The Modern Dorm Room

The rooms in Leopold Residence Hall feature high ceilings and walk-in closets. University Housing

When I was a freshman in 2010, I roomed in Sellery Hall, dined at Gordon Commons, and worked out at the SERF. The facilities were, in the kindest possible word, adequate. In the intervening years, UW–Madison has renovated Sellery Hall and knocked down the other facilities for state-of-the-art replacements. Am I a bit jealous? Perhaps.

I toured the new Gordon Dining & Event Center and the Nicholas Recreation Center when they opened in 2012 and 2020, respectively, and was blown away by their massive scale and modern amenities. But I had never been inside a newer dorm room to see if today’s students truly are living in luxury.

To find out, I set up a tour of Leopold Residence Hall, which opened in 2013 and remains the university’s newest residential facility.

Anyone who’s lived in the UW’s older dorms will recognize the practical, no-frills interior of Leopold Hall’s rooms: concrete block walls, neutral colors, carpet tiles, lofted single beds, and small desks. And the quarters are still cozy, though the high ceilings make the space feel airier. The new standard layout includes a walk-in closet that sections the room into two and affords more privacy for changing. With the university’s enrollment booming in recent years, these 167-square-foot rooms are serving as “triples” — housing three residents instead of the traditional two.

The most enviable in-room amenity is the ability to individually control heat and air conditioning. But the shared spaces are what really shine. There are multiple “cluster-style” bathrooms on each floor, so only a handful of rooms have to share one rather than the entire floor. Each floor has access to a full-scale kitchen — with more counter space than in most homes — attached to the lounge. Built for sustainable living, Leopold Residence Hall also has a 1,000-square-foot greenhouse on its top floor.

Once again, I’m jealous. But hey, at least I didn’t have to share my dorm room with two people.

Published in the Fall 2024 issue