Week 10 - Campus Cemetary

    This week we went to Mt. Hope Cemetery, on the South side of campus. It was a beautiful day, but a slightly gloomy tour. The first thing we did was check out the mausoleum, pictured above. It looked very nice in there, and had many tombs and a nice chapel. However, I found the latter part of the tour more interesting. We studied the layout of a cemetery, which is something you don't think about too often. It is divided up by many scattered roads, which serve to move cars and machinery throughout. The sections are not labeled, but you can pick out the patterns by looking at names and the type of headstones. There are sections for different religious affiliations, veterans, and families. There were two especially interesting groups. One was the wealthy families, who would have sections reserved with statues and obelisks. The other one that caught my attention was the athletic staff section which was closest to the football field. Overall, it was really interesting to think about how they lay out a cemetery, as you usually are not thinking about something like that when in one.

Week 9 - Campustown

    This week we took a tour through Campustown, which effectively is Green Street between 1st and Wright. It's the center of non academic life on campus, and is make up of restaurants, shops, and bars. We learned about the battle between the University, Champaign government, and local business, and saw how it shapes the environment. Basically, Boneyard Creek was a sensitive subject, so Green Street does not have any interaction with the creek, and the creek is actually ran underground.
    When it comes to the buildings, there are a few things in common. The buildings are mostly two stories, and all have glass fronts and tend to have awnings. An extremely interesting feature of a few buildings is that they've been built onto existing houses. The Clybourne and Firehaus both are built that way. I've been there many times and never noticed that those buildings are part house. We also got some interesting history of buildings, such as 309 Green being built where Burger King used to be.

Week 8 - Downtown Champaign

    This week we toured Downtown Champaign, starting from the train station and heading West down University. We learned of the city's history, such as how it began as West Urbana and eventually became it's own city. We also discussed some high level themes. As seen above in the image, there are two street grids. One is the conventional North, East, South West. However, the other is at a slant, and actually aligns itself with the railroad line. Throughout the trip, I also noticed many buildings for the first time. I usually just drive through downtown as fast as possible, so I've never seen or noticed the city hall, the churches, and the theaters. I also was able to see the parts that make it similar to many other places. The street names are common, like State, Church, and Main. It also follows a traditional pattern, with businesses in one place and away from that is the parks, schools, and churches. Overall, it was a very valuable experience where I gained insight into not only Champaign, but city layout.

Week 7 - Career Expo

    This week our class made the hike to the I Hotel which is a bit South of campus. I spoke with Thornton Tomasetti and Jimmy Johns, but the longest and most informative conversation came from Nucor. In particular, a subdivision of Nucor was there, called American Buildings. Nucor's made up of 20,000 employees, but American Buildings has about 250 people. They're located in El Paso, IL, and have four internal divisions. They focus on commercial buildings, typically buildings used for manufacturing. In the case that you joined them as an entry level architect, you would be part of a team and focus on detailing and estimating. After buzzing through the facts, I started to talk to them about myself and my Computer Science background. They let me know that they do hire CS students, but I already have an internship lined up.

Week 7 - BIF

    This week we took a tour through BIF, the Business Instructional Facility. We focused on the functional design, and the ways that it worked to be Lead Certified. The most noticeable feature of this is the roof. BIF has this interesting overhang that is surprisingly useful. As seen above, the Southern wall of BIF's atrium is entirely windows. This does a great job of letting in sunlight for passive heat in the winter months. However, in the summer when heat is not wanted, the overhang blocks the sun since it is much higher in the sky.
    Another approach that BIF takes is the materials. BIF was built to last, and the floors are specifically chosen to take wear and tear for an extended time. Also, BIF has gardens on the roof. This helps absorb sunlight, and causes the water that hits the roof to go to good use. In addition, there are arrays of solar panels on top of the lecture hall on the Southwest corner. While they don't provide a ton of electricity, they at least contribute some. Overall, BIF was an interesting building that I never have taken much notice of.

Week 6 - Creation of a Place

    This week in class we presented our created places for the first time. It was a day of realizing mistakes, where most of us discovered how many rules we broke and all of the things we could have done better. However, it was certainly a time of learning. Not only did I learn which constraints I failed to fulfill, but I learned a good amount about design. We did a great job of discussing how a place implies ideas, and really focused on the different axes of the building and the implied sense of flow.

    When it comes to my place in particular, I had a vision in mind, but realized afterwards that the idea did not work. I was picturing a theater, but due to the constraints, my design would not work. Also, as discussed in class, we should not be focusing on what the place is, but instead simply on the place itself. For the next presentation, I will certainly be making some changes.

Week 6 - The Erlanger House

    This week we took a trip to the Erlanger House, over in Urbana on Indiana Avenue. I've been to the house before, but it is always interesting to check the place out. It's not your conventional home, and the front is actually a brick wall, as seen above. The crazy thing is that this house is across the street from a lovely park, and I think most people would want plenty of windows in front to see the park. However, the Erlanger House has privacy, and it's own set of nature. Inside that brick chamber is actually a courtyard, and there are plenty of plants and animals in the courtyard and back yard when the weather is nice enough.
    However, the privacy is not what makes the home. The home has hard brick walls, and symmetry throughout. The house is incredibly minimal, hiding away utilities, the refrigerator, and even wall switches and outlets. The house also has a dance floor, and is very open. While this makes the place great for entertaining, I personally feel it lacks coziness and a sense of being a home. I would not want to live there if it was up to me.
    Overall, in an architectural viewpoint, the house is very well done. It's well planned, and certainly achieved what Mrs. Erlanger wanted in a home. She had privacy, elegance, and a place to entertain. The place is certainly a unique and cool place to check out.