announced today that the university would be opening up yet another residence hall for the 2014-2015 school year. In light of the news that Hayden Residence Hall will be closed and renovated in the coming year, NYU has decided to create a new, unconventional freshman residence hall to accommodate housing demands.
Amidst rumors swirling of people living inside the famous Astor Place cube, NYU Residential Life and Housing Director Jimmy McMillan, along with Ron Swanson, the head of the NYU Mental Health Committee, came up with a transformative housing experience for incoming freshmen.
The Cube, as the hall will be known, will provide housing for 50-75 students in one common area. The dorm will not have bedrooms, or even beds, but rather will encourage students to pile on top of one another for optimal comfort and warmth. It will also be NYU’s most environmentally friendly dorm, as the Cube will not have electricity, running water or heating.
McMillan and Swanson said the Cube will provide a housing experience unlike any other, giving students an opportunity to build character.
“The Cube will be part of NYU’s First-Year Residential Experience, with one survival-themed living space,” Swanson said. “Research has shown that there are many positive psychological effects that come from a deprivation of personal space, darkness and, at times, extreme heat.”
Swanson, a man passionate about simplicity, insisted that the Cube be free of any kind of storage space, forcing students to live without any personal belongings.
The Cube will undergo minor renovations to make the housing experience more comfortable for the students who choose to live there. It will be outfitted with padded walls and a small turnstile that will be monitored by a member of NYU Public Safety.
A short walk from campus and the Astor Place subway stop, McMillan said the Cube will be perfect for students on a budget.
“Many people have complained in the past that the cost of NYU housing is too damn high, but the Cube will provide affordable housing for students who want to be close to campus and value convenience,” McMillan said.
A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, April 1 print edition. Junior the Elephant is the baby of Colonel Hathi, the leader of a herd of Indian elephants. Email the herd at [email protected].
