thebin
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Post by thebin on Feb 15, 2012 11:52:24 GMT -5
A while back somewhere on this board I saw some renderings of a pretty massive and impressive overhaul of Lauinger. I got the impression this was not even close to being fast tracked- which at Gtown means decades rather than years. Now I see a pretty random photo of it recently posted to The Hoya but no useful story. Anyone know anything about this, if it is really going to happen, more renderings, etc? www.thehoya.com/redesign-of-lau-1.2749028
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Feb 15, 2012 14:54:42 GMT -5
A while back somewhere on this board I saw some renderings of a pretty massive and impressive overhaul of Lauinger. I got the impression this was not even close to being fast tracked- which at Gtown means decades rather than years. Now I see a pretty random photo of it recently posted to The Hoya but no useful story. Anyone know anything about this, if it is really going to happen, more renderings, etc? www.thehoya.com/redesign-of-lau-1.2749028The effect I heard they're going for is "a 'Living Room' for Future Generations of Hoyas." ;D The photo you linked to looks like part of an expansion into the parking lot at the back of the library.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Feb 15, 2012 15:10:22 GMT -5
Here are the renderings: www.kmwarch.com/project.aspx?cat=d&id=109The renovation and expansion of Lauinger was in the 2000 campus plan and has been carried over into the current plan. I've heard rumors that it was supposed to be next on the list after the construction of Regents Hall but was jumped by the IAC, but I don't have any definitive information about it.
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thebin
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Post by thebin on Feb 15, 2012 15:21:55 GMT -5
Thanks. What is Regents Hall? Is that the science center?
Those renderings are spectacular. Looks like they would almost double the size of the library, pretty badly needed I'd add.
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PhillyHoya
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Post by PhillyHoya on Feb 15, 2012 15:46:32 GMT -5
Thanks. What is Regents Hall? Is that the science center? Yes
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Feb 15, 2012 15:52:10 GMT -5
My understanding was that 1) the IAC and 2) the Dahlgren renovation were the only major on-campus building projects on the forseeable calendar, with MSF as a one-off because it was previously approved and not an interior project. The drawing as envisioned would require lots of hurdles, as it would involve knocking out some of the Brutalist concrete facing the river, and doubtless engender some sort of very lengthy, very litigious architecture review which would follow. (Brutalism is rightly despised by the general public but there is a preservationist movment among architects to preserve any and all Brutalist works.) Here are more drawings, dated 2009. As it is not in the campaign priorities, this does not suggest any imminent movement. www.kmwarch.com/project.aspx?cat=a&id=109
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thebin
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Post by thebin on Feb 15, 2012 17:22:35 GMT -5
It also frankly looks like it would cost well into 9 figures.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Oct 8, 2013 9:21:17 GMT -5
Library (and Reiss) updates Lauinger Library administrators estimate that fundraising, planning and construction for the library will take approximately 10 years, although there is no definite timeline.
After completing fundraising for the Intercollegiate Athletic Center, the construction of which is set to begin this spring, the university will begin raising $150 million for the library project.
The ideas behind renovation of Lauinger extend back three years, when library administrators began working with Bowie-Gridley Architects to develop preliminary designs that would expand the library while also renovating the existing structure. Bowie-Gridley is also the firm that is designing the IAC.
With the concept of a “Library on the Potomac” in mind, the plans lay out an expansion to the library, which services more than a million users per year, that would extend the south wall of the building to Prospect Street. Keeping the style of cascading Village A apartments, the architects’ design of the south side would include a reading room with two-story glass windows overlooking the Potomac River and an outdoor patio above Prospect Street.
Renovations to the other walls of the library would involve adding windows to the existing structure, including by the atrium and on the front of the tower.
These renovations, however, would preserve the exterior style of the building.
“We are being very respectful of the brutalist conditions of the building because they are part of the history of the campus,” Bowie-Gridley principal architect Paul Lund said. “The way the edition has been composed is that it cues from the underlying geometry of the brutalist building.”
Though Lauinger’s style is no favorite among students, University Librarian Artemis Kirk pointed to its continued relevance on campus.
“There is an aspect of preservation,” Kirk said. “In the library, we are all about preserving and protecting for generations to come, and that does include the building. What can be preserved on the exterior will be and should be.”
Renovations to the interior of the library would add new study spaces, such as the reading room, areas specified for graduate students, cubicles designated for doctoral students and the relocation of Midnight MUG to the fourth floor. In total, these changes are expected to add approximately 1,500 seats to the library.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Oct 8, 2013 14:06:35 GMT -5
10 years, $150 million.
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Post by Problem of Dog on Oct 8, 2013 20:40:07 GMT -5
Don't preserve the style. People remember it as a major part of campus because it's so ugly. No need to maintain that memory.
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thebin
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Post by thebin on Oct 9, 2013 9:10:01 GMT -5
I've never thought Lauinger was quite as ugly as most people seem to. Reiss on the other hand, along with New South, are the worst two blights on campus that don't host football games. I'm actually fine with preserving the style of Lauinger in some way (of course the only way not to is to destroy it) if they add a lot more glass and ivy. I think that would look pretty great. I'm really digging the renderings.
Anything they can do to re-skin Reiss would be a massive relief. Something about the way that building is placed makes it particularly egregious. At least New South is sort of on the edge of campus, Reiss is so visible from so many angles.
Like the idea of the sky bridge to Regents too. The campus is really coming along.
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hoyatables
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Post by hoyatables on Oct 9, 2013 10:23:38 GMT -5
I agree about Lauinger. As far as Brutalist examples go, it is actually rather well-executed (at least in form). Also agree that Reiss is far worse. But maybe my Chemistry and Calculus memories only further my hate for that building.
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Bigs"R"Us
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Post by Bigs"R"Us on Oct 9, 2013 12:04:59 GMT -5
If they plan to cover parts of Lauinger with glass, just make sure it's real dark.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Oct 9, 2013 12:10:14 GMT -5
Yea, I'm with thebin and hoyatables. Lauinger is a much more appealing Brutalist piece than, say, any and all buildings on the UDC prison moonbase complex. Also, given that it has been part of the Georgetown skyline for 40 years now, there's no way OGB will allow it to be completed ditched.
The renderings posted earlier in this thread do quite a good job, I think, of preserving what must be preserved while also greatly enhancing the overall space with the new additions.
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Post by Problem of Dog on Oct 9, 2013 19:29:35 GMT -5
I've never thought Lauinger was quite as ugly as most people seem to. Reiss on the other hand, along with New South, are the worst two blights on campus that don't host football games. I'm actually fine with preserving the style of Lauinger in some way (of course the only way not to is to destroy it) if they add a lot more glass and ivy. I think that would look pretty great. I'm really digging the renderings. Anything they can do to re-skin Reiss would be a massive relief. Something about the way that building is placed makes it particularly egregious. At least New South is sort of on the edge of campus, Reiss is so visible from so many angles. Like the idea of the sky bridge to Regents too. The campus is really coming along. Harbin is actually pretty atrocious looking when combined with its big, useless patio.
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thebin
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Post by thebin on Oct 10, 2013 9:06:41 GMT -5
Yeah, Harbin is pretty bad. Reiss seems to stick out in a special way though. It seems like it was placed incorrectly on its footprint in addition to being quite ugly. New South is a different kind of ugly; it is abundantly clear when you look at it that the university sought to throw up a building at the absolute lowest cost without the slightest concern for asthetic value. It looks like a pre-fab institution that was already designed for a state run orphange or something. To me that is more egregious than Harbin- which looks like they tried (and failed pretty badly) to make it look good. Harbin and Reiss sort of look like hum drum buildings that were built in a bad time for general institutional building architecture. New South just flat looks like a prison. Only reason I put Reiss on my fantasy wrecking ball list above New South is because Reiss is so centrally located.
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SSHoya
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Post by SSHoya on Oct 10, 2013 10:18:40 GMT -5
Re: New South from the font of all knowledge and wisdom, wikipedia. Ironic if the University Architect is really located there. Blame the feds for funding it, if true.
The name reflects the oldest Georgetown building, which had been called "Old South," and was located near New South's location. Old South was replaced by Ryan Hall in 1903. When New South was completed in September 1959, it was the southernmost building on campus.[15][16] Money for the dormitory was made available by the federal government largely because of the 1957 launch of Sputnik 1, which galvanized the government to fund educational initiatives. However this required that a "no-frills" building be built. Since then, renovation to the exterior has been prevented by the United States Commission of Fine Arts, which considers it a "part of the historic skyline of Georgetown."[17] Its monolithic appearance has been criticized by many from students to President Lyndon B. Johnson.[15] In addition to student housing, New South also houses the office of the University Architect, University Facilities, Facilities Planning, and the MSB Technology Center.
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SSHoya
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Post by SSHoya on Oct 10, 2013 10:19:08 GMT -5
Re: New South from the font of all knowledge and wisdom, wikipedia. Ironic if the University Architect is really located there. Blame the feds for funding it, if true.
The name reflects the oldest Georgetown building, which had been called "Old South," and was located near New South's location. Old South was replaced by Ryan Hall in 1903. When New South was completed in September 1959, it was the southernmost building on campus.[15][16] Money for the dormitory was made available by the federal government largely because of the 1957 launch of Sputnik 1, which galvanized the government to fund educational initiatives. However this required that a "no-frills" building be built. Since then, renovation to the exterior has been prevented by the United States Commission of Fine Arts, which considers it a "part of the historic skyline of Georgetown."[17] Its monolithic appearance has been criticized by many from students to President Lyndon B. Johnson.[15] In addition to student housing, New South also houses the office of the University Architect, University Facilities, Facilities Planning, and the MSB Technology Center.
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thebin
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Post by thebin on Oct 10, 2013 10:36:53 GMT -5
"....which galvanized the government to fund educational initiatives. However this required that a "no-frills" building be built. Since then, renovation to the exterior has been prevented by the United States Commission of Fine Arts, which considers it a "part of the historic skyline of Georgetown."
I mean....wow. Just wow. We'll give you tax payer money to build something vaguely educational. We don't really care what but on one point we are resolute: it has to be a piece of chite. You want to improve that piece of chite a bit later on your own dime? Nope, its been a piece of chite for too long now. We can't let you improve it because people in Arlington are used to looking at that piece of chite and we don't want to surprise them.
You can't make this stuff up.
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hoyatables
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Post by hoyatables on Oct 10, 2013 11:09:04 GMT -5
A couple of thoughts:
1) Reiss: remember that when it was built in 1962 there was nothing else to the west, north, or south. No Leavey, no ICC, no Henle. Also it is pretty clear that it was built into the hillside and its orientation makes sense when viewed against that hill. So it probably made sense in 1962 to locate it there.
2) New South: federal funds were critical to more than just new South. I think virtually every building after 1950 involved some sort of federal funding due in large part by lobbying by a particular Jesuit. The third volume of Curran's history of Georgetown has all the details.
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