Gaudi: Too Innovative for UT

      The University of Texas houses within its grounds a variety of cultures, nationalities, languages, and backgrounds. It would make sense then that the campus architecture reflects these different looks. The University of Texas has a Japanese student body, perhaps there should be a hall on campus dedicated to the Japanese culture. Walking through Jester one can see the various student organizations for the Hispanic Business Council, the Asian American First Year Program, and Omega Nu Xi (Multicultural fraternity). Even in the weight room I encountered a group of guys speaking Turkish. So if the campus architecture is going to be influenced by the kind of people making the campus thrive and pulse, each building would look completely different. However, the campus would be without identity if every building were this way. That is why, as we’ve been discussing over the last several discussion boards, that the campus master plan needs this singular architecture to produce a single, united identity.

      At the same time, however, the campus architecture, while retaining a single theme like the Spanish Renaissance, could undertake minute forms of other styles. Infusing elements of other cultures into The University of Texas’ own background would be like Gaudi’s genius; it would use a “bizarre mix of past styles” to “fuel [the] imagination” (Ryzin 581). Here I am in agreement with Liz when she says that “if our campus had many different forms of architecture to start out, a Gaudi building would be welcome” (Wong). We are perhaps unfortunate that this is not the case. The University of Texas architecture is unfortunately not enough in tune with nature to support a Gaudi building. Scattered across campus are selections of other styles, but all were used somewhere else in the nation before The University of Texas. The use of Gothic griffins in the Tower within the President’s office clashes with the predominant style of Spanish Renaissance of the Main Building. The griffins seem to circle over the president’s office in order to protect him and perhaps also to offer little pieces of knowledge or enlightenment. Maybe they even serve to help him as he ponders the next Campus plan. When I look at his works, though wildly innovative and creative, I am reminded of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. I am not sure that Texas is ready for a style such as Gaudi’s.