Carleton's New Residence Advertises Smallest Rooms Legally Possible

By: Mike Holuj

Carleton University recently obtained a building permit to create yet another residence building. The new structure boasts a higher student capacity, despite its smaller size.

In 2011, Carleton University opened Lennox & Addington residence buildings, which saw students packed together in small rooms. There was room for two beds, two desks, a sink, small closet, and a shared bathroom with another room. In total, its capacity is 717 students. The goal this year is to find a way to fit 1,000 new students into a building normally meant for 500.

“We’re using bunk beds to fit four people into a room smaller than what we built in 2011 with Lennox & Addington,” says Alessandro DiMillo, the chief architect. “We’re trying a new system for the bathroom. Two toilets and two shower heads,  back to back for privacy, of course. We want to meet our goal of having literally the smallest rooms we’re allowed to build while also providing some privacy to students. Compromise and all that, you know?”

In an effort to further save space, the building is being designed with actual paper for walls. “Every inch counts, which is why we’re having four rooms share a bathroom,” says DiMillo.

The residence building, tentatively named Sardinia, is set to open in September 2017 but construction won’t finish until sometime in 2018.