The Last Hoo-rah

For our final Arch 199 project, we designed the city of Octavia, a fictional place imagined by Italo Calvino in his text Invisible Cities. This city is described as “the spider-web city” and is held up solely by ropes and chains between two mountains. All buildings hang below the support system. Those who live in Octavia cannot be certain of their fate from day to day because, as Calvino points out, “they know the net will only last so long” (Calvino, 75). We took these ideas and transformed the fictional place into a real structure with a twist: the whole thing was made out of candy. (Margaret)

Using Lifesavers, Twizzlers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Starburst, Gummy Bears, dental floss, Hershey’s Kisses, and some rope, we created Octavia on a scale that spanned the size of a room. Below our city, marshmallow clouds rested upon a bedsheet that represented the void into which the city would inevitably fall. There were three main support ropes, with floss, Twizzlers, and Fruit Roll-Ups creating the rest of the spider web. Everything else hung from these supports, with nothing rising up. (Samantha)

Our construction of our masterpiece was most definitely on the fly, but it turned out much better than we initially thought. Our original idea was to have a dozen or so skewers with a pineapple on each side with some fruit on the skewers and some rock candy hanging as well; we were quickly told that this was too small scale and we had to shoot for the stars! When we finally secured our exhibition locale, the famous “Eagle’s Nest” room in Temple Hoyne Buell Hall, we really took a big step forward. We constructed the city in phases and different waves of volunteers. The structure went up Sunday, the houses and city elements early Monday, the clouds below on Monday night, and the great finishing touches before the unveiling on Tuesday. (Patrick)

With candy, we tried to recreate a lot of the elements from the description, keeping the principle that everything ‘hung below’ instead of rising. So our city, concentrated at the centre with clusters of ‘ground-scrapers and houses’ hung below. We also included elements such as people who inhabited the city. Ultimately ,we were able to create an edible model of a city that the inhabitants know will last so long, by making it out of substances that we wanted our audience to interact with and tear down. (Rajasi )

This project provided an interesting experience, particularly with our choice of city, as it required us to pour all the knowledge we had accumulated over the course of the semester into a delicious model.  I’ll be the first to admit that I swiped a few starbursts and hershey kisses during the construction phase, but it was, nonetheless, an engaging project to have to assemble a city based solely upon a one page description provided by Italo Calvino.  Some features were deliberate and some features were unintended, but in the end I think we did a bang up job assembling Octavia for the class, not to mention it was incredibly delicious.  (Charles)

Creating an edible model of Octavia definitely turned out tougher in the end that I originally thought it would be. What seemed to be a simple design in the beginning led to multiple iterations before we could finally put all the pieces together. Although we wanted to make the model completely edible, we found that that would be next to impossible on the scale we were given, spanning the Eagle’s Nest. We needed to include a few non edible supports that would help steady the project until the Giants came and tore down the city. As we could see first hand, no one was ever sure when the city would be no more. (Cody)

Smalltown USA

        Today we toured a town that reminded me a whole lot of my hometown. While I grew up in a town about 3 or 4 times the size of Philo, a lot of similarities arise between all of the farming communities of Illinois. To begin with, we met the people who didn't ride the bus at Casey's General Store. Yes, we have on of those in Fairfield, and it happens to be located in the same relative location: on the main road into town, just past city limits. Professor Hinders explained that Casey's market is all the small farming communities across the mid-west as they act as a small town Wal-Mart.

         Then we took about a 10 minute drive around the community. Of course, it is located at the cross section of a highway and railroad track, offering multiple means to transport crops to market. The main drag consists of everything a town needs: Library, Bank, Post Office, Water Tower, and Tavern. As we went deeper into the community we were able to see very different types of homes, and even a subdivision in such a small town. I am still able to relate everything I have mentioned to my hometown, and I probably will be able to for the entirety of this post, but I won't bore you with that information. 

        We also discussed the presence of the different churches and how they are representative of the culture in Philo. There is a Catholic Church and Grade School in the center of Philo. Philo's population is said to be 50% Catholic, so it makes sense for both of these to be present. The explanation for the dense Catholic Population could stem from the German settlement in Philo. There are two other churches in Philo. It seems to be to be the trend for each small farming community to have 1 church for about every 500 residents. My hometown's populations is about 5,500, and I am sure we have 11 churches within the city limits.

        We ended the day at the Philo Tavern with some very tasty appetizers that were very generously paid for by Professor Hinders. All in all, we had a good day when we traveled to the Center of the Universe.

EB and KAM

            Today we went on a "student led" tour that took us through the Education Building and the Krannert Art Museum. We started at the Education Building, and at first glance, you can see that the building represents a temple. In the original plans, there was to be a sister building built where THBH currently resides. The space between the two buildings was going to be an open area that implied conversation between the two buildings. This idea mimics the UGL because it consists of two temples that frame a void in the middle. However, those plans fell through and we are stuck with what we have now. The entrance to the Education Building is perfectly framed by the void between the Architecture Building and Wohlers Hall. As we approach the door, we see that the distinction between inside and outside is blurred by the floor mimicing the steps. The size of the gravel in the cement on the stairs slowly decreases until it becomes the floor of the building. One interesting aspect of the building is how the symmetric look on the outside doesn't correspond to the layout of the building. For example, even though there are two doors on the front entrance. There is only a main hallway on one side. The other main hallway terminates on the first floor, but reappears on the second floor. Another really cool aspect to the building is the offices on the third floor. We were able to go out on a rather interesting balcony and look over the edge to see that the bottom floor sticks out past the first floor. We also saw where the wooden slats that are part of the ceiling stick out past the window and acquire water damage.
              Our next stop was at the Krannert Art Museum. I had never been in the museum before today, so I was excited to see what was inside. Before we went in, Professor Hinders pointed out that the museum was pregnant with art, as the design of the building indicated. Once inside, I realized just how much I don't understand art. I will say that the rope jungle and the burnt popcorn where my two favorite pieces, although I'm not really sure what either represent.

Main Library, Foreign Language, Smith Hall, Institute for Genomic Biology

                Today we discussed 4 interesting, but very different buildings: the Main Library, Smith Hall, the Foreign Language Building, and the Institute for Genomic Biology. We discussed different aspects at each building that I had never noticed or thought of before.

                We started our tour at the Main Library. Now we have discussed the Main library as a piece to the very symmetric puzzle we call our campus, but we hadn’t been inside to discuss the building individually yet. While the building is very open in the entrance and has a very grand appearance, I think the best part of the building is definitely The Stacks. Today was the first time I toured The Stacks, and they sure didn’t disappoint. One very interested aspect is how the shelves actually serve as support for the building as well. Just above one “level” is the mezzanine that is made up completely of concrete blocks that sit basically on top of the bookshelves of the level below. While I didn’t see any books of interest to me this trip, the structure definitely made up for it. Another interesting design deals with the mobile shelves. Although if I want to use those in the future, I best figure out exactly how they work.

                The next stop was the Foreign Language Building. This building is definitely one sticks out from the rest of the buildings due to its design, but blends in with the rest due to its color and location. The first time I noticed it, I saw an inverted pyramid type structure and was very intrigued by it. Today we discussed how the building may serve as a compliment to the Tower of Babel, which was built in an effort to reach God. This building, however, seems to be asking God into the studies of Foreign Language. While the building has a bunch of wasted space, the open void that is light up constantly by sunlight again emphasizes this attempt to bring God into the space. Professor Hinders explanation, while it may not be the exact reasoning, definitely made sense and offered a new light on the building.

                After the Foreign Language Building, we walked to the entrance of Smith Hall. This entrance is located away from the Quad for various reasons. To begin with, the concert hall in oriented so that the stage is on the Quad side and the seats are on the public side, offering this sense of student performing for the public. The entrance then magnifies this as you enter directly into this concert hall. Also, the entrance would be overshadowed by another building if it was place anywhere else. As we walked up the stairs, the columns and doorways served almost as the opposite of a telescope by eventually making the many varieties and differences of the public seem to be one body through music.

                Our last stop was a building that I had always noticed by the ugly “chewing gum” statues that sit out front of the building, the IGB. This building definitely has a different design, but it was built in a way to help preserve the Morrow Plots. A stipulation of the design of the IGB was that it could not throw any shade on the Morrow Plots. The IGB fits this stipulation by have the main part of the building set back away from the plots, and the rest of the building underground. The main pavilion which sits off the side of the entrance was an interesting aspect. As your coming from the Quad, this pavilion welcomes you, however from the South, there is no such “welcome.” Another interesting aspect was how useless a lot of the building was. For example, the lounge area on the first floor that we sat in to discuss the building was there for no apparent reason.

                This trip covered many different topics and many different buildings. However, afterwards I felt like I understood many different building of campus that I had before simply ignored. 

Center for Wounded Veterans

                Today we visited the construction site on 906 W. Nevada St. What is soon to be the campus Center for Wounded Veterans is now just a crowded mess of sweaty men, wet paint, and construction tools that look dangerous.

                The first leg of our tour started in the basement where we can find all of the mechanical systems. While this is probably the part of the building with the most going on right now, it really wasn’t too interesting when you don’t know what’s going on in the different pipes. But it was cool to see how much planning goes behind the accessibility of each system and how to use the space that you have.

                As we moved up one level, we saw the main lobby/lounge space that will be available both for residents and the people who are just in the building temporarily. One of the major aspects of the design on this floor is the wall of windows where the lounge area is. One of the things most veterans want when they get back from war is to be able to see everything around them. They typically sit in the corner so everything is in front of them and nothing will sneak up on them. The purpose of this design is to help them become more comfortable with their surroundings and be able to not limit themselves to the corners of every room they are in.

                The second floor is home to some of the class rooms and PT rooms.  All of the residents will have access to physical therapy at this center. This floor was pretty bare at this time phase of the construction, but we did see that some of the mechanical systems will lie above the drop down ceiling of this floor. Another interesting aspect of design is that the original plan may not always be the plan used in the end. This was very evident in the first floor public bathrooms. While the original plans call for a hard ceiling, they have seen that they will have to have multiple access panels located at various areas of the ceiling to be able to reach the different mechanical things that need to be checked often. However, this is a lot of access panels, so one proposed change is to make this ceiling a drop down ceiling for easier access.

                The third floor is where the full-time residents will be housed. Each will have their own personal room that will have its own electric mobilization system to help the residents move around their dorm. The hope is that these rooms will help residents have easier access to their classes and be able to connect with other veterans on campus to help make their own burden lighter.

                It we very interesting to see a building currently under construction and hear about the many details, small or large, that go into the design process.

Mt. Hope Cemetery

                Today we visited Mt. Hope cemetery. While in the beginning, I was very unsure of what I could really learn architecturally from a cemetery, by the end I had a much greater appreciation for cemeteries and what they really mean to a community.

                We started our tour at the Mausoleum that sits at the entrance into the cemetery. While I have never seen a collection of above ground graves, the idea of above ground burial is very interesting. Here you can start to see stories of the many lives that have passed. Of course it is very common to see man and wife buried together, but being buried with you parents isn’t quite as common. At this Mausoleum, families have already reserved spots for husband/wife/kids to be laid to rest next to the rest of their family.

                As we started the actual tour of the cemetery, we came immediately upon a group of Jewish graves, signified by the rocks on the gravestone. Coming from a small town community, I have not seen many burial traditions other than basic flowers around the grave. This tour definitely opened my eyes to what exactly a cemetery has to offer to the community it represents. It must be able to accommodate as many requests as possible while still respecting the other religious beliefs and family traditions.

                Another major part of the cemetery is the collection of veterans who have either died in battle, or served and then died after returning home. The stories are very vivid here as you can tell from their tombstone what part of the military they served and whether or not they died in combat. While their gravestones may not be the biggest in the cemetery, their service and bravery definitely does not go unnoticed.

                Lastly as you continue to walk around, you see the big names of the community and university. Buried in line with the 50-yard line are the men who have had gigantic influences within the athletic programs of the university like Huff and Zuppke. While I don’t recognize the other names in the community, it was interesting to try and read the different stories that lay within the few words on a tombstone.

                All in all, I definitely didn’t realize the significance of cemeteries and how important they truly are to the communities they serve until I walked around and saw the many stories and traditions that families help to save and cherish through the grave sites of their loved ones.

Campustown

               Today we took a tour of one of the most popular streets on campus. In fact, when I moved in this past fall, Green Street was the only street I was familiar with. My math team coach in high school always took us to Green Street to experience “college life in Urbana-Champaign.” But to think that Green Street hasn't always been this bustling corridor of restaurants, bars, and shops kind of blows my mind.

                The Campustown we know today started being shaped up when a few students and a faculty member took it upon themselves to fix the flooding problem. Now this wasn't just a minor flooding problem, the floods were so high and common, that students would take kayaks down to Green Street to row around. What this group of researchers found in this area was a potential place to be a destination for students to relax and have a good time just a block away from campus, not just a place for vehicular transportation to rule.

                What happened in the many years to follow this project by the students and single faculty member shaped Green Street into what we see today. From the awnings shrinking to the sidewalks expanding to the roads narrowing, everything has changed to open up the area for student and campus life. The first block between Wright and Sixth Street has a form of symmetry in that all of the buildings rise only two stories. As you go farther West however, you see the buildings have no real order. Apartment buildings have been erected to take advantage of students’ desire to live near such a bustling neighborhood. These companies can charge more in exchange for less space, but the location and proximity to the area keeps bringing the students back to sign their leases.

                One of the most interesting things I have seen in this class exists in Campustown. Certain bars and shops are actually running out of a house. These stores have planted an open store front in place of the front porch of a home and are otherwise using the home as their place of business. You don’t notice it when you are just walking by, unless you have been notified of it before. In that case, you will never be able to unsee it.

The Organized Chaos of Downtown Champaign

                Today we took a very intriguing tour of Downtown Champaign. Let me mention a little background on Champaign-Urbana before I get started. Urbana was settled first by people from Urbana, Ohio. When the settlers started expanding, they expanded to the west. The new part of town was originally called West Urbana before it got changed to Champaign, and thankfully it got changed.

                While most of Champaign follows a typical city grid with streets running north and south and east and west, there is a certain part of Champaign that has streets offset by about 20 degrees. The reason for this is the train tracks that connect us to Chicago. When the roads were built, there was a small section that was offset from Springfield to Washington North to South and from Neil to First East to West. While in this offset grid, you can see both the typical style of small towns with parallel and perpendicular streets that figuratively connect them with Washington D.C. and the offset roads built in conjunction with the Illinois Terminal.

                From here, we walked along the most popular street name in the United States, Park Avenue, to West Side Park. This is the main park in Champaign and it is very easy to understand why. Located just a few blocks from Central High School, this park can serve as an easy place for P.E. classes to have an open field to use for exercise. This park is also surrounded by at least 3 churches: Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopalian. And not too far south, just a few blocks, is the Champaign Public Library. This park is so significant because in just one place, residents can practice physical, spiritual, and mental health, a major concept that coincides with the idea of Americana.

                This tour reminded me a lot of my hometown. It is built around a railroad track that helps transport the crop harvested every year. We have the typical road grid with the larger mile by mile grid present also. Along the railroad street runs Main Street with all the local shops that hope to gain the trust and service of the community. As we expand, we find the larger more elegant homes just off of Main Street, far enough away to not be affected by the farms and their grain bins, but close enough to town the be just a short walk away from anything they need.

                This tour definitely encouraged to not just accept that buildings are built the way they are, but to wonder why. I will definitely be able to “read” a city anytime I see one and compare it to the organized chaos of Downtown Champaign.

XPO 15

                Today, we went to the Architecture Career Expo at the iHotel, which is a very nice hotel by the way, and turned the tables on the firms there. We interviewed the firms instead of them interviewing us. I talked to a firm by the name of Raths, Raths, and Johnson. What’s interesting about them is that they don’t actually build the buildings. They inspect and repair building that need brought up to modern standards, or just simply need a few repairs. They are based out of Chicago and have one office downtown. However, they do jobs all across the country including one in Nevada. They have been around since 1966 and have worked on some very large projects such as repairing the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

                I asked them exactly what they were looking for in a student that walked up to their booth, and they said that they wanted the student to have some type of work experience already. If they didn’t already have an internship, then they needed to at least have a previous job with lots of experience in the workplace. They also wanted students to be very knowledgeable about the field and the many aspects of architecture, but they also wanted to see a lot of creativity. They mentioned that confidence and communication skills also played some role in the decision making process for selecting interns. After the XPO, RRJ would get ahold of a few they were interested in and have short informal interviews on campus, then they would narrow it down and ask for the potential intern or employee visit their office in Chicago for an official interview before they made their decision.

True Colors of BIF

                Today we toured BIF. Now I have walked past BIF many times and the only thing I really notice is that is looks much more modern than the rest of the buildings on campus. As we toured the building, Professor Hinders explained how BIF uses many different aspects of its design to make it more sustainable, or at least make it seem more sustainable.

                We started off our tour with a lecture on sustainability and specifically 3 aspects of sustainability: materials, water, and energy. We talked about the embedded costs of materials. In order to reduce the cost of construction, most architects use materials that are very abundant in the relative area of the structure. The less distance materials have to travel allows for cheaper transportation prices and less chance of damage of any type. However, some materials need to be shipped a long distance because they may be very sustainable and last a very long time.

                Another aspect of sustainability is water. BIF was built on an old parking lot, so to begin with, it helps reduce runoff just by being there. The roof also has plants on the top to help soak up the water and put it to use rather than let it run off continuously. BIF also uses showerheads, faucets, and toilets that run on a low pressure water system so as to use less water. However, professor talked to us about the necessity of the bike showers. In order to get a LEED certification point, the building needed to have a bike changing room and shower for bikers to get ready after a long bike. However, just across the parking lot is Huff Hall which has plenty of locker rooms for changing and showering. Were the showers really necessary? Well they were when it came to getting LEED certification, but the building would still function the same and have cost less to construct without them.

                The last aspect of sustainability we discussed was energy. BIF has many great aspects that help reduce the amount of energy needed to keep it running. For example, the South wall of the Atrium is made up completely of glass which allows natural light in, reducing the amount of energy needed to light up the Atrium. However, the lights are still on in the Atrium 24/7 so it doesn’t actually help if they don’t let it. But since this wall is fully glass, the heat from the sun in the summer time can be pretty unbearable. That’s why the roof above the Atrium juts out about 20 feet past the wall to block the sun from shining directly into the Atrium. This helps reduce the energy need to cool the building in the summer. The sunlight also helps heat the building in the winter reducing the total energy need to ventilate the building year round. One interesting part of BIF is the solar panels that are placed on the roof of the auditorium. While they are good in theory, they don’t even provide enough energy for the electricity needed in the auditorium. Furthermore, the way they are connected to the roof poses as a  threat to water leakage which could potentially create a greater cost that the money they are saving at this point.

                All in all, BIF is a fascinating building. While we see that many aspects of it to help make it a very “green” building that is fairly sustainable, some parts actually hurt, or could potentially hurt, more than they are helping. The LEED certification brings a good vibe the university, but it doesn’t always show the true sustainability of a building.

                

Erlanger House

            Today we went on probably the most interesting trip of the semester so far. While we were walking along Indiana Avenue, continually stomping through the snow, I wondered where on earth we were headed. But we I finally caught a glimpse of the Erlanger House, I knew we were in for a treat. In a neighborhood full of your typical one family homes set along a street with a simple style that resonates throughout, there sits a brick wall. Well that’s what it looks like from across the road. However, if you follow the sidewalk to the front door (or side door however you look at it) you will see a home that is a perfect balance of minimalism and luxury.

            The Erlanger house, a real life example of what our projects could be related to, has three sections. The first is the one farthest east (where we walk in). This simple section offers the only connection between the upper and lower levels of the middle space. It also provides a threshold from the common area of the open living space to the private and comforting feeling of the bedroom and bathroom. One thing to take away from this section is that stairs made two foot wide are not meant for two way traffic.

            The next space includes the entire middle section of the house. The ground level of the middle section is really two different spaces. One offers a homey feel with a pit filling with seating right next to a fireplace, while the other offers a more professional feel with a hardwood floor to allow for Mrs. Erlanger to practice and teach dance. While these two spaces can be seen as very contradictory settings, they both center around a fireplace and chimney that offers a connection between the two. Above the before mentioned homey space is located the bedroom of the house. The bedroom is carpeted to offer a more comforting feel and oddly enough, the light switches here are found on the floor. This second level only spans half of the house as the dance area is completely open above.

            The farthest west section is home to the few utilities needed in a house. On the bottom floor you find a kitchen big enough for about 1 person and a bathroom big enough for about half a person. The idea of minimalism is definitely captured in this section. The top level of this section is the main bathroom which is also carpeted. In a place where one would want perhaps the most privacy, we still find windows and two skylights, one above the toilet and one above the shower.

            Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this house is the courtyard that sits between the first brick wall you see from the street and the glass wall of the living space. This courtyard allows for the house to seem much bigger than it actually is and it offers a very bright natural light source. This courtyard is very simple, and doesn’t even offer much space, but the idea it provides is enough to make it a very important aspect of the house.

            This tour offered new light (literally and figuratively) on the idea of minimalism and the idea of making the most with this least space. Erlanger was a very interesting house that I might use as inspiration for our next project.

The One With Arches and Trusses

            Today we took a pretty cool tour of some of the major sporting facilities on campus. While that fact alone is enough to entertain me throughout the entire tour, the topic of discussion kept my interest just as much. At each facility, we looked at the different ways of supporting raised roofs while using a small amount of material

            We started in Huff Hall looking at how the structure of the building was able to hold the building up. Huff was one of the more complex structures we looked at. Starting at the bottom, we saw multiple columns on each side of the court that stood right in the middle of the seats and even caused some seats to be obstructed. From there we found a very complex series of trusses that all worked together to evenly disperse the weight of the ceiling to the girder that runs along the top of the columns. While the system of trusses was very complex, it was actually easy to follow the path of the force of the ceiling as it ran along the trusses into the columns.

            After we were led with false hope through a tunnel connecting Huff and Armory, we finally made it to The Armory. The Armory offered a very different technique as it uses arches to hold up the ceiling. The most interesting part of the armory, other than a flat indoor track, is that the arches are made up of separate halves connected at the very top with a single pin. At the most important part of the structure, you would expect to see a very complex system, but a single pin joins the two parts of the arch and offers the main support for the roof. The roof shines light on this pin also to emphasize the simplicity and importance.

            After a few jaywalking incidents, we finally made it to Irwin. He we saw a little bit of both of the previous structures combined. To begin with, Irwin was designed to offer as large of an indoor practice facility as possible while not being too large of a structure for the space it takes up. The design then included a large supports that ran the full length of the structure as opposed to running crosswise on the structure. These supports offered a slanted roof which allow for practice without the roof getting in the way. From these supports, we see a series of truss like structures running crosswise that help take the load off the main beams and direct it to beams that are built into the concrete walls on the sides. The walls are made around the support beams and protect them from the many stresses they could get as a result of our quarterbacks trying to throw the ball.

            All in all, this trip was very interesting, and it opened my eyes the structure of the many buildings I see around campus, but have never been in. 

The One With Mechanical Systems

             Today we stayed rather close to home and took our second tour of THBH. However, the purpose of this tour was a little different than the last tour we took. Instead of looking at the symbolism in the architecture of THBH, we looked at how the Architect was able to bring function to form when it comes to the mechanical systems needed to keep THBH running. We started discussing the importance of Abbott, which we learned on our tour there two weeks ago, and how Abbott is responsible for all of the heating taking place on our campus. We also discussed again how our source of heat is fairly unique as we use steam to heat our buildings.
            One of the very unique things about THBH is the openness of all systems that work together to make THBH the great building it is. While we were unable to gain access into the depths of the mechanical rooms, we were still able to see a great deal of function of THBH as the function is built into the form. We started on the first floor where we saw two very large tubes that transport air into and out of the building. As one tubes pumps air into the offices and many rooms of the building, the other tube takes the air back to be recycled. You can see this emphasis of the function of the building from the west side. As the tube, which is fully visible from the outside, gets smaller to force out more air, the roof slightly slants down to emphasize the importance of this function.
           As we toured, we were able to see the water pipes, the electric lines, and the storm drains as well. The most interesting part was watching how the design of the rooms and the walls emphasized the importance of all the mechanical systems. On the far east side of the building, the glass panes above the doors have cutouts in them the size of the air tube, allowing for it to fit perfectly through and continue to pump air into the building. On the west side, every other office has a widened wall to allow for the air to be pumped down to the lower floors. Each office has a branch from this "trunk" to bring air into each room. Overall, the trip opened my eyes to the importance of the mechanical systems of each building. Most systems have their own wiring allowing them to work when others can't. The architect of THBH really emphasized this idea in the entire structure.
       

The One With Krannert

        Our last tour before Professor Hinders returns took place at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (not the Krannert Art Museum), which is a very very thought out collection of theaters and open space. We viewed from space, Krannert is a very low to ground building, except the three "towers" of the main auditoriums, that takes up nearly a full block. Our tour started in the vast 1.5 acre, also the size of 3 tennis courts, open lobby that is one of the largest around. The different intricacies of the lobby represent both Herman and Ellnora Krannert. The wooden floor was one of Ellnora's dreams. It is made solely from Teak wood from Thailand, and for the most part it is the original floor that was put in from the very start. The ceiling has a design that resembles Herman's best known work, corrugated cardboard.
        The main auditorium in Krannert is the Foellinger Great Hall, a large auditorium that seats over 2,000 people. Best known for its acoustics to provide the best sound for orchestras and large ensembles, the design of the room was very specifically designed. The main theme is symmetry as the room is perfectly symmetric. Such detail even went into every wood panel that the opposite panels were taken from the same tree to offer the same sound. A fake door was also put on the back wall to maintain this theme of symmetry, but the door handle was taken off after is was analyzed as a fire hazard. The hollow floor under the stage offers the best sound for the musicians, allowing them to hear themselves extremely well.
        Our next leg of the journey took us deep into the depths of the behind the scene levels of Krannert. As the lobby is actually the top floor, we went down to stage level, the second to lowest level, to see all of the work that goes into each production. We toured the costume shop and the scene shop, which gave us an understanding for exactly how much work goes into each and every individual play. We then walked onto an atrium of the stage of the Tyron Festival Theatre.
         After we climbed back out of the depths, we saw the stage from the audience's perspective. Two of the most interesting things to me out of the whole tour had to do with this Theatre The first has to do with the floor of the stage. To begin with, this stage has the capabilities to produce a trap door at any spot on stage. This allows for the director to set the scenery without the worry of working around the trap door, as they can set the trap door around their scenery. The front of the stage also allows for the floor to be raised to the full height of the stage or lowered to the floor. As a matter of fact, this extension can be set at any level in between. The other really cool aspect of this theatre is the fly space that reaches about 90 feet into the air directly above the stage. This area is full of catwalks and many other features that allow for different effects that enhance the overall production. As a whole, this tour greatly expanded my appreciation for the performing arts and the incredible center we have for them on campus.

Cody Simpson/Tristan Gurtler - 2/3/15 - Scavenger Hunt for Orders of Columns

               The first stop on our scavenger hunt led us to the Natural Resources Building which is located just southwest of Buell Hall. Here we found the Composite column which is characterized by having the scrolls from a Iconic column and the leafy design of the Corinthian column. 

               Next, we walked by Clark Hall and found our Tuscan Column. The Tuscan column is the Roman representation of the Doric column. It is characterized by having a simple circular base and a small collar at the top.

             As we kept walking around campus, we realized we knew where we could find every order except the Corinthian order. Lucky for us, we glanced into the small void in Newman Hall and found what we were looking for. The Corinthian column is characterized by the design on the top and above the column which resembles vines or leaves. It is also the narrowest of all the orders. 

                  Our next to last photo shoot was in front of Foellinger Auditorium where we found the Ionic order. This order is the last of the Greek orders to be created, and it is recognized by the volutes that stick off the top of the column resembling scrolls. This column also sits on a base that separates the shaft of the column from the platform it stands on.

                 We concluded our tour right in front of the Illini Union where we find our Doric Column. This column sits on plat pavement with little to no base and is topped by a smooth cap that flares out. This order is also characterized by the way it becomes more skinny towards the top.

Week 2 - Tour 4 - 1/29/15

              Forgive me for my technological ignorance, but as you scroll down from this post, you may notice that my posts are not in chronological order. I blame Google or Blogspot or any other company that this platform is owned by, but enough about the chaos here. Let's talk about the chaos that I experienced at Abbott Power Plant on Thursday. Now this chaos may seem a little different from the chaos you are thinking about. When I first walked into Abbott on Thursday, aside from noticing that my eardrums were slowly deteriorating, I noticed a system of completely controlled chaos.
               Abbott Power Plant sits on Oak Street at the end of Gregory. While this may be the farthest west campus runs, this plant, with the two iconic pillars of steam, has a different significance on campus than most people realize. When one first hears Power Plant, one automatically zones in on electricity. While Abbott does provide a significant amount of electricity to campus, about 2/3 of the total electricity used by campus, it also provides all of the steam used to heat and cool certain aspects on campus. The steam that is created from both the burning of coal and natural gas is used to heat the entire campus through a series of tunnels. The steam leaves the plant, reaching a maximum of 185 degrees Fahrenheit just outside the plant, and travels to all corners, heating the educational buildings and the residential facilities. It is also used in the dining halls in the steam tables and certain other aspects that might seem too slight to have any significance. The combination of the multiple sources of energy and power all work together to maintain one of the largest campuses nationwide. The completely controlled chaos helps to create a plan that is both economically and environmentally safe while still offering all the provision needed to keep U of I running.
              One of the only architectural patterns I saw at Abbott is not part of the original architectural design. As we walked through the plant, we came upon a threshold. Now this threshold might not be as physically important as it is symbolically. In 2010 the University pledged to gradually stop using coal as a plan to lower the carbon emissions into the atmosphere. The newer and cleaner fuel to burn, natural gas, now has its own side of the power plant, marked by a large threshold that symbolizes the transition from older to newer, more up-to-date, techniques for producing energy. Although it may not seem to be a big deal when you walk through it, that large opening symbolizes the great change between the more harmful, and for lack of a better term, dirtier energy source of coal to a cleaner source, natural gas. This difference could even be seen in the environment inside Abbott as the newer portion was much cleaner and seemed more up-to-date than the portion that houses all of the coal furnaces.

Week 1 - Tour 2 - 1/22/15

Our second tour looked more at the specific architecture of the two buildings on campus that collectively house the Architecture Department. We started in Temple Hoyne Buell Hall which houses the Landscape Architecture and the Urban Planning Departments. The parti THBH consists of seems to be three different buildings connected by a single roof. Two buildings are perpendicular, connected by a shared corner, and another is a curved building that also connects the two creating this vast void in the middle. The vast void creates separations between the buildings which is spanned by multiple bridges. These bridges connect the faculty building in THBH to the students’ classrooms and galleries. The walk across the bridge signifies the journey between faculty and student, creating a sense of respect from one to the other.
As we continued, we discussed the relevance of phenomenal transparency in all types of Art. More specifically, we looked at the stairway and the grey divider in front of it, noticing that when you focus on one, you lose the other in the background. Our classroom acts as an anomaly within this divider that actually creates significance. It breaks the perfectly square divider into a L shaped partition. We also see the relevance of squares on the outside of THBH. When we look at the west side of the building, we see two superimposed squares that intersect creating a figurative doorway which overshadows the real doorway on the bottom.
We then turned to look across the Military Axis at the Architecture Building. At first glance, the building looks like a replicate to all the other red brick buildings on campus, but after further examination, we saw the true beauty in all the subtle intricacies of the exterior as well as the symmetry of the interior. The Architecture Building has two chimneys, one on either side, that act as bookends to the building. Between these bookends, we read into the arches that show up above the windows. These arches are representations of the Roman aqueducts used to transport the most important necessity, water, across their empire. However, one can also see the lighter marble bands that run both horizontally and vertically along the brick. The vertical bands almost make the first and second floor windows look as if they were one window, and the horizontal band almost acts as a belt around the building. These two bands cross and display the phenomena of one crossing over the other. This reoccurring theme of phenomenal transparency again shows as we can only focus on the aqueducts or the marble bands.
The interior of the Architecture Building also has symbolism to offer. As you enter the building from the south entrance, you walk right into an area surrounded by four columns. These four columns represent the center of the building as you could go any direction from this crossing. Two directions opposite of each other, lead to large open rooms while the direction opposite of the entrance leads to a lecture hall. This main floor plan resurfaces for the most part on the above floors also. The symmetry of the Architecture Building is captured by the four main columns in as you just enter the building.

Week 1 - Tour 1 - 1/20/15

As we started our first tour, I could probably explain little to nothing about the architectural significance of the buildings and the campus here at the University of Illinois. However, as the tour progressed, many things stood out to me. The most significant was the explanation of the different axes that run through the campus. The main axis runs north and south and connects buildings such as the stock pavilion, the bell tower, Foellinger Auditorium, and the Illini Union. This axis runs through 2 of the three quads on campus: the South Quad and the Main Quad, or the LAS Quad. Ironically, some buildings on the Engineering Quad are a bit off the main axis, but the architects weren’t given much when they started. While most people see the engineers being the most concerned with symmetry, that trend fails to show up in the namesake’s quad.

The other axis we came across on our first walk was the Military Axis which ran east and west connecting the ACES Library to the six-pack. Its name is born from the old military traditions that would take place around the six-pack since it is the largest open space that is closest to the armory. The field that the Marching Illini used to practice on is now vacant and isn’t used much, so the most logical thing to do, to follow the architectural patterns of our campus, is to build another building to house a collection of knowledge. The ACES library mimics Foellinger Auditorium and is a collection of knowledge, and the architectural patterns already on campus suggest mirroring this collection across the main axis. This very broad term could include a library or museum, but any collection of knowledge would maintain the symmetry created on most axes.

Our tour ended between the UGL and Foellinger auditorium. As one of, if not the best, research Universities in the country, our job is to continue to research, discover, and publish new findings, as well as continue to growth our wealth of knowledge which resides within the many libraries on campus. As a University signifies learning and collaboration, it would only make sense if the one place where that could take place was placed in the heart of campus. The UGL sits along the main axis, but is quite different from the other buildings on the axis. Its location was determined by the Morrow Plots, and it actually reaches into the earth. The two main entrances signify temples and frame the recurring theme of the main axis. As knowledge is supposed to continue to expand, the underground aspect of the library allows it to continue to expand without us seeing its true shape. The Graduate Library also captures this sense of expansion as it has room to expand all the way around the block it sits on.

Week 2 - Tour 3 - 1/27/15

Our first tour of this second week started at Foellinger Auditorium, which we learned was derived from the Pantheon. Foellinger is a large dome, which symbolizes a great space, as a dome is the best way to use the least amount of material to cover the most space. This Auditorium is a place we can welcome anyone to come and lecture to large amounts of people and spread great amounts of knowledge. Foellinger looks over the main part of campus and sits at the head of the figurative "table" we call the Main Quad. This table contains all of the buildings that sit on the Main Quad and allows them to converse back and forth, symbolizing the interaction between the many different disciplines of a university. Sitting at the other head of "table" is the Illini Union. This building was originally planned to look like an I in honor of our logo, but a small historical building that had little to no potential was in the way. Now, that small building completes the I shape of the union and has a few offices that deal with the major donations. 
As we walked across the tour, we saw exactly how the expansion of the university has changed throughout campus and changed the architectural significance of many things. One of the major differences deals with the table aspect that the Main Quad offers. As architects were forced to expand the buildings to accommodate the growing university, they were faced with the dilemma of how to expand on the Quad. All of the buildings on the East and the West side almost form a straight edge that runs into the two "heads" Foellinger and the Illini Union. Almost all of the building come to the same height also, creating a sort of block that symbolizes the symmetry and the unity of the University, equalizing the many disciplines that all play a part in the greater whole. Another problem came with the erection of the Beckman Institute. This massive building that marks the farthest north point on the main axis probably creates one of the most controversial themes in a university. The Beckman institute was built with a single entrance on the south side. Well that doesn't seem too bad, until you mention that the Institute spans about two blocks east to west, almost acting as a wall to the greater Champaign-Urbana community. This seems to block other people out instead of act as a welcoming threshold that most universities have. Unlike most universities, the U of I has "thresholds" on two corners instead of on the main axis. One of the easiest ways to fix this is to build a new building in the space left before University Avenue. This building could act as a threshold that welcomes students and community members as well as an office building.
The other odd thing we came across involved the shift in the main axis. When the engineers decided they wanted to create their own version of the main quad, they were faced with the dilemma of continuing the axis that runs across the middle of campus. With Engineering Hall being offset from the Union, their only option was to shift the axis to the west around Engineering Hall. They did manage to keep some sort of order as well. The axis spans from the middle of one corner portion of the Union to the middle of  Kenney Gym. Then it shits the the middle of the side portion of Grainger and runs into Beckman Institute.