 Each building at MIT has a number ( possibly preceded by a W , N , E , or NW ) designation and most have a name as well . Typically , academic and office buildings are referred to primarily by number while residence halls are referred to by name . The organization of building numbers roughly corresponds to the order in which the buildings were built and their location relative ( north , west , and east ) to the original center cluster of Maclaurin buildings . Many of the buildings are connected above ground as well as through an extensive network of underground tunnels , providing protection from the Cambridge weather as well as a venue for roof and tunnel hacking . 
