Cuarto Area
Three residence halls make up Cuarto, the only residence hall area located off of the central campus. Located one block northwest of the Segundo Area and the northwest corner of campus, Cuarto is home to approximately 1,000 students. All three Cuarto residence halls are designed around private outdoor courtyards, two of which have swimming pools. Cuarto is the only residence hall area with swimming pools, although the pools are available for use to all residence hall community members. All of Cuarto’s rooms are organized into suites, with two- to four bedrooms arranged about a central, shared living room and bathroom.
Cuarto residents have access to the Area Service Desk and an Academic Advising Center in Thoreau Hall, and a Computer Center and a game area in Emerson Hall. Cuarto residents’ mailboxes are located in Emerson Hall. All halls offer multiple lounges and study rooms. The Cuarto Dining Commons is located in between Emerson Hall and Webster Hall.
Cuarto's Residence Halls
Cuarto’s residence halls are located in two areas: a three-building community on the south side, and a two-building community on the north.
Emerson Hall, Thoreau Hall, and Webster Hall
Emerson Hall, Thoreau Hall and Webster Hall are arranged, with the Cuarto Dining Commons, around the perimeter of Oxford Circle: Emerson Halll to the north, Thoreau and Webster Hall to the south, the Cuarto DC to the east (view the Cuarto Area map). A city park sits at the west end, at the entrance to the circle.
Emerson Hall
Emerson Hall is shaped like a Figure 8, with two exterior courtyards and a shared central space that includes a lounge and study space. The west courtyard, “grass side”, is landscaped with grass, pathways and sitting areas, and the east courtyard, “pool side”, has a swimming pool and sitting areas. About 490 residents call Emerson Hall home.
Thoreau Hall
Thoreau Hall is arranged about a landscaped courtyard that features a fountain, lawn, and sitting areas. Approximately 200 students live in Thoreau Hall each year.
Webster Hall
Webster Hall is architecturally similar to Emerson Hall, and like Emerson Hall's "pool side", Webster Hall's outdoor courtyard includes a swimming pool and sitting areas. Approximately 260 students reside in Webster Hall.
Overview of All Cuarto Residence Halls
The first floor of each building has a community lounge with cable television, a study lounge, a kitchenette, and a laundry room. Every suite has its own private living room, much like a traditional apartment; however, as with all residence halls, suites do not have kitchens. Unlike Segundo and Tercero, Cuarto utilizes private bathrooms instead of community bathrooms; every suite has its own bathroom for the private use of all suitemates. Also unlike Segundo and Tercero, Cuarto’s bathrooms also include a bathtub.
Most bedrooms are double-occupancy; there are a few single-occupancy rooms and triple-occupancy rooms. All living rooms and bedrooms are furnished, and carpeted flooring is utilized in each room. All rooms feature climate control.
All buildings are locked at all times. Access to each building is controlled by electronic locks; residents unlock exterior doors using their authorized registration/ID cards. All buildings utilize outdoor walkways too access the suites. Walkways are located inside the halls, along the perimeter of the courtyards; front doors open off of the walkways and enter into suites’ living rooms. Residents access their suites and their rooms using a traditional key. Bedrooms are keyed separately from each other so only roommates and not all suitemates have access to individual bedrooms.
Cuarto Dining
The Cuarto Dining Commons (DC), located on Oxford Circle between Emerson Hall and Webster Hall, is open to all residence hall students. In addition to the DC, residents may purchase drinks, snacks and more at Crossroads, the Cuarto DC's convenience store.
For information about the Student Housing dining program, including meal plans and other dining commons locations, refer to the Dining section of the website.
Advantages of the Cuarto Area
Cannot decide which housing area is best? Remember that all housing areas are equitable and complete with everything a resident needs for growth and success, but review the following list to see which features help differentiate Cuarto from the other housing areas.
- On-site swimming pools and spas
- The only secure (fenced and gated) bike parking lot in the residence halls is located at Thoreau Hall
- Private outdoor courtyards
- "Off-campus" location may help manage stress by creating a bit of separation between “going to class” and “being at home”, rather than living next door to classes
- (A note of clarification: Cuarto residence halls, like all UC Davis residence halls, are located on university property and thus are "on-campus"; however, Cuarto is one block northwest of the central campus and next door to off-campus locations, hence its reputation for being "off-campus")
- Close proximity to campus, and even closer proximity to community shopping
- The Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) and the Recreation Pool are a short bike ride away