Written by Arun Sundaresan
The main facilities that students use on campus are the athletic complex (AC), Danforth University Center (DUC), computer labs, and libraries. These facilities are more than satisfactory, but most agree that the athletic complex is a bit starved for resources. Equipment and space are lacking in many areas, although it's still possible to do a wide range of sports. The DUC is the campus's most popular lunchtime eating establishment, but it also has many other uses. It houses Ibby's (an upscale sit-down restaurant), multipurpose rooms for clubs, and an upstairs lounge with bean bags, couches, flat-screen TVs, arcade games, and a Wii. As for libraries, they are all over campus, and they are comfortable and well-stocked. The main library, Olin, for example, recently underwent a complete renovation.
Students in the sciences find the labs and buildings to be first-rate; in fact, the University recently built new lab sciences, earth and planetary sciences, and biomedical engineering buildings to keep up with new technologies and the BME boom. There is also a massive new Sam Fox Arts Center which includes an art museum, library, and exhibit space for student work. Wash U's architecture was inspired by Oxford and Cambridge; however, students are sharply divided between die-hard supporters and detractors of the Collegiate Gothic architecture. One of the best aspects of the facilities is that they remain open and available to all students to use for studying, and can often be reserved ahead of time.