Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Around Campus


Tuesday's adventure was to begin at the corner of Walker Ave and Tate St; my adventure began before that. I woke up Tuesday morning, not exactly sure where I was going, but confident I would find my way no problem. I got up, got ready, went to breakfast with my map in hand and made out my route to the corner of Market St and Tate St. I saw that I had somewhat of a long walk infront of me, so I allowed 20 minutes for me to walk to the corner of campus. Market St is on the corner of campus, but Walker Ave is not. I traipsed around back and forth pulling out my map, then broke down and called my roommate who gave me the university phone number to call. The gentleman who answered was helpful and did not make fun of me; I was appreciative. I finally arrive at the correct intersection just in time for Patrick to come down the sidewalk and begin class. Phew. With that crisis over it was time to start taking some pictures and learn a little.
The first building we discussed was the Brown Building. Facing Tate St, this building, similar to Foust, looks out into the city of Greensboro with a beautiful presence. The front of the building is decorated with a porch supported by six columns, and big lanterns hanging from to roof. Once the music building, the names of composers are carved into stones banding around the building. Also carved into lighter stone on the bottom right hand side of the front is the year the building was erected: 1924. The building was named after Wade R. Brown who played a key role in the school of music, and later became dean.
After discussing the Brown Building we moved up Walker Ave to the intersection of McIver walkway. Surrounding this intersection is the Stone Building, the McIver Building, and the Eberhart Building. The Stone Building addition is what blocked Walker Ave from being a through street for cars; Walker Ave continues on the other side of Jackson Library. Architecture from the twenties and sixties is evident in these three buildings, most interestingly contrasted in Stone where the addition does not match the original. Eberhart and McIver were built in the sixties. Buildings from this time are more geometrical and simple. The older part of the Stone Building was built in the twenties, which can be assumed because of the resemblance it has to the Brown Building, with a box shape and columns with detail around the gutters. Also seen in this region is the kiln behind the McIver building, allowing us to figure out that it used to be the art building.
As we continued to walk and talk down the McIver walkway, we came upon a brick house. Patrick had to point it out, or else I would not have noticed it even though it looks out of place. We were asked as a group to think about what this building could have been used for. With a little guidance, we decided the building was built in the twenties, when UNCG was still a women's college. We took a few guesses that were pretty close, and then Patrick filled in the missing holes for us. The house was there as somewhat of a "playing house" kind of assignment. The women would take a home economics class and then put the skills learned into action at this site. Now the building serves as office space.
Across the path from 320 McIver St is the Patricia Sullivan Science Building. This building was opened in 2005, and recently named after the late chancellor who retired last year. As we walked past the Sullivan Building I mainly learned about how buildings are named here on campus. When the building is opened the name it is given is sort of the genre of the building. Until the Chancellor retired the Sullivan building was called "The Science Building". The people who name buildings on campus named the science building after Chancellor Sullivan because she was a big part of the construction and improvement to that part of campus.
So, we keep walking, and pass the McIver parking deck and recognize it as a vantage point on campus. We keep walking to the Music Building, which is still called "The Music Building" for the time being. This is a newer building, with an evident theme of circles. We stood outside and talked about a few of the terms discussed in our reading by Grady Clay shown in this building. We could see from outside where beats were. Then we went inside and admired the techniques the designers used in planning the building. There were themes of banding along the main, long hallway next to the music library, but the theme was not continued on the ceiling. We looked at the spaces inside and the purposes they served. The auditorium already in use and it's entrance way were big and elegant, and we saw the site for the new auditorium they are planning to build in the near future.
Once we walked through, we came out on the other side, facing College Ave. I had not yet been down to the bridge even though it is right beside my dorm. The setting is serene; as you walk across the bridge you are surrounded by trees with a little stream running under you. I enjoyed that short, simple part of the walk more than any other space on campus so far.
We finished up the class in the middle of College Ave in front of Jackson Library, and were told to meet at the smokestack on Thursday for our next class.

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