Rice Cribs: Where the magic happens

By Alex Bisberg     1/25/12 6:00pm

Starting this first edition of Rice Cribs at the top of Martel College seems completely fitting, as this northern residence is in the middle of its "Greek Week." It is no trifling fact that Speros P. Martel, the Grecian founder of the college, would be very proud of the student-designed room 423, a fourth-floor corner-suite tribute to his home country.

The men of the famed ‘flag room' greeted me warmly as I strolled into their comfortable living space.  The wall immediately to the left of the door was occupied by a full, hand-painted Greek flag. Up against it sat a two-piece, handmade wooden bar, full of at least 30 shot glasses and cups. Behind it stood a large refrigerator, magnets and all.  I was already stunned by one wall of this bacchanalian room; what could the rest of it hold?

Denis Leahy and Rhae Adams shook my hand and offered satisfied smiles as I strolled in.  

---

---

"We call it Mount Olympus," Adams asserted. They explained how they painted the professional-looking flag themselves, representing the Greek spirit of Martel. Their common room is filled with two comfortable couches and a high-definition 60-inch flat-screen TV. Accompanied by the tapping of XBox controller buttons, I watched, and heard in surround sound, nearly life-sized soldiers being assassinated in a harsh and lifelike manner.

Not only is this room great for relaxing, but it can also be easily transformed into the perfect party space.  The couch and TV can be cleared to make full use of the classic wooden bar and floor space where a beat-sensing laser creates musically synchronized visual patterns. Christmas lights lace the ceiling and some of the walls, a simple addition that would liven up any room.

Adams explained how he bought the schematics and built the bar himself during last summer. He recounted a story for me about the origin of the bar.

"Our original idea for the room was the bar," he explained, because a very similar bar was built when Martel was founded 10 years ago, yet the owner gave it to his friend at Wiess. Still, the tradition was revived by Adams and his suitemates.  Their first venture into carpentry definitely seems to be a success.

These gentlemen added to the room's sense of community by posing together for a Christmas photo. They enjoyed the photo shoot so much that they blew up a few of the photos, framed them and hung them in their palace fit for a Greek God, or should I say six?  

Climbing up to the top of Martel to reach Mount Olympus, guarded by its very own stuffed ‘Trojan Horse' was well worth the effort.

Rice Cribs explores various dorm designs around campus. If you would like to suggest a room to be, email Alex Bisberg at  ajb7@rice.edu

---