With the new snow came the proof of a great concern of mine: it is cold. It has been cold recently, but the snow signifies that this will not likely change for some time. For someone who walks two miles round trip to campus, the weather is very important.
However, even those who walk across campus are affected by the weather. There are obvious sights that occur which signify that the winter is upon us: there are fewer people on campus and those who are often walk quickly and only look to the ground, venturing a higher look only to make sure of direction and to avoid a collision. There are fewer groups of people who have stopped just to talk with others they know. And, of course, the ice-polishers are around again, helping to make the hazardous sidewalks that much more exciting.
As this weather continues and the cold resists abatement, I find myself longing for covered walkways on campus. I don't mean what is going on with the connection from Robert Bell to the Art and Journalism building or being able to travel through the Arena, Student Recreation Center and Human Performance Lab to have a brief respite from the cold and snow. No, I don't think we necessarily need it to be insulated and covered or to be the bane for our great landscaping crew. No, I just want some covered walkways to keep the rain off and to keep the sidewalks relatively clear.
If I could walk from the College of Architecture and Planning to the Music Instruction Building it would be amazing. I don't envision the entire campus crisscrossed in these covered walkways, that would be ridiculous, but if there were two that went on either side of McKinley, I would think that they would be far from unused and would help this campus a great deal.
An additional side-effect to this postulation would be the bus stops located along McKinley Avenue, where a majority of them are, could be included in the covered walkway which would already be traversing the campus. Those waiting for a bus wouldn't have to sit under a deluge of rain or attempt to find a non-frozen, dry and snow-free spot to sit while waiting for a bus or shuttle.
I wouldn't think that it could all be constructed at one time. Instead, there would need to be a gradual integration of this into the campus; however, it should be noted that a hodge-podge assortment of styles and types such as we see in our buildings would not be a good approach. Our buildings stand apart and can thus support individuality, but this new colonnade would have to be a singular entity, connecting the campus and signifying our unity.
I can already picture it: all along McKinley Avenue there stretches a contemporary style colonnade (it fits with the campus but doesn't make one immediately think of the Greeks), which allows students and faculty alike to travel the campus. Those entering campus immediately note it, as it is self evident, and enjoy how it adds a little more panache to our university and accentuates our already-well maintained grounds.
The covering can be designed so that it does what it is supposed to do – keep the rain off and the sidewalks relatively clear of snow – while still allowing for one to see the buildings behind and a change in the height or styling that can allow for the entrances to buildings to be self-evident.
Covered bus stops and other portions of the walkway are built wider so that people can talk and chat while remaining in the comfort and safety of the covering. Those visiting the campus at night notice the soft glow produced by the walkway as they travel through the campus. Students and faculty wonder at those who had come before this was in place and shake their heads in dismay at trying to imagine such a time.
So, that might not all happen, waxing eloquent is something that we, as architects and designers, are prone to do; however, much of that is not too farfetched. There could be a time in the not-too-distant future where one could travel the campus under cover and when visitors could be immediately impressed by this feature. I look forward to being one of those visitors in the future, coming back to my alma mater and reveling in this feature that I so adamantly hoped for as a student.
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