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So while wandering back from class today I noticed some kind of gathering and what appeared to be food happening in front of the new Communications building. Figuring - like any smart college student - that any chance at free food is worth taking, I moseyed over to scope it out. It seemed to be everything it appeared: free burgers and pie. At the same moment I noticed some other students walking into the building. Assuming they were going through a momentarily-open door, I rushed in behind them, chancing that the food would be there when I returned. Once in, I took my time to look around and see what kind of place I would be inhabiting for the next year and a half.
(Before I continue, I should note that, after going up a floor and looking around I realized that the doors were actually open, so I went back down to enjoy some delicious lunch. Mmm, pie.)
So what kind of place is this new building? Well the #1 impression that I got was money. Clearly WWU received the funding to make us a technologically bleeding-edge facility. Everything I saw was very modern kit and very professionally installed. It's a large building, much bigger than it even looks from the outside. The long section has hallways that run the length and there are many windows, giving an expansive feeling. Floors 2 and above have hallways in the center and clasrooms on the walls, while the first floor is all big lecture halls with hallways on either side. It's not obvious from the outside but there's actually a basement level as well, kind of like ES or AH. It wasn't very pleasant though so I didn't hang around much. The larger "triangle" end is all faculty offices. Very imposing, all narrow hallways and tall, dark doors. I'm not sure how much I liked that end, it was classy but not friendly or remotely casual.
There are computer labs EVERYWHERE. Seriously I don't know how they're going to fill all those, though I suppose there are 3 departments that have to fit in there. Most of the classrooms were level 2 or 3 mediation, which means computers, projectors, doc cams and dvd/vcrs. The bigger lecture halls were level 4, which means huge screens and sound systems, slide projectors, assistance for the deaf, and their own WAP. Some of the rooms were half-assembled, which was cool because I did some of this classroom media work last summer at EDCC and knew exactly what I was looking at. Steve would've been proud of these guys, they were making podiums exactly how he dreamed he could at EDCC. Everything was right up front for the teacher with no doubts about operation, the podiums were permanent and very cleanly wired, and the whole system can be centrally controlled through a buildingwide IP network.
Ceilings everywhere seemed a little higher than usual, which gave a strange sense of vertigo in the smaller rooms. The whole place was much darker than I expected, especially given the large windows. It kind of makes me nervous that we've created another Bond Hall, which nobody wants. At least the elevators are fast.
But in the end I found myself somewhat disappointed. It's a nice building to be sure, very servicable and comfortable, with many badly needed facilities. It even has a rack room for student servers. There was no sense of adventure or beauty about it though. Maybe I expect too much, but when I think of 'computer science building' I expect architecture informed by the beauty in mathematics or digital video art installations or something. Aside from the large circular skylights on the top floor there really wasn't much that spoke to me architecturally. Now I realize that takes away money better spent on "things that facilitate learning" and other such nonsense, but if I'm going to spend a year and a half contemplating the difficult problems of computer science, I'd like to do it in a place that engages my senses and prompts thought. I didn't find that today.
In personal news I'm leaving in an hour for my sister's graduation and should probably get my ish together. This is going to be one long, hot drive with bad traffic. Yuck.
(Before I continue, I should note that, after going up a floor and looking around I realized that the doors were actually open, so I went back down to enjoy some delicious lunch. Mmm, pie.)
So what kind of place is this new building? Well the #1 impression that I got was money. Clearly WWU received the funding to make us a technologically bleeding-edge facility. Everything I saw was very modern kit and very professionally installed. It's a large building, much bigger than it even looks from the outside. The long section has hallways that run the length and there are many windows, giving an expansive feeling. Floors 2 and above have hallways in the center and clasrooms on the walls, while the first floor is all big lecture halls with hallways on either side. It's not obvious from the outside but there's actually a basement level as well, kind of like ES or AH. It wasn't very pleasant though so I didn't hang around much. The larger "triangle" end is all faculty offices. Very imposing, all narrow hallways and tall, dark doors. I'm not sure how much I liked that end, it was classy but not friendly or remotely casual.
There are computer labs EVERYWHERE. Seriously I don't know how they're going to fill all those, though I suppose there are 3 departments that have to fit in there. Most of the classrooms were level 2 or 3 mediation, which means computers, projectors, doc cams and dvd/vcrs. The bigger lecture halls were level 4, which means huge screens and sound systems, slide projectors, assistance for the deaf, and their own WAP. Some of the rooms were half-assembled, which was cool because I did some of this classroom media work last summer at EDCC and knew exactly what I was looking at. Steve would've been proud of these guys, they were making podiums exactly how he dreamed he could at EDCC. Everything was right up front for the teacher with no doubts about operation, the podiums were permanent and very cleanly wired, and the whole system can be centrally controlled through a buildingwide IP network.
Ceilings everywhere seemed a little higher than usual, which gave a strange sense of vertigo in the smaller rooms. The whole place was much darker than I expected, especially given the large windows. It kind of makes me nervous that we've created another Bond Hall, which nobody wants. At least the elevators are fast.
But in the end I found myself somewhat disappointed. It's a nice building to be sure, very servicable and comfortable, with many badly needed facilities. It even has a rack room for student servers. There was no sense of adventure or beauty about it though. Maybe I expect too much, but when I think of 'computer science building' I expect architecture informed by the beauty in mathematics or digital video art installations or something. Aside from the large circular skylights on the top floor there really wasn't much that spoke to me architecturally. Now I realize that takes away money better spent on "things that facilitate learning" and other such nonsense, but if I'm going to spend a year and a half contemplating the difficult problems of computer science, I'd like to do it in a place that engages my senses and prompts thought. I didn't find that today.
In personal news I'm leaving in an hour for my sister's graduation and should probably get my ish together. This is going to be one long, hot drive with bad traffic. Yuck.
