18. August 2005 • Murph
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As an attempt at cross-media pollination, Michigan Daily Editor in Chief Jason Pesick has asked me to advertise here for an architecture critic for the Daily – some lucky lurker’s chance to be read by thousands of bored students every week! E-mail Jason with interest:
The Michigan Daily is looking to recruit an architecture student (either an undergraduate or a graduate student) for the purpose to critique and analyze campus architecture in the Daily. When plans for new buildings are announced or new details are released on the design of something like North Quad, we could put a column on page 1. But this writer would technically be an Arts staffer who could write in that section on a fairly regular basis, if not a fixed schedule. Obviously, anyone who’s interested in filling the position could help us figure out exactly what it would entail.
Here’s some potential topics that he/she could write about:
- An analysis of the situation with the frieze building, carnegie library and the facade. he/she could opine on which parts are worth preserving and why, and how feasible it would be.
- If he/she knows anything about major architectural firms, he/she could offer insight into the reputations of the firms that the university has hired lately.
- Something about how a lot of the architecture on campus mimics stuff at at other universities and if there’s any significance to that
- Analysis/critique of the long-term plans for the medical campus and north campus
- Obviously there’s a lot that could be written about the renovations to the stadium
If you are an architect, I’m sure you know what they’re looking for better than either Jason or I do.
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Given my skeptical view of the architectural profession and its established dogmas and pieties, I’m guessing that I’m not likely to agree much with an architecture student who has to worry about finding a job with a firm after graduation.
—Larry Kestenbaum Aug. 18 '05 - 12:59PM #
—Parking Structure Dude! (Parking Structures, Dude) Aug. 18 '05 - 01:02PM #
And planners, for the most part, know a few small tidbits of architecture, but they basically only cover things like, “Can you touch the building from the sidewalk?”
—Murph. Aug. 18 '05 - 01:28PM #
I hope they find someone. I’ll forward this to the AIAS just in case. (AIAS = American Institute of Architecture Students)
—KGS Aug. 18 '05 - 01:42PM #
—Scott Trudeau Aug. 18 '05 - 04:29PM #
From what I’ve seen, most architecture history students hate modern architecture of any sort, prefering Classical and Neo-Traditional styles, so I would expect a bum rap for most designs the U has done in the last 10 years. It’s an unfortunate stereotype, but it’s there. At least some architecture students have an appreciation of both modern and historical, and are trying to bridge the gap (though they, too, tend to be a rare breed).
—KGS Aug. 18 '05 - 04:37PM #
Wait…so you’re saying that wouldn’t be deserved? And, by “10”, do you mean “40”?
—Murph. Aug. 18 '05 - 05:04PM #
It’s also true that an architecture student would be in deep trouble with his field if he didn’t dutifully denounce any proposed new building that’s not an International Style box (pasted-on decoration optional).
—Larry Kestenbaum Aug. 18 '05 - 06:25PM #
And Larry, I think what you said is just not true. We’re way past plain boxes now. Really. It’s all about funky angles these days. :p
—KGS Aug. 18 '05 - 07:33PM #
And that’s what I think.
FXB would be a good building if not for the metal roof on the auditorium, which totally drowns out lectures during rain. That’s the least mean I can be to any of the buildings on NC. :)
(Ah, inter-built form profession strife!)
—Murph. Aug. 18 '05 - 08:26PM #
But the rest? yeah, raze it all and start over. I hate the useless lobby in the Media Union (though I’m really fond of the mosaics that are in the elevator to go down to the basement). The sandstone & beige brick look doesn’t do much for me. Not surprisingly, the worst building up there houses the School of Architecture… it seems to be a tradition on every single university campus I’ve heard of. And to think we gave up Lorch Hall for that piece of crap.
—KGS Aug. 18 '05 - 08:42PM #
—Brandon Aug. 18 '05 - 10:29PM #
The wave field is indeed one of the best finds in this town.
And I like the way the Lurie Admin Bldg looks, and have had everything from engin school picnics to class projects racing boats in the pond on the plaza (a good space, though I’ve always thought it needed to be a skating rink in winter), but I don’t like the way Lurie works inside. I can handle weird angles, but when a set of double doors close together at an angle? Over the top.
The Media Union has always seemed like a lot of wasted space. There are good nooks, and I especially like the 3rd floor overlook towards the VA hospital (uh, 3SE? Considering how little there actually is in that building for its bulk, it’s awfully hard to navigate); we had that section of the third floor past the training rooms for a (massive) office for about a year.
SSW is another one I really like from the outside but don’t care for inside. It works really well next to the Ed school, and the plaza is actually nice, and the angles make it distinctive but still respectable…But, considering how much space is taken up inside by the silly spiral staircase lobbies, shouldn’t you be able to pass somebody else on the stairs without turning sideways? (cranky much? Yes, thanks.)
—Murph. Aug. 19 '05 - 12:12AM #
—Juliew Aug. 19 '05 - 01:06AM #
Personally, I’ve always thought the Pringle-auditorium looked like a countdown to a skateboarding fatality.
—Murph. Aug. 19 '05 - 01:47AM #
—Larry Kestenbaum Aug. 19 '05 - 12:11PM #
It just depresses my spirits. What is that metal, bug-shaped pod out front? How about we add some legs and feelers and make into a giant cockroach? And when did monochrome panels come back into vogue? (I thinking also of the Public Health addition—only a bit of the exterior is finished, but UGH). Buildings like that built in the 50s and 60s were tacky when new and aged badly. I thought that look had been expunged from Central Campus with the re-skinning of the UGLi, but now it seems to be making a late, lamentable comeback.
And I’m really REALLY dreading the Art Museum addition—a jumble of modernist cubes has NO place in that context, but that’s what we’re going to get:
http://www.umma.umich.edu/news/building-update.html
Not to mention it appears it appears we’re going to end up with little more than a dark alley between Angell and the museum. Noooooooooo…..
—mw Aug. 19 '05 - 12:32PM #
Yes, we have a small fortress rather than a big one. The story I heard as an undergrad was that it was actually designed as a fortress—with the idea that it could be defended against student protesters who might try to occupy the building. Perhaps just an urban legend, but a plausible one nonetheless. And how bad must it be to work in there with those gun-slits for windows?
—mw Aug. 19 '05 - 12:55PM #
—Murph. Aug. 19 '05 - 01:01PM #
But all those defenses were unavailing: student protesters still did manage to take it over.
Eventually the bulletproof windows were replaced with more energy efficient ones.
—Larry Kestenbaum Aug. 19 '05 - 02:21PM #
Designed that way? Maybe not but it sure functions and looks that way. During the protest, I kept waiting for the boiling oil to come pouring down from the ramparts – er, I mean windows.
—John Q Aug. 19 '05 - 02:31PM #