If you're a first-year student at RISD, you've got a variety of traditional-style dorm options. But the bulk of first-year students at the Savannah College of Art and Design are sited at the Hive, a co-ed, ultra-modern complex of four-person suites that feature a fit-and-finish more in line with a boutique hotel than a college dorm.

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

The Hive consists of eight identical four-story buildings with bee-themed names: Apiary, Bumble, Colony, Dance, Everest, Flower, Garden and Honey. (Colony's for upperclassmen and Dance is for those weirdo incoming transfer students, but the rest are for freshmen.) All of the rooms are identical four-person suites. Here's the floorplan of the rooms:

Enter a caption (optional)

I'm happy to see that, this being a design school, some actual design attention (sorely missing in most dorm rooms I've seen) was paid to the layout of the room. For instance you can see that the shower, toilet and bathroom sink have all wisely been placed in separate rooms, eliminating the situation where one person ties up the entire bathroom. Also, college students being college students, someone could brush their teeth at the (admittedly tiny) kitchen sink next to the bathroom in a pinch.

Every building in the Hive is ADA-compliant, and the complex features a dining hall, coffee shop and a freaking pool. The Hive is also, conveniently, an Amazon Locker location. The rooms have wireless internet and, this being Georgia, the rooms come with A/C.

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

Enter a caption (optional)

Here's the complete list of amenities:

Room features

* Suites with two double-occupancy rooms for four students
* Community cabinets with sink
* Living room with couch, end tables, coffee table and wall-mounted shelf for flat-screen TV
* Air conditioning
* Separate shower, toilet and sink facilities in each suite
* Extra-long, twin-size beds (36" x 80")
* Desk and chair for each resident
* Wardrobe with drawers for each resident
* Cable television service
* Wireless internet access for each resident

Residence features

* Elevator service
* On-site fitness center
* Pool
* SCAD Card- or coin-operated laundry
* Drink and snack vending machines
* Dining hall and coffee shop located at The Hive
* On-site security
* ADA accessibility

And here's a video tour of the Hive, which also provides dimensions:

Current SCAD students: If you have anything dorm-related to add--factoids, experiences, photos, videos--please let us know in the comments!