Exploring UCLA's Saxon Suites: A Comprehensive Guide

UCLA offers a variety of on-campus housing options, each with its unique features and benefits. Among these, the Saxon Suites stand out as a popular choice, offering a blend of community and independent living. This article delves into the details of Saxon Suites, exploring their amenities, costs, and overall living experience.

Overview of UCLA On-Campus Housing

On-campus housing at UCLA is categorized into four main types: Classic Residence Halls, Deluxe Residence Halls, Plaza Residences, and Suites. The Suites, located in Hitch and Saxon complexes, offer a distinctive living arrangement compared to the other options.

What are the Saxon Suites?

The suites, located at Hitch and Saxon, are broken up into smaller buildings, with outside entrances to each unit. The suites have a common living room space, and two rooms that share a bathroom.

Location and Design

The 2.8-acre site of Saxon Suites is situated in the northwestern corner of the UCLA campus along De Neve Drive. A significant portion of the eastern third of the site presented challenges due to more than 60 feet of undocumented and unsuitable soil.

Recognizing the existing campus's lack of emergency access and the complex's "placelessness" that discouraged connection and community, the redesign focused on creating a sense of place and improving accessibility.

Studio E Architects revamped the UCLA Saxon Suites, stripping 96 two-bedroom suites down to their structure and rebuilding them.

Key Features and Amenities

Suite Layout: Saxon Suites feature a unique layout with two bedrooms, a shared living room, and a private bathroom with a shower.
Living Room: A significant advantage of living in Saxon Suites is the presence of a living room. This space provides residents with a comfortable area to study, relax, and socialize with friends.
Furnishings: Every room is furnished with a bed (twin XL), desk, and dresser (both closet and drawer space) for each resident.
Community Spaces: Saxon Suites boast indoor and outdoor social and study spaces, fostering a sense of community among residents. The lounge is great for inviting friends over. It is very peaceful and spacious, and not too far from the rest of the hill.
Laundry Facilities: Community laundry rooms are available at Hitch and Saxon, providing convenient access to laundry services.
Outdoor Features: A cold-water fountain is located outside, offering a refreshing amenity. A central study spot is available, though it can get crowded.
Emergency Access: The redesign of the site included creating an emergency vehicle access point, enhancing safety and security for residents.
Esplanade: A clearly articulated esplanade connects the site to the larger campus, serving as an outdoor space and facilitating movement.

The Commons Building

The commons building houses gathering spaces, study lounges, multi-purpose areas and offices. It is primarily a steel frame structure that has a hovering steel box above and completely glazed enclosures at the ground level. A brick clad service bar with mechanical services, laundry and restrooms acts as the central point of the commons at ground level.

Acknowledging the difficult soil condition, the commons cantilevers more than 30’ over this poor soil making indoor spaces above and outdoor spaces below.

Renovation Details

A composite fibre reinforced hybrid cladding called Resysta along with cement board sidings was used to clad the renovated buildings. Stairs and bridges are not concealed within, but are visible on campus. These “active” parts of the circulation system have stainless steel incisions along with glass railings and acrylic panels that are back-lit. “Expressive stairs encourage walking up instead of using the elevator. The blank upper level wall overlooking the plaza is designed for community movie nights on the plaza.

Contract Rates and Meal Plans

UCLA Housing offers different contract rates based on the meal plan selected. The rates below reflect the full academic year costs:

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	19P Meals	14P Meals	11P Meals
Room Portion	\$12,460	\$12,460	\$12,460
Meal Plan	\$6,878	\$6,534	\$5,973
Social Fee	\$38.76	\$38.76	\$38.76
Total Contract Payment	\$19,377.72	\$19,033.44	\$18,472.56
19 Meals (Sunset Village)	\$6,196	\$6,026	\$5,566
Total Contract Payment (SV)	\$18,696.00	\$18,525.00	\$18,064.44

Note: Rates are per person and subject to change.

Quarterly Installment Schedule

All students are placed on a quarterly payment plan. An initial installment of \$500 may be due upon accepting the housing offer, depending on the student's financial aid situation. This initial payment is then deducted from the September installment.

Student Experiences and Considerations

Community: Saxon is a fun place to live if you know all of your roommates. As a first year, you're living with potentially 5 other strangers and it makes or breaks your experience.
Social Atmosphere: While some find Saxon Suites to be "socially dead," RAs often organize events to help residents connect with one another.
Roommate Dynamics: The experience in Saxon Suites can be significantly influenced by the compatibility of roommates.
Living Room Benefits: Residents appreciate having a living room for studying, hosting friends, and relaxing.
Potential Drawbacks: Some students have noted issues such as small sinks, awkward closet arrangements, and poor lighting, especially in the living room.
Lack of Air Conditioning: A significant drawback of Saxon Suites is the absence of air conditioning, which can make the summer months uncomfortable. However, breezes from the nearby ocean (5 miles away) can help to mitigate the heat.
Bathroom Sharing: In triple occupancy rooms, residents share one shower and one bathroom with five other people, which some may find inconvenient.
Location: Saxon is better suite dorm in your opinion since it's not as far up the hill and it's pretty close to Gayley/off campus apartments.
Stairs: There also doesn’t seem to be an elevator anywhere for the actual rooms so just know that if you’re choosing between the ground floor and the top ones.

Pros and Cons of Living in Saxon Suites

To summarize, here's a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of living in Saxon Suites:

Pros:

Spacious living room for studying and socializing
Community atmosphere
Convenient location
Furnished rooms

Cons:

No air conditioning
Small bathrooms
Potential roommate compatibility issues
Can be noisy

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