Middle Earth
About Middle Earth
Middle Earth (one of two Residence Halls) is not only a place where Hobbits live in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, it is also a housing community at UC Irvine! Centrally located just off of Ring Road between Social Science and Engineering.
Most residential communities are mixed-gender, though all-female and gender-inclusive (see Open House theme hall) options are available.
Middle Earth at a Glance
24 “Classic” Residence Hall Communities
- 1,784 total spaces; 48-96 occupied beds per hall
- 5-10 rooms per suite
- Shared single-gender and gender-inclusive bathrooms
- Hall kitchen and living room
2 Five-Level “Towers”
- 640 total spaces; 320 spaces per tower
- Mixed-gender floors
- Two same-gender rooms share a bathroom
- Study space on every floor
- “Link Lounge” and kitchen connect the towers on each floor
- Laundry facilities on each floor
Community Facilities
- Brandywine Dining Commons
- Arkenstone Study Lounge
- Bucklebury Library
- Group study rooms
- Classroom space
- Convenience store
- Basketball court
- Pippin Recreation Center
- Private gym
“Living in Middle Earth is like a dream come true: Convenient on-campus location, friendly staff and residents, and everyone comes to eat lunch or dinner here – What more could you ask for?”
Meal Plans & Dining Facilities
All students living in the residence halls are required to hold a meal plan, and each res-hall community has a dining facility that serves three meals a day, Monday-Friday, and two meals a day on Saturday & Sunday. More information here.
Demographics
Fall 2021: 2,203 First- and Second-Year Students
Mixed-gender, all-female, and gender-inclusive communities
Live-in Resident Advisor in each community
Live-on full-time Residential Life Coordinators
Theme Communities
What are you interested in? Themed communities provide opportunities to explore your interests and talents, build relationships, learn and grow outside the classroom. Live with peers who share your interests or explore new interests in of of the general interest halls. All residents have the opportunity to participate in First Year Initiative (FYI) Programs that support academic success, community involvement, and personal wellness.
Amenities & Facilities
Study Lounges (Arkenstone, Bucklebury, and Wellinghall)
ARKENSTONE RESOURCE CENTER is a 24/7 study space. There are a number of academic support services offered here for students such as academic advising and peer tutoring in writing and library research. Also, there are computers installed there for quick use.
BUCKLEBURY STUDY LOUNGE is a 24/7 study spaces and multipurpose space. Often times, programs for students take place here. For instance, we offer programs that promote student-faculty interactions, so it is common to see faculty here at night for different programs.
WELLINGHALL STUDY PAVILLION Located on the second floor of the Laurelin-Telperion Tower.
Gandalf's Classroom and Athela's Classroom
Located across from Pippin dining commons, next to Arkenstone study lounge, this SMART classroom is home for many of Middle Earth’s programs, held by the community’s student staff. There are also quarterly classes hosted for Middle Earth Residents here – one aspect of how the academic mission extends into the living environment. This space is not currently available for outside use.
Athela’s Classroom is located on the first floor, inside the Wellinghall Study Pavillion. It will be used as a location for programs and quarterly classes hosted for Middle Earth residents.
Small Group Study Spaces
In addition to the study lounges, smaller group study spaces are available on the second floor of Laurelin-Telperion Tower. Keys can be checked out in Anborn.
Dome of Stars Multipurpose Room
Dome of Stars is home to programs and events offered by the Middle Earth community staff. Additional evening study space will be hosted by ACE Programmers in this space.
Sunland Poster Room
Located on the second floor of Laurelin-Telperion Tower, Sunlands is accessible through the Middle Earth Housing Office.
Hydration Stations
There are hydration stations (filtered water dispensers) located in each hall and across from Bucklebury Study Lounge.
Laundry Facilities
There are laundry facilities in each residence hall. All laundry machines operate with credit, debit, or prepaid debit cards.
Kitchens
Although meal plans are required in the residence hall housing contract, a small kitchen is located in every hall for preparing late-night snacks or other treats. The kitchen is furnished with a stove, oven, full-size refrigerator, and microwave.
Contact & Community Hours
Middle Earth Housing Office
The Middle Earth Housing Office provides a variety of services and information for residents. Services provided include:
- Temporary and replacement keys
- Mail and package distribution
- Information about room changes and contract cancellations
- Work Order forms – work orders may also be submitted on-line
- Lost and found
- General information about events in Middle Earth and on campus
- Appointments with Housing Staff
Contact Information
529 East Peltason Drive, Irvine, CA 92697-5521
(949) 824-5976
middleearth@uci.edu
| Mon – Fri | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Office | 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. | 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. | 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. |
| Arkenstone & Bucklebury (study) |
24 Hours | 24 Hours | 24 Hours |
| Pippin Recreation Center | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. |
| Fitness Center | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. | 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. |