I took a photograph of Wilson Hall and Maury Hall on a beautiful sunny day. My photograph is angled from below in order to capture the relationship between the buildings and the sky. JMU students use this space constantly; as the focal point of the Quad, Wilson is a building dedicated to student services. Home to the orientation office, Career and Academic Planning, Community Service Learning, and many other important resources for JMU students, Wilson Hall is a building that no JMU student will end their college career without having been inside. The original architects of the bluestone area probably expected Wilson to contain the university president’s office, offices for administrators, and meeting rooms for important visitors. As a prominent building in the center of campus, Wilson seems as though it would contain those things. I think the fact that the building is full of student services is a true example of students being JMU’s first priority. As a whole I believe Wilson Hall is very functional and satisfies the needs of students, but it could be improved by installing central air conditioning! Wilson Hall will always be my favorite place on campus; I work as a Madison Advising Peer on the first floor of the building and spend at least ten hours per week inside. On a beautiful day, looking at the grandeur of the outside of Wilson Hall never fails to make me smile. Greenberg’s article on the design of college campuses across the United States touches upon the context, relationships, and usage of university buildings. JMU certainly designs buildings according to their usage, but not necessarily in order to integrate them with the larger context of the school. The aesthetic differences between Wilson Hall and ISAT are infinite, but so are the differences in what they’re used for. JMU’s architectural decisions are certainly deliberate and unique.
This picture is the perfect image of JMU if I were asked to describe the campus to someone. The first thing that drew me to JMU when I was looking at colleges in high school was the Quad, so this picture really captures that feeling that I had when I first set foot on the Quad. The uses for the Quad are limitless. I'm sure that I will continue to see new things being done on the Quad every day that I am at JMU, whether it be throwing a frisbee, sleeping, or doing homework, students have the freedom to relax here. I use this space very frequently by going to class, laying out, running, or just hanging out with friends. This image moves me because it brings me back to the original feelings that I had about JMU when I first saw pictures of the campus and when I first visited the campus.
ReplyDelete-Kellsey O'Donnell
I chose to comment on this photograph because it is such a beautiful image. The Quad is such a happy and beautiful place as a whole, but this picture really shows how nice these two particular buildings are. The view is unreal, and I believe this view and the Quad in general is what attracts a good amount of students to JMU. The photographer explains the uses for this space quite well. There are so many different activities you could do here. I use this space to walk to class, hang out with friends, do homework, and just enjoy the nice weather. The beauty of the image is what moves me because it represents JMU as a school so well.
ReplyDelete-Brian Tavenner