Spring Break
Dorms lack identity
Editorial board
Issue date: 7/19/07 Section: Opinions
We've addressed the architectural wonders that the buildings of Eastern's campus offer as well as the good upkeep and maintenance of campus. In this editorial, we would like to address some of the buildings on campus that are less satisfactory as far as architectural achievement goes. Specifically, some of the buildings on campus lack identity and distinguishable characteristics.
To see the distinguished, older and more intently designed buildings on Eastern's campus, one needs only to visit the North Quad. There, one will find buildings like Old Main the castle, and the newly renovated Blair Hall, among others. Also, the Library Quad offers the celebrated Booth Library as well as the work-in-progress Doudna Fine Arts Center.
However, when visitors come to the South Quad, they don't find much to be inspired by. The South Quad is home to many Eastern students during the school year because several residence halls are located there. Unfortunately, these buildings aren't designed with much heart and pretty much all look the same. It's understandable that these buildings were built with the intention to allow more students to live on campus, but they are rather bleak looking - especially compared to some of the more distinguished buildings on campus.
Take the Physical Science building for example. This building has an old-fashioned, academic presence about it. It looks like an old lecture hall that students have had class in for decades. One of the interesting things about Physical Science is the frieze along the top of the building where observers will see animals in the stone of the building. Also, names of some of history's leading scientists are spelled out in stone above some of the entrances of the building. These features make the Physical Science building distinguished from any other building on campus.
If it weren't for differences in height Thomas, Andrews, Lawson and Taylor halls would all be easily mistaken for each other. Observing the facades from the outside, the buildings all look the same. In the exterior, there are subtle differences between the buildings. In addition, Weller, Ford and McKinney halls of the triad are not easy to tell apart due to their similar and bland design. Stevenson is another structure that lacks inspiration, despite its status as the tallest building in Coles County.
Of course, we are not of the opinion that these buildings should be torn simply due to their lack of innovation. We do believe that more can be done to make these structures more distinguishable from each other.
There are places around campus where outdoor works of art can be found. Sculptures outside the Tarble Arts Center and Buzzard Hall are good examples. Perhaps gradually placing artwork outside some of the more plain structures can help lighten these places up and give them their own identities. In this way, at least the only difference between Thomas and Taylor wouldn't be co-ed housing and one extra floor.
To see the distinguished, older and more intently designed buildings on Eastern's campus, one needs only to visit the North Quad. There, one will find buildings like Old Main the castle, and the newly renovated Blair Hall, among others. Also, the Library Quad offers the celebrated Booth Library as well as the work-in-progress Doudna Fine Arts Center.
However, when visitors come to the South Quad, they don't find much to be inspired by. The South Quad is home to many Eastern students during the school year because several residence halls are located there. Unfortunately, these buildings aren't designed with much heart and pretty much all look the same. It's understandable that these buildings were built with the intention to allow more students to live on campus, but they are rather bleak looking - especially compared to some of the more distinguished buildings on campus.
Take the Physical Science building for example. This building has an old-fashioned, academic presence about it. It looks like an old lecture hall that students have had class in for decades. One of the interesting things about Physical Science is the frieze along the top of the building where observers will see animals in the stone of the building. Also, names of some of history's leading scientists are spelled out in stone above some of the entrances of the building. These features make the Physical Science building distinguished from any other building on campus.
If it weren't for differences in height Thomas, Andrews, Lawson and Taylor halls would all be easily mistaken for each other. Observing the facades from the outside, the buildings all look the same. In the exterior, there are subtle differences between the buildings. In addition, Weller, Ford and McKinney halls of the triad are not easy to tell apart due to their similar and bland design. Stevenson is another structure that lacks inspiration, despite its status as the tallest building in Coles County.
Of course, we are not of the opinion that these buildings should be torn simply due to their lack of innovation. We do believe that more can be done to make these structures more distinguishable from each other.
There are places around campus where outdoor works of art can be found. Sculptures outside the Tarble Arts Center and Buzzard Hall are good examples. Perhaps gradually placing artwork outside some of the more plain structures can help lighten these places up and give them their own identities. In this way, at least the only difference between Thomas and Taylor wouldn't be co-ed housing and one extra floor.
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