TikTok videos have gone viral showcasing USC’s newest building, the Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Human-Centered Computation Hall, near Downey Way and Taco Bell. The videos show the various features of the building, ranging from illuminated stairs near the seating area to the private study pods — some of which cost $35,000.
A TikTok account titled “yusuffinaballerina” posted a video exploring the new research building and observing people’s personalized screens at the studying booths, where students can customize the ambiance of their room.
While the TikTok video said that the building cost $300 million to build, Tim Cowell, USC Viterbi’s director of space planning and design, stated in September that the final budget for the building was $130 million.
Another TikTok account, titled “cht808,” posted a video showing off the features of the study pods, including environment controls, noise control, air conditioning and brightness of the room. The pod also featured a wireless charger and desk height adjustment.
Students studying at the hall shared their thoughts on the popular hotspot, sharing their excitement and appreciation over the facilities and how they overshadow USC’s libraries.
“It’s just a very welcoming place and a very modern building compared to other buildings on campus,” said Rachel Ta, a senior studying cognitive science. In response to the viral study pods, she said she feels it’s “really unique and other campuses don’t have something like that.”
Ginsburg Hall is a certified LEED platinum building with Living Lab technology, furthering the promise of USC’s mission of its 2028 sustainability plan.
The building is seven stories high and offers a variety of facilities for students. It offers unique amenities to students, from its over-300-seat auditoriums to the beloved studying pods that have captured students' — and TikTok’s — attention.
However, only the bottom and ground floor are accessible to all students. The rest of the building is only accessible to students who are a part of computer science classes or projects within the building, according to front desk staff at Ginsburg Hall. The two floors accessible to everyone still have quiet work spots, along with study pods.
Many students claimed they prefer Ginsburg Hall to other areas on campus.
“The atmosphere is pretty chill compared to other study places in USC — it’s more laid back,” said Floyd Nostratis, a freshman studying biomedical engineering.
“I like the open areas more here than the library,” said Kian Ahrabian, a third-year PhD student studying computer science. “It feels like everybody is very focused.”
Divija Godse, a first-year graduate student in the computer science and artificial intelligence program, described some of the aspects of Ginsburg Hall she liked the most.
“The small stairs have cushions and even charging spots, which is amazing. And, on top of that, even the faculty cabins are amazing,” she said.“This is definitely one of the best buildings I’ve seen here so far.”
Many of the students interviewed by Annenberg Media mentioned Ginsburg Hall as one of their favorite spots to study on campus.
“I’ll definitely keep coming back as a consistent place to do work,” Ta said.
Despite the cost of the building, many students don’t seem to be bothered by its hefty price tag.
“I don’t necessarily have a problem with [the cost], as long as this doesn’t really affect the other financial processes in USC,” said Nostratis.
“If people had alternative use of that money, maybe sure that was a better idea,” said Ahrabian. “But it’s a nice building, it accommodates a lot of the students, and it’s much nicer than the … previous building. So yeah, why not? If the university has the money.”