Final Project Blog Post: THE END OF ARCH 199 AS WE KNOW IT

    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

Week 13 Observations

Week Thirteen: The Grand Finale, the Big Shebang, the Last Hurrah, the Final Throes, the Encore, the Homecoming, The Reckoning, the Return, the Revelations, whatever name you wish to apply, this tour lived up to the hype.  In the biggest showdown of 2015, Professor Hinders' ARCH 199 class took on the daunting task of touring small town America.  We all hopped on the big white bus and ventured off campus into the vast corn desert that envelopes the oasis that is UIUC.  This tour peered into the essence of the soul a fledgling architecture student seeking to spread their wings and sour amongst the of the Frank Lloyd Wrights and the Thomas Wrens and the Howard Roarks of the world.

Base camp was established at the monument to rural America as we know it: Casey's General Store.  The cultural significance of this twenty-four hour shrine to franchised capitalism cannot be understated.  Its pizzas drip with the sweet nectar of triple-pasteurized faux-dairy goodness and provide sweet refuge for the weary travelers beset by the humid realities of the Illinois summer.  Unfortunately this was not our destination, and we set out into the great unknown of Philo, Illinois.

What is beauty?  Philo attempts to answer this question with its neatly organized one mile by one mile grid system.  A wondrous water tower rises above the lower echelons as a beacon of hope in the otherwise lifeless expanse of central Illinois.  It harkens to the wayward soul and from its gullet flows the economic wellbeing of Philo.  The town otherwise consists of neatly organized rows of houses, a somewhat more lively two-block "downtown," and a catholic school for the local population.

It surprised me to learn of the high concentration of Catholics, as I had come to assume that all of Illinois outside of Chicago was populated by German Lutherans, but maybe I adopted this narrow-minded view because I spend so much time around German Lutherans.  We learned that it was more likely that German Catholics found use for the land where others couldn't with their masterful swamp-draining techniques, as the land that Philo now occupies was once nothing but acre upon acre of swamp land.

Those times were now long gone, however.  In its place stood the bustling farming community of Philo, which had grown so prosperous, in fact, that it got its own suburb, shocking as that may be.  For those with the dough to fund it, a small offshoot from Philo provided the stereotypical four-bedroom, two-bath one-acre plots of land and curvy roads that have come to represent the suburbs.  This was more up my alley, as it is houses like this that I have called home for most of my life.  I was just a bit surprised to find them all here.

Returning to Philo's cemetery, we were able to come to a rest atop a slight hill.  It was from this hill that we could see the simplistic yet beautiful landscape of Farmtown, USA.  The various other farming communities of the area were visible from here as well, and it was quite interesting to see the delicate framework that laced through rural Illinois.

To close out our final tour and our time in Philo, we stopped by the local watering hole and got to feast on finger foods while we reminisced on the glorious semester that was Spring 2015.  I'm not sure if I've completed this too late or not, but if you see this, I want to thank you for making such a fun and informative class, Professor Hinders.

Week Twelve Observations

Week Twelve featured a tour of the Education building and what should have been a student-led tour that devolved into a casual stroll through the Krannert Art Museum.  It was still a blast, though, as Architecture 199 with on Professor Hinders always is, as we departed once more on our incredible architectural journey.

The Education Building is an interesting building, and I feel that this tour allowed me to gain a greater appreciation for it or to see it in a light that I hadn't previously considered.  Simply from the outside, its shape and the angle from which you view it create illusions that obscure its true size and depth.  For instance, if one were to exit the architecture building through the south door, the major axis and the minor axis of the building would appear to be similar in length.  Subtle details like this are things I would never have picked up on before taking this class.  If we were to "simply" look at its appearance and size, we would notice that the exterior mirrors that of the undergraduate library.  Though the UGL may not rise very far above the ground, the styles of the two buildings are clearly similar.  Perhaps the most interesting tid bit I learned about the education building and the surrounding trees is that it was meant to "float" in a forest that spanned UIUC's campus, with the roof lying amongst the canopy.  I recently saw a YouTube video featuring various aerial views of campus, and it was awesome to see that idea at play.

Leading up to the north entrance of the education building, the attention to detail even in the choice of material for the pathway was visible.  Much like with the Erlanger House, there was continuity from the outside to the inside with a large glass face the only barrier between the outside and the inside.  As we progressed inward, we traversed the two long hallways that span either side of the building.  The hallways are lined with ribbed surfaces to influence the acoustics of the hallway and absorb the sound, giving each corridor a very confined feeling.

As we progressed to the second floor, the building began to take on a more open design, at least in my opinion.  Located in the center of the second floor are open study/meeting areas, with rows of windows where the walls meet the ceiling to allow for light to flow into these areas.  It seemed much more welcoming to me as a student, which probably makes sense, but I much preferred it to the first floor.  The faculty offices line the perimeter of the second floor, with windows that open up to a balcony, which forms another layer around the top of the Education Building.  It was nice to see the campus from near level with the canopy, and I also thought it was quite neat that the faculty could stroll on out for a breath of fresh air.

One of the most remarkable things about the building was the beautiful garden just outside the east exit.  The consideration and planning that went into the garden were rather evident.  It wasn't disjointed from the building and tacked on as an afterthought.  It was an integral part to the building, and something that I had never truly noticed before.  Through this class, I had seen the campus in a light that I otherwise would not have.

After some moseying around and some indecisiveness, we decided to head over to the Krannert Art Museum.  We got to see the mighty works of Lorado Taft and debated the genders of various humans in various paintings before being escorted from the premises for being too cool for school.  After leaving and returning through the correct entrance, we got to mess around in the modern art exhibit for a bit.  All in all, it was pretty good.  10/10, would visit again.

Week Eleven Observations

On Tuesday, April 7th, we observed how the form that a structure takes can convey meaning, as it pertains to the Main Library, Foreign Language Building, Smith Hall, and the Institute for Genomic Biology.  We did some speculating, we did some theory crafting, but above all else we had a slam-bangin' good time.

First stop on the tour to end all tours was the main library, where we explored one of the largest depositories of knowledge in the United States (maybe) and got our first look at how architects use spaces to convey meaning.  We entered through the eastern entrance and immediately saw the grand scale of the interior.  We ascended large staircases, which contributed to the significance of the location, as we headed for the main stacks.  On the second and first floors are located large studying rooms with tall windows, giving off the air of importance and striking awe in the hearts of many a caffeine-addicted late night studier.  From there, we ventured into the main stacks, which store countless school records and just about any book about anything you could possibly want.  It was interesting to see how the shelves served as structural supports for the rest of the building, or even just how deep the proverbial rabbit hole went with all of the books.

Departing from the library, we headed on over to the foreign language building where we discussed the modern day Tower of Babel.  Professor Hinders theorized--correctly or incorrectly we may never knooooooow--that the building was modeled after an inverted Tower of Babel, whose mythological significance was tied to the languages of the world and their origins.  While that story ended with the tower's destruction and the genesis of the world's languages, our story ends with the tower's completion and the intermingling of said languages.  To reflect a reversal of the story, the tower itself is inverted.  As opposed to shutting out God, who destroyed the original tower, the building opens up to the skies and allows light to cascade through the main lobby.  Open space is used to great effect to invite the passerby to enter and learn what the building has to offer.

After leaving the Foreign Language Building, we made our way to its next door neighbor, Smith Hall.  Home to an incredible auditorium and much of the undergraduate musical facilities, Smith Hall mimics the grandeur of Foellinger.  To convey its purpose of entertaining the community, the entrance faces the east, connecting it to Urbana.  Large pillars and an open threshold greet outsiders before compressing to a human-sized entrance.  Once crossing this threshold, however, it opens once more to the large internal hallways.  Upon entering, there is a large auditorium, whose materials and designs are selected to provide an enjoyable acoustic experience.  Above there is a balcony, and the whole auditorium is adorned with intricate woodworking to provide not only an enjoyable listening experience but also and enjoyable viewing experience.  The same grandeur that was present outside and in the auditorium extends through the hallways and stairways, as the nearly symmetrical building is sure to impress all who enter.

The Institute for Genomic Biology is faced will an issue similar to that of UGL, in that its proximity to the morrow plots prevents it from rising too high above the ground.  Because of this, it retreats into the earth, with only administrative services and an entrance above ground.  The stairs leading to the underground facility give the illusion of a light, "futuristic" framework, as the risers are semi-transparent and the steps themselves bear a metallic sheen.  They lead to a large lobby, fully equipped with a coffee shop and ample seating.  It is from here that long hallways form a network for the various offices and labs, as they conduct their research on genes, and biology, and genomic biology.

All in all, I give this tour two thumbs up, especially with the Tower of Babel idea regarding the foreign language building.  It was quite interesting to see how the organization of space can impart meaning onto those who use the space.

Week 10 Observations

This week featured two tours, breaking the mold of the past few weeks.  One of them was what I would have pictured when thinking of "architecture" before taking this course and the other one was a construction site.  On a more serious note, Tuesday's tour featured the Mt. Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum and Thursday's tour featured the in-progress Center for Wounded Veterans at 908 Nevada St.

Our tour of the cemetery began with an exploration of the mausoleum, which featured the above-ground resting places of many families from the Urbana area.  Apparently, we learned, it is quite common in other countries that families each have their own mausoleums wherein each person has his/her own designated location, and we even discussed the great above-ground mausoleums of Barcelona, Spain.  I found it interesting that this would be the norm, as I would think it would be more costly than burial.

From the mausoleum, we began our walk of the cemetery grounds and learned about the different ways in which burial plots were grouped.  It seemed that religion was the most common grouping for plots, a tradition which also stemmed from Europe and the practices of the Roman Catholic Church.  We saw that Catholics, Jews, and various other religions were often buried nearby, as denoted by symbols on the head stones.  Also present was a large area dedicated only to veterans of the United States Military.  A vast field--with many plots who no longer or never had head stones--was hemmed in by large shrubs and a flag pole flying the flag of the United States.  On each of the headstones that were present, there were notes of which wars each veteran had served in.  Another interesting feature of these headstones is that they were flush with the ground to make the groundskeeper's job a little easier.

As we progressed through the cemetery to the western side, we found the final resting places of many of the prominent families of Champaign-Urbana.  These graves were marked with much larger headstones made of much finer materials, alerting any visitors of that individuals prominence in their life time.  The most interesting one we happened upon was the Atkins family plot, who were perhaps the richest family in the area and whose name the tennis center bears.  A large monument marked the center of their plot, with each of the family members forming a ring around this monument.  Four smaller monuments marked the four corners of the plot, also bearing the Atkins name.  Several similar plots could be found throughout the cemetery, though none were quite as monumental as that of the Atkins family.

The big takeaway from the Tuesday tour was how an area of land that was seemingly devoid of "architecture" could have such planning behind the organization and behind the presentation.

Our tour Thursday took us to the Center for Wounded Veterans, a building that is currently under construction on Nevada St.  We put on our handy dandy hard hats--which spared me from a dinger on one occasion--and stepped into the magical world of construction.  This tour was a bit of a departure from our earlier tours as we discussed more in-depth how the actual building process took place, instead of analyzing the finished product.

Previously in the course we had discussed how form can sometimes follow function, and I think that this structure was rather evident of that.  As its name suggests, the finished building will be serve as a home and a place of support for wounded veterans who have returned or will be returning from active duty.  For this reason, the structure needs to cater towards those individuals to facilitate their transition into society.  The building features two elevators for ease of access, wide hallways and corridors, as well as the framework for railed chairs to allow individuals to navigate their room independently.  From the structure that we saw, it is clear the individuals to whom the building will cater.

This tour also allowed us to see in-depth the framework that supports the various structures around campus, as well all of the "guts" of the building, such as electrical and piping for water flow.  It is not the most glamorous part of the building, but it is necessary to make sure that everything runs correctly, and this is a facet of the buildings that often go unnoticed once they are complete.

In learning about what function the building itself will serve, we also learned about the process of choosing a location for newly-constructed campus buildings.  The University presented the developers with various locations, but the settled upon the Nevada Street location due to its proximity to campus and the main quad in particular, allowing for the veterans to more easily immerse themselves in the University and in civilian life in general.  I found this discussion to be particularly intresting.

So, it was our first two-tour week in a few weeks, but both tours were very informative and provided a little variety in terms of subject matter.

Week 9 Observations

On Tuesday, March 17th, we got a chance to explore Campus Town, and discuss the various changes to the landscape over the years.  Apparently it wasn't always as glorious as it is today, as the city was largely unwilling to spruce up the area, as the students who lived there didn't pay taxes to the city and by and large didn't vote in any of the local elections, creating a vicious cycle.  We discussed the "mexican standoff" between the university, the city, and the city's residents, and whole process of revamping the area didn't begin until one snooty Chancellor had the AUDACITY to call out the city of Champaign.  After lots of political tomfoolery, a UIUC professor and students took it upon themselves to conduct a survey and kick the overhaul into high gear.

The first order of business was trying to correct the drainage issues, as many buildings north of green and on green experienced flooding in the lower levels.  To solve this, new infrastructure was put in place to facilitate the flow of water away from these buildings and to a large depository west of Champaign.  The boneyard is part of this, as it runs west underneath many of the buildings in Campus Town.

With the flooding mitigated, it was determined that Green Street should be more conducive to walking, as it was once a four-lane through way with narrow side walks, and a major buzz kill to anyone trying to get their morning Starbucks.  Furthermore, when the snowy winters came around, the narrow sidewalks coupled with the four lane road proved to be quite hazardous for pedestrians and drivers alike.  Though the changes didn't go quite as far as were originally requested, the sidewalks on both sides of the street were widened significantly and the road was reduced to two lanes with a turning lane in the middle.  Going along with the safety factor, many buildings and businesses whose drive throughs emptied directly onto Green Street vacated or moved, such as the former bank that is now home to Geo--I mean Papa D's.

With phase two rolled out and a changing landscape on Green Street, many developers saw the opportunities unfolding in Champaign and decided to ride the gravy train of premier apartment spaces.  All down the street, high rise apartment buildings are going up, looking to capitalize on the students who want luxury apartments without the ten minute walk to campus.  Where once there were few buildings more than two stories high, these highrises--such as green street towers and those by JSM development and Bankier apartments--are now giving Campus Town somewhat of a sky line as the city gradually shifts towards a more urban environment.

I don't know exactly what Green Street and Campus Town used to look like before, but I can't imagine it was very pleasant relative to what we have now.  Plus now we have Panda Express, which is awesome.

Week 8 Observations

On Tuesday, March 10th, we hopped on Professor Hinders' magic school bus and headed out on a magical journey to the City Formerly Known as West Urbana.  We got an entertaining bus ride, an entertaining walk, and even some of the things that we learned were pretty interesting that day.

On the bus ride to the transportation depot, we learned of the origins of Urbana-Champaign and the westward expansion of the United States in general.  As new settlers chased the dream of manifest destiny and headed Californ-I-ways, they gradually settled along the way.  Professor Hinders explained that the names Urbana and Champaign were present where he previously lived in Ohio, and that the people who settled that area also most likely settled this area, due to similar names appearing in the graveyards in both Ohio and here on campus.  I find it fascinating how something like the names of towns can tell the story of the gradual process of westward expansion and the development of the United States as we know it.

When we arrived at the train station, we discussed how the landscape of Champaign itself began to change.  Ordinances designed to facilitate the westward expansion by US settlers had divided the western United States into a large grid system, but the presence of a train track that cut diagonally through this grid necessitated a shift and caused some problems where the traditional grid and the train track grid collided.  Because of this, there are many streets that don't line up quite right and numerous diagonal streets that flow parallel to the train tracks.

One of the most interesting things from this tour for me was how much it related to my previous CHP course.  Last semester I took CMN 220, and one of the topics that we dealt with was the transformation of the city.  It was there that we learned about the shift towards an automobile-centric society, part of which was the purchasing of trolleys and light rail by automobile manufacturers to eliminate competition.  I also wrote a paper on urban renewal for that class, in which I discussed the reclamation and repurposing of old manufacturing property into loft apartments and storefronts, which was present in Champaign.

Throughout the rest of the tour, we discussed the organization of Champaign and the organization of many towns in the United States in general, namely the three main tenets of faith, knowledge, and health, as churches, libraries, and parks were frequently located in close proximity and often at the center of the town.  We saw many of Champaign's churches were located conveniently on church street, as its name would suggest, and adjacent to a large park that encompassed several city blocks.  At the city's center was the city hall, where the train track grid met the continental grid, providing a symbol of authority and pride for the city of Champaign.  Though things have shifted around through the years, the structure and ideals envisioned by the "forefathers," if you will, remain apparent.

Week 7 Observations

On March 3rd, we toured the LEED Platinum certified, Energy Efficient building for a Green Earth--the Business Instructional Facility--on 6th and Gregory, and we got to take a closer look at what the certifications and gobbledygook actually mean.

We began in the main atrium, an open space flanked on three sides by the multiple levels of the building and on the east side by a wall made entirely of windows.  The roof is shaped with a large curve, which overhangs the window wall by twenty feet or so.  Our first look into "sustainability" began there, as we learned the large windows are used to bathe the atrium in natural light, and also to use the sun to aid in the heating of the area.  In the large, curved roof we also noticed what seemed to be tubes across its entire surface, which we learned aid in the circulation of air throughout the atrium.

As we progressed through the building, we discussed the concept of embedded energy, or the total energy required to extract, transport, and manufacture certain materials.  In the context of the building, there were materials with very low embedded energy such as the wood railings or concrete used during construction; however, there were also materials with high embedded energy, such as the exotic wood floors in the atrium or aluminum used throughout the building.  We slowly began to learn that LEED certification is less about "going green" and more about marketing.

From the atrium we progressed to BIF's two adjacent wings to get a closer look at the roof top gardens and solar panels.  The roof top gardens featured shallow soil and many grassy plants whose roots helped to filter rainwater that made its way to the roof.  Unfortunately, due to the size of these gardens, we didn't earn a point towards certification.  The solar panels, on the other hand, did earn us the handy dandy LEED point, but proved to be no more useful than the roof top gardens.  As we saw them, they were covered in snow, which unfortunately prevented any measurable amount of energy from being delivered to the grid.

So, for all the grandeur of this certification or that certification and the green campaigns, many of the things that supposedly make BIF a sustainable building are all for show.  Oh well.

On the 5th of March, we went to XPO, the architecture career fair, and I got a chance to speak to Raths, Raths, and Johnson, which, as I learned was a bit different from most architecture firms.  In my brief interview with the recruiters, I learned that they don't actually design the buildings, and deal mainly with forensics and figuring out what went wrong with existing structures.  RRJ has experts in a wide variety of areas pertaining to the actual construction of the building, and when there are mishaps with construction, these experts try to pinpoint what the issue it.

Once they have determined what the issues are, RRJ assists and oversees the repair of these issues, so they mainly clean up the mess that the original builders and architects created.  I learned that they have a large contingent of engineers in addition to architects, which got me a little excited, but then I also learned that they only take structural engineers, which made me a little sad again.  It was still interesting to learn about another realm of architecture that I didn't know existed.

Week 6 Observations

On Tuesday, February 24th, we visited the Erlanger house, which was designed in 1964 by Jack Baker for UIUC dance professor Margaret Erlanger.  Tossing the proverbial book of architectural norms out the window, Baker designed a space that would provide Erlanger with the privacy she desired with a sleek and angular interior.

The walk to the Erlanger house was as interesting as the house itself, as it established the aforementioned architectural norms.  The "suburban" post-World War II design featured a large buffer between the street and the sidewalk, followed by a sizeable front lawn and a walkway that led to a porch at the front of the house.  On one side or the other there was a driveway that typically led back to a one- or two-car garage.  Following this driveway, there was typically a side entrance, as well as a rear entrance accompanied by a deck or porch.

As time progressed, this style of houses began to change, which was made evident by the houses that we saw.  The buffer between the road and the sidewalk gradually became smaller, and in almost every other house we could see what had once been a porch was closed off to create another usable indoor room.  The idea of having an open space on the front of the house that was seldom used fell out of style to create a more "functional" living space for the owners.

Keeping in mind the post-WWII suburbia, the Erlanger house was a whole different beast entirely.  From the outside, it appears to be nothing more than a brick cube.  There is no porch, there are no windows, there is no driveway that leads to a one car garage around the back.  It must have looked quite strange for the time period and even looks a bit odd today, considering its location.  As we traveled through the front entrance, however, it became clear that the Erlanger house was not what it appeared to be.

The first floor of the house had a very open layout, with a large "living room" in the rear of the house and a recessed floor/seating area towards the front.  On both the front and rear faces of the house there are large glass windows; the rear window looks out on the neighborhood, while the front window looks out onto an enclosed garden that appears to be a continuation of the seating area due to the similar cobble material with which the flooring is made.  Also found on the first floor is a large square fireplace painted black.  The flue is a rectangular column that runs vertically to the ceiling.  On the right side of the house (when facing the back) is a small kitchen area, with refrigerator and storage integrated into the structure to appear seamless.  To the left is a staircase that leads to the second floor.

The second floor has the feeling of "floating" in the house, due to the open space over the living room area and the gap between the second floor and the front window, much like the passerelle of our models.  On the second floor was a sleep/study area and other accommodations typically found in a master bedroom.

I think the most interesting parts of the house were the consistent use of angles and the minimal use of different colors and materials.  It provided an elegant, yet simple look and made the entire living space seem more fluid.  No particular space of the house was truly closed off from the rest and it gave the space a very open feeling.

Week 5 Observations

On Tuesday, February 17th, we took a tour of several of the sporting facilities around the university, beginning with Huff Hall.  As mentioned previously in the course, we were able to see the aftermath of the questionable addition, namely the two staircases not five feet from each other that lead to the same place.  That wasn't the focus of the tour of this building, however, as we headed to the gymnasium, home of Illini volleyball.

It was in the gym that we were introduced to trusses and their uses in distributing loads across a large lattice of metal bars and beams, something that I found quite interesting and relevant to my mechanical engineering coursework.  We were shown how the manner in which the various beams and columns were organized allowed the weight of the roof to be spread out.  This technology allows us to cover large surfaces with minimal material, reducing costs and giving us a cool ceiling to look at in the process.  This visit also made me want to go see a volleyball game some time because I'm told we are quite good at hittin' the old volley ball around.

From Huff we attempted to enter the Armory through a subterranean tunnel, but unfortunately we were met with a locked door.  It seems as though all subterranean tunnels on campus have gone on super ultra lockdown as of late.  Because of this, we had to enter the armory the old fashioned way, and we got to take a look at the impressive structures inside.  The portion that we visited was the indoor track, with its colossal metal arches that were truly a marvel of engineering.  Here we learned that while most arches have keystones wedged at the highest point to bring each side together, these metal arches were held together by a single pin where the keystone would be.  This simple pin keeps each side of the arch from falling outward, and this feature was highlighted by a skylight that runs the length of the indoor track, allowing natural light to filter in from outside.

Our final stop on the day's tour was the football practice facility, which provides half of a regulation football field for the various athletic programs during the offseason or inclement weather.  This facility was more comparable in size to Huff hall than the Armory and featured a third kind of support structure.  We learned that only one side of the large truss system was truly secured, and this was done with a pin.  On the far side of the facility, the truss rested on a surface, held in place by its own weight and frictional forces.  It was interesting to learn that all concrete and solid features of the walls were purely aesthetic and provided no structural support, serving as a backstop and shelter from the outdoors for the university's athletes.

Though we did not personally visit it, we briefly discussed the structures supporting the State Farm Center, formerly Assembly Hall.  Due to the nature of the dome, many of the forces are projected horizontally as opposed to vertically.  Because of this, a large cable is wrapped around the outside of the stadium.  Held taut, it prevents the dome from falling outwards, and serves as a substitute for the pillar systems found in both Huff hall and the Armory.  We also learned that the ceiling of the facility is only about a half of a foot thick, making the structure that much more impressive.

Week Four Observations

On February 10th, we were taken throughout THB and got to see (semi) firsthand what goes on with the mechanical systems.  Unfortunately, due to various mishaps we were barred from going below ground and seeing all of the mechanical systems, so we had to make do with the various ducts and pipes throughout the building.

With the knowledge that all of the behind-the-scenes machinery was responsible for doing the work to pump air throughout the building, we began on the ground floor to observe the largest air ducts, which run from the basement all the way to the ceiling and then run the length of the building.  While on the ground floor, we observed a vent-like apparatus that lined the bottom of the large glass windows.  This apparatus serves to heat up the cold air that sits at the bottom of the window, in turn causing a large "envelope" to rise up the window and seal out the cold air.  I thought that was pretty neat.

Heading back up to the third floor, we went down to the south end of the building to see the intake duct at its largest alongside the two outtake ducts.  The two outtake ducts remain the same size throughout the whole building with vents placed periodically along their length to remove stale air from the building.  The intake duct, however, starts out at the same length as the other two, but gradually gets smaller as more of the air is released into the building.  Alongside this intake duct there are several electronic units, each controlled by a computer, that regulate the temperature of the air coming from the intake duct.  We observed several copper coils that wind through the device which are capable of heating up the air just before it is released to the room.

We followed the intake duct from the south side of building back to the north side of the building, observing the thinning of the intake duct as more air was dispersed throughout the building.  From the south side we returned to the ground level to see professor hinders' office, where the intake valves were rather tiny.  These offices themselves rarely require the air from the ducts because of the sunlight that they receive throughout the day, serving to naturally heat the room.

The last stop on our tour was a quick view of the outside, where we saw the large vents through which all of the air for the building is taken.  It was literally a large hole just outside the building, and I thought it was quite interesting that such an ingenious system could be made to seem so simple.  From the outside we also observed how the building's design is used to call attention to this air duct system, as the large ducts that run the length of the building are clearly observed from outside and serve to frame the building.

Week Four was super exciting!  Each week is better than the last!!!!!!

Week Three Observations

On the February 3rd, we had our scavenger hunt to find all the different kinds of pillars.  I went scavenging (and hunting) with Margaret.  Photographic evidence can be found on her blog.

On the 5th, however, we toured the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, which was quite an interesting tour.  I had visited the Krannert Center several times before to see a friend perform and for Engineering convocation at the beginning of my freshman year of college, but I had never taken the time to examine the layout of the building.

One of the coolest things I learned from the tour is that not only is there one consistent lobby that connects all the theaters, but this lobby is 1.5 acres (or three tennis courts, if that suits you better), and is one of the largest connected indoor spaces in the country (world?).  As we walked through the lobby, we learned that Herman and Ellnora Krannert, the benefactors and namesake of Krannert, had great influence in the building's design.  Minute details, such as the pattern of the teak floors or the perforated aluminum ceilings, are nods to the features of the Midwest or even corrugated cardboard, Herman Krannert's most famous invention.

From the large lobby we progressed to the second level, where all the "behind-the-scenes" work takes place for the various performances.  The second level is on even ground with the stages of each of the performance halls.  We were given a close look at the underbelly of Krannert, as we saw where costumes and props were created for each of the shows and also got to see "backstage" of the Tryon Festival Theatre, which we later learned is often used for plays and musicals.

Returning to the first level, we were shown the great hall, the largest and most impressive of the five theaters.  The great hall is capable of seating over two thousand for the many instrumental performances that it hosts.  The structure of the great hall was designed with symmetry and acoustics in mind to provide the most ideal performance hall imaginable.  There was such attention to detail that each corresponding wooden panel from the two sides of the hall was taken from the same tree to limit the variation in sound and reverberation.  We learned that there is even a mock door on the second level to maintain symmetry, though its handle had to be removed due to the hazard it presented in the event of a fire.  It's pretty neat considering I'll have the chance to perform in the great hall come April.

Our last stop on the tour was the audience level of the Tryon Festival Theatre, reserved for plays and musicals.  Its curved walls and ceilings are tailored to the acoustics of vocal performances, versus the polygonal and sharp edges and surfaces of Foellinger Great Hall.  Similar to the Great Hall, it has two levels, but the coolest takeaway from this theatre was that the outermost platforms of the stage can be altered to provide more seating, more stage, or even a hollow room for the pit orchestra depending on the performance and the attendance.  In this theatre we also learned of the "fly space," which can be seen from outside the Krannert Center in the form of the tall rectangular structures.  This fly space is simply a wide open area containing various catwalks and ropes and wires and what have you.  It's interesting to know that those "towers" are all mostly empty space.

So Krannert was fun!  It was very cool to learn more about the building and see what was going on in more than just the lobby level.  My newfound understanding of the craftsmanship that went into its construction has given me a new appreciation for the building, and I look forward to returning in the near future.

Week Two Observations

The tour on January 27th featured a walk along the main quad, Bardeen quad, and Beckman quad respectively.  We discussed the orientation of each quad and the various devices and concepts used to organize each of the spaces.

The main quad was easily the most well organized of the three quads, housing many buildings of the college of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  The various buildings line the perimeter of the rectangular quad, sharing a common edge and similar heights to provide a sense of enclosure for the quad.  Their organization was described as that of a dinner table, with each of the "guests" organized according to their status.  In this analogy Foellinger and the Union represent the most important members, seated at the two heads, with each of the remaining buildings filing in along the sides.  To augment the enclosed nature of the main quad, trees line the inner face of the outer walkway, creating "corridors" in much the same way that was observed on the south quad in week one.

Interesting quirks about the main quad were that the Henry Administration building is asymmetrical, as it awaits an addition on the side nearest to Altgeld Hall.  The Illini Union has a similar feature, as it lacks a pavilion on its right side.  The presence of Harker Hall, now protected as a historical landmark, prevented the addition of the final pavilion, giving the Union a lopsided appearance.

The really weird stuff started to happen when we headed north to the Bardeen quad.  For one reason or another, Engineering Hall and Grainger Library didn't line up with the already established primary axis of the main and south quads.  Because of this, a new organizing axis needed to be created.  Beginning from the rightmost pavilion of the Union--from the front of the Union--a new axis runs along the western side of the Bardeen Quad.  Continuing the theme of enclosing the walkways, trees line this path as it runs the length of the quad.  The engineers decided to throw a little topographical diversity our way, so they included a drainage creek and some rolling hills on the Bardeen quad, along with a marvelous sculpture necessitated by law.  One thing about the Grainger Library that I found interesting is its curved shape, which is apparently used to direct the sound from the various bells of the campus towards the center of the quad.  What I noticed about it was that it was similar to the design of one of the buildings in the Experiencing Architecture required reading, and it almost makes you think that the library is reaching out to hug you.  But enough about Bardeen.

Continuing the theme of strange axes, Bardeen's axis meets with the central door of the Kenney Gym Annex.  With the connection established, the Beckman quad creates a third axis that runs north to meet the entrance of the Beckman Institute.  To me, the Beckman quad feels even less like a quad than the Bardeen quad, and to be frank, it reminds me of a prison courtyard.  All of the buildings--whether it's the new ECE building, the Beckman institute, or the Coordinated Science Laboratory--seem to be too big for the space in which they are located, and the effect that I get from it is a constricting feeling.  I've only truly experienced it this semester because I am currently taking a class in the ECE building, but I consider myself lucky that I have not had to spend any considerable time on this quad.

Our tour on the 29th was much less architecture intensive and much more loud noises intensive.  A rudimentary understanding of power generation was the destination and the Abbot power plant at Gregory and Oak was our conduit as we embarked on a one hour journey of wonder and fulfillment.  All that aside, it was quite the interesting tour.

Rapid fire nuggets of knowledge I obtained:

• They're still using the first three boilers from when the plant was first built.
• They use a combination of natural gas, coal, and oil to produce steam that runs through the steam tunnels and heats up all our buildings.
• They provide about 30 MW of power on average to the campus.
• They do NOT supply all of the power for the campus.
• They had an outage a few years ago that really got the rumblies going amongst the higher ups at the university.
• It can get up to one hundred eighty degrees (Fahrenheit, that is) in the steam tunnels.  That's deterrent enough for me not to go gallivanting around down there.
• Not knowledge, but I got a hefty nugget of spent coal from the plant.  I can't be bothered to post a picture because that would require an understanding of technology I have not yet attained.
• I'm actually just lazy ^^

Even if I couldn't always hear our guide, it was interesting simply to walk around the plant.  There are so many moving parts in that plant and they're all analyzed from a tiny control room with a bunch of monitors.  It's very interesting how all of the individual components and machinery come together to provide power for the university.  We got to see the conveyor system that transports coal to the furnaces, and we even got to see inside of furnaces that were currently firing--lots of burning coal.

On the tour it appeared that there was a division between the "old" plant and the "new" plant, which seemed to separate the coal firing furnaces from the natural gas furnaces.  I thought it was an interesting dynamic analogous to the state of power generation in the United States, as we attempt to move away from coal and its unconscionable side effects to natural gas and its less unconscionable side effects.  The natural gas area appeared much more clean than the coal area, most likely by virtue of the nature of each type of fuel, but I couldn't help feeling like I had travelled from a factory from the turn of the century to one of the future as we crossed that threshold.

All in all it was a fun experience.  I got to learn a bit about power, I got to walk through a gritty power plant, and I even got a souvenir.  On a scale from one to ten, this one comes in at a solid eight.  Given the opportunity I would probably go on it again, if only to be able to hear a bit more.  As a mechanical engineer I might be working in a place like that some day.  But hopefully not, because while it was interesting, I don't know if it was that interesting.

Week One Obsevations

    I will preface this by saying that this class in its first two days has probably been the most interesting CHP class I’ve taken so far.

    The walk on the 20th began with a tour of the south quad and an examination of the structure and arrangement of the campus as a whole.  The stock pavilion, the focal point of the agricultural quad, served as a place of gathering for livestock shows and similar events.  As somewhat of a “Foellinger of the south quad,” it lies on the primary axis of the campus, in line with the bell tower, Foellinger Auditorium and the Student Union of the main quad, and Grainger Library of the engineering quad.

    The idea of the axes and the formation and organization of the school’s various quadrangles was perhaps the most interesting takeaway from this first tour.  It was not that I had never noticed the organization, as in its lowest form it is relatively straightforward, but it was intriguing to realize that architecture encompasses not only the buildings themselves, but how they exist in space relative to one another.  The placement of the most dominant or unifying buildings on the primary axis, as well as the placement of the bell tower at the crossing of the military axis and the primary axis formed the skeleton of the campus and laid the groundwork for further development.

    In addition to the alignment of the axes, there was a dialogue across the south quadrangle between Mumford Hall and David Kinley hall, as each building’s design mimicked the other to tie the space together.  It would have been interesting to see the tall elms referenced on this tour, as I can imagine they gave impressive and comfortable feel to the now awkwardly open south quad.  The newer trees certainly help to bridge the gap between both sides of the quad, but they still leave much to be desired.

    To close out the tour, it was interesting to learn of the history of the military axis and what became of the ROTC parade grounds.  It seems to me that student housing is an uneventful and unbecoming terminus of the “military,” axis, but with the political motivations it seemed to be most wise at the time of the decision.  It is strange to imagine the campus without the six pack, though.

    Our tour on the 22nd began inside, where our discussion focused on architectural concepts in addition to the architecture itself.  Walking through TBH, I learned that this one building was in fact three separate “buildings” joined together by the curving atrium at the center.  This design afforded each subdivision of architecture its own space while uniting them under a common roof.  The atrium and catwalks at each level provided “bridges” between faculty and students and the various disciplines within architecture, demonstrating the symbolism that went into the design of the building.  I found it to be rather fitting for the home of the architectural department.

    Continuing through Temple Hoyne Buell Hall, we discussed the concept of figure-ground, made popular by the “vase/face” photograph, wherein the viewer can see either two faces staring at one another or a goblet formed by the silhouettes of those faces.  It was rather incredible to see this concept employed throughout the building, namely through the use of the screen covering the stairs and later on in the facade of the architecture building.  The idea that multiple figures can exist in the same space and in such close proximity while maintaining their individual identities was fascinating and gave me a deeper appreciation for the foresight that goes into design.

    As we went into the Architecture building, we looked into the use of symmetrical entrances and hallways, and discussed how various features of the building were used to draw visitors into the structure.  The gradual procession through hedges and trees, columns and arches, and large, inviting doorways bridged the gap between the outside world and the interior of the building.  Proceeding through the large metal doors, the more pillars greeted us, as they were used to frame the corridors ahead.  Once again, the building employed a symmetrical shape and wide open hallways to provide a welcoming feeling before leading to the various halls and classrooms.