A Connection to Nature

By Megan Gilbert

A successful university should be one that produces not only individuals with quality educations, but individuals with great characters. Students should be moved to desire more knowledge, to do good in the world, and to strive to make their lives meaningful. In order to accomplish this, a university must create a connection between the environment of its campus and the architecture of its buildings. The Latin term “Genius loci”¹ refers to this connection and the “special magic”² it creates. The relationship between nature and the created amplifies the impact an institution has on an individual. The campus plan should have a spirit of unity and togetherness, because unified buildings work together for a common goal -- to bring enlightenment to every student who steps foot on this campus. In order to accomplish this goal, as Faulkner states, we must “design every element in a way that serves our architectural heritage [and] the adjacent environments.”³ Therefore, I suggest a campus plan that uses Spanish architecture as its foundation and combines it with details of other architectural styles.

Spanish architecture does “serve our architectural heritage.”⁴ The red roofs give the impression of clay, resembling the adobe houses of the old southwest. This resemblance creates a connection to the land as well as a connection to the past. Spanish architecture reflects Texas’ history: a Spanish colony, a Mexican territory, an independent republic, and finally a state in the Union. Spanish architecture keeps us in touch with who we used to be, which in turn can help us understand who we are and where we are going. The main characteristics of the buildings on campus should be similar to those of the Spanish style hacienda shown below. Each building should have rounded arches, white stone walls, and red titled roofs. However, a campus plan certain degree of architectural diversity in each building is necessary to promote creativity and cater to the tastes of UT’s many students.

A Spanish Style Hacienda⁵ An Example of Spanish Architecture in California⁶

Although Spanish architecture should be the basis of the campus, each building should have diverse architectural details. Some buildings will have Gothic details while others will have Baroque. Diversity is necessary to ensure that each student on campus is able to identify with a specific structure. When every person connects to a building, all the students become linked together “through a shared sense of commitment,”⁷ which creates a community of learning and growth which all students become a part of. The details of the buildings should be of all types of architecture and create uniqueness among the building. A visible example of detail variety is Battle Hall. Although it retains the main features of Spanish architecture, the building possesses Gothic features as well. The lamps that grace the entry way are made of green-blue iron and contain many blunt and jutting features, similar to the turrets and harsh details inherent to Gothic buildings. The railings that line the windows are prefect examples of Gothic repetition. These details on Battle Hall give it a unique identity, while the main features establish unity with the surrounding buildings.

Battle Hall and its Blue Iron Gothic Features⁸

The rich ornamentation of Sutton Hall provides another example of diversity coexisting with unity. The rounded arches give way to vaulted ceilings that are elaborately decorated with maidens, dragons, and natural figures. The underside of the roof possesses elaborate decoration as well. The patterns are a mixture of deep, rich wood, earthy sage components, and clay red accents. With its vast array of details, this building could be said to have Plateresque, Gothic, and Baroque features. The women portrayed in the ceilings are distinctly Baroque and just inches from them sit distinctly Gothic dragons. The underside of the roof and the vaulted arches are a “riot of colors and forms.”⁹ This style of building will appeal to the more right-brained students on campus, while a less embellished, more practically structured building will appeal to the more left-brained students. ¹⁰

Sutton Hall Vault¹¹ Sutton Hall Roof Corner¹²

Not only should the details be diverse, but they should reflect what students are learning on the inside of the buildings. The form of the structures should follow their functions. Less ornamented buildings should be found in the engineering and math sector of campus. The crisp lines and angles of the buildings reflect the left side of the brain, the side that dominates these areas of study. The liberal arts and fine arts sector should be the most ornately embellished. The ornamentation appeals to the right side of the brain, the side that dominates these areas of study. If the diversity that is created in the details of each building is maximized, then the campus will be able to affect all of its students.

A crucial element of the campus is a building that helps students maneuver about campus on a day-to-day basis. A tower, easily seen, like that of the Main Building on campus, will guide students to and from classes. Just as the North Star helped seafarers navigate the waters of the oceans, a tower is needed to help students navigate on campus. The tower will be a beacon of light for those who are lost physically and academically, representing the light of truth the university is spreading over the world. Therefore, I propose that the tower and most of the Forty Acres be kept. Buildings that stray from the Spanish style, such as Jester, the Robert L. Moore building, and the engineering complex, should be removed and replaced. Aspects of other buildings, such as the Harry Ransom Center, should be kept. The images of men and women and nature that grace the windows of the HRC should be preserved, for they are windows into the soul of the building.

Windows of the Harry Ransom Center¹³

Architecture is not only about the buildings themselves, but the environment that surrounds them. The current layout of the university contains too many twists and turns. An ideal layout would be one that includes a central building, the tower, and paths branching from it. Each path will represent a certain broad field of study such as business, science, or liberal and fine arts. Each path should be an elongated circle, making room for a courtyard or lawn in the middle. Thus, from the air, the campus would resemble a flower. This provides students with a campus that is easy to maneuver and rich in lawns, similar to the lawn found in the six pack. The presence of these large natural elements is necessary to create the connection between the buildings and the environment.

Flower Campus Model¹⁴

In order for the connection between nature and the created to be established, the environment on campus must be that of the environment of Austin, serene and subtle. The six pack contains rows of trees and a grassy knoll and brings the peace and stillness of nature to the middle of campus. On these lawns, students may relax, take a nap, discuss ideas with peers, or read a book. The scenery of the six pack does not contain ostentatious flowers or landscaping from other environments, but simply contains trees and other plants native to the region. The presentation of nature on campus is that of the nature that can be observed in the hills of Austin and outside the city. This accurate representation of nature should be kept and spread throughout the whole campus, strengthening the “Genius loci” ¹⁵ of the campus and further establishing the sense of community that results. The large lawns also provide a space for students to discuss their areas of study and formulate ideas. An environment of discussion would bring the students closer to each other and to nature, encouraging learning and the spread of knowledge, and, in effect, making the University of Texas at Austin a truly remarkable institution.

View of Second Life Campus¹⁶

Above is a picture of my model campus that I created in Second Life. Here, I am attempting to present a visual model of all the key points of my campus plan. My virtual campus is an endeavor to bring the flower campus layout to life and to help the reader visualize how unity and diversity can coexist. I wanted the images on each of the Second Life structures to be of familiar buildings so they were readily identified by the reader, so I chose buildings that already exist on the University of Texas’ campus. All of these buildings are found around the tower within the forty acres. They support my idea that most of the buildings of the thirty acres already exemplify my plan and should be kept. In order to integrate visual rhetoric with the written word n Second Life, I have embedded notes in the buildings discussing why they are an important part of my campus plan.

Tower at Center of Campus¹⁷ Arial View of Second Life Campus¹⁸

A problem I encountered in Second Life was the inability to completely represent my ideal campus. Due to lack of space, I was unable to shown how each “petal” would be lined with buildings and how each petal would fit next to its neighboring petal. My model is a simplified version of campus and only contains a main building and four peripheral buildings. As I proposed, the tower and main building are present in the center of campus to function as a guide for students on campus. From the air, my Second Life campus resembles a star more than a flower. However, while the shapes of the lawns in Second Life are different, the basic principle is still the same. Present in each “petal” or “point” are the lawns on which students can gather and gain a sense of community.

Another problem I encountered in Second Life was the inability to create a visual representation of the natural space on campus. I was unable to line the walk ways with trees and shrubs, as seen below in the landscaping of the six pack. The sense of space that is created by the natural world is extremely important in the development of the “Genius loci” ¹⁹ of the university. Nature, the ties it has with campus buildings, and the resulting sense of community are the cornerstones of my campus, and Second Life’s inability to portray this environment leads to the virtual campus’ inability to completely and accurately represent my master plan.

Landscaping of the Six Pack²⁰

1. Larry R. Faulkner, “Message from Larry R. Faulkner, 27^th President of the University of Texas,” in Composition and Reading in World Literature Course Packet Volume I, ed. Jerome Bump (Austin, Texas: Jenn’s Copy & Binding, 2006), 410.

2. Faulkner, 410.

3. Faulkner, 410.

4. Faulkner, 410.

5. Image from www.haciendasiestaalegre.com

6. Image from www.andysnow.com

7. Robert M. Berdahl, “Regaining a Sense of Community,” in Composition and Reading in World Literature Course Packet Volume I, ed. Jerome Bump (Austin, Texas: Jenn’s Copy & Binding, 2006), 411.

8. Image from http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/btl.html

9. Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, “Modern Wonders,” in Composition and Reading in World Literature Course Packet Volume II, ed. Jerome Bump (Austin, Texas: Jenn’s Copy & Binding, 2006), 580.

10. Prianka Singapura, Discussion Board, October 11, 2006.

11. Image from http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~bump/images/arch/Sutton/

12. Image from http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~bump/images/arch/Sutton/

13. Image by Megan Gilbert

14. Image by Megan Gilbert

15. Faulkner, 410.

16. Image by Megan Gilbert

17. Image by Megan Gilbert

18. Image by Megan Gilbert

19. Faulkner, 410.

20. Images by Megan Gilbert