Social Sciences & Humanities Building

This place definitely is hard to navigate through. Word is that the confusing architecture was intentional to force students to ask for directions as a social sort of experiment. I wonder if this is all being recorded as a long running experiment but it’s still interesting and it deserves its nickname «the Death Star».

I love the Death Star (although I’m not a Star War fan)!! The best part is that people usually get lost here which is the exact reason why the architect — Antoine Predock — designed this building the way it is. The whole point is to create interaction and generate conversations between people who are «trapped» in the Death Star. The Social Sciences building is full with different major advising offices. Also, the Dean College of Letters & Sciences locates at 200 SSH which is right at the basement of this structure.
I think this building is the most artistic yet innovative structure! That’s the reason why TEDx UC Davis chose this structure to be a part of the whole #insideout campaign in April, 2014.
If you have not been to the Social Sciences, please challenge yourself to explore glimps of UC Davis Star Wars! This building also deserves a spot in your «Things to do at Davis» checklist.

They need better maps in this place…

This place is a goddamn TRAP. Had to visit this building during my visit and let me tell you, if you’re late for class or something just go home. There’s not way you’re going to find jacksh*t in this building.
It’s nickname is the Death Star for a reason… people get lost for days in this place and are forced to ask people for help on how to get out. Honestly, if I went to Davis I would be a jerk and tell the freshman the wrong directions and have them venture deeper and deeper into the dark hole. But of course, I’m not a student there so the only use I could find for this building was to play Hide N Seek with 10 people.
The horrors…

I remember my first quarter freshman year I had a class in 1100 Socsci, and having heard such nightmares about the ‘Death Star’ I arrived a half hour early, so I could find my way.
We were all young and naïve once.
Then, I had to attend an office hours somewhere deep within the bowls of the beast. Being a Science major (that is Science with a capital S) I rarely had to venture into these parts. It turns out, by the time I found my way, my TA had locked up and left.
Embarrassing memories aside, I’ve had some great times; I remember watching the Princess Bride projected on a wall, thespians rehearsing Macbeth, the Lindy-​hop club, LARPers, and some exciting make-​out sessions in some of the out of the way corners.
It’s a part of being a UC Davis student. That’s all there is to it.

As much as I hated the «deathstar» when I first started attending UC DAVIS. I’ve learned to slowly love it as I learned to navigate around it. With the College of Letters and Science advising office and all my TA office hours being inside of SSH, it’s hard to go by 4 years without semi– learning how to get around without getting lost.
Personally, I think it’s the ugliest building on campus. But it does serve a great purpose as a conversation topic whenever friends come to visit davis.
Oh and buzzed hide and go seek here at night? PRICELESS :)

This building is crazy! Do you know how much time I spent running around lost? So much I rarely go to office hours!
Every now and then people play hide and seek here! Fun stuff! I also liked hanging out with friends on the roof at night. Have fun up here!

Oh keane, you so crazy.
So they told us that it was to facilitate communication that they designed the «death star» the way that it is.
But what I heard is it actually was part of a scare about students rioting, and making sure they are easily contained. You will see similar buildings on most college campuses, usually just 1 or 2 because the riots stopped and they realized how stupid the design is.
You can also tell if the administartion is scared of protests/​riots because they will remove a handle from one side of a double door, this is so they can not be chained together.
Anyways, the only thing good about the «death star» was to play tag or hide and seek. Make sure to not break a leg.. . they may never find you.

Final exam.
(Tense… Quiet…)
Guy jumps up out of nowhere!!!
«arraaaaaaAAAAAGGGGHHH!!!
FUCK…
THIS…
TEST!
This class is BULLSHIT!!!»
*Throws his test on the auditorium floor and storms out.*
(Growing laughter… then applause…)
We salute you, sir!
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The «Death Star» is by far the most awesome of all college complexes. The architect designed it such that people would get lost and have to ask for directions. I hate him, because it happened to me at least three times. (Why are all the doors locked?!)
During our last year, a girl reported a rape attempt here. Turned out she faked it. Regardless, getting someone lost probably isn’t the best feature for a building…
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Best college memory: playing Sardines at midnight.
Best place to hide: the roof.
Best Ming vase: priceless…