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UofM's nicest VS. UofM's ugliest


Zissou

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Recently I was contacted about taking some pictures of Michigan's campus with the idea of comparing the schools best architecture with its worst. Im not too familiar with A2 but I know many of you are. I was hoping for pictures, descriptions, and locations or the best and worst University of Michigan architecture. I appreciate anything you guys can give me.

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This should be fun. As an architecture student, we have a lot to say about our best and worst. I'll be sure to compile some images together and post them for you. I would say 90-95% of U of M's buildings are good or really good. The remainder are just out-right awful. These are currently, or just have been renovated or will be torn down in the near future.

Ironically, the architecture school, which built in the 60's or 70's has to be one of the top worst on my list LOL. Fortunately its being renovated.

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This should be fun. As an architecture student, we have a lot to say about our best and worst. I'll be sure to compile some images together and post them for you. I would say 90-95% of U of M's buildings are good or really good. The remainder are just out-right awful. These are currently, or just have been renovated or will be torn down in the near future.

Ironically, the architecture school, which built in the 60's or 70's has to be one of the top worst on my list LOL. Fortunately its being renovated.

Well, for sheer crappiness, I would nominate the Business School (the older portion), which looks like something that Albert Speer would have been proud of and was built in the 1940s. On the positive side for the 60's, the Music School (by Eero Saarinen) comes to mind. And, I don't think that the Hatcher Library addition (from 1969) is too bad.

In terms of best, apart from the Law School quadrangle, I would nominate two Albert Kahn masterpieces -- West Engineering (now West Hall) and that little Palladian gem, the Clements Library.

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On the positive side for the 60's, the Music School (by Eero Saarinen) comes to mind. And, I don't think that the Hatcher Library addition (from 1969) is too bad.

I also like the look of the music school. Unfortunately I can't say the same for what I have seen of the interior.

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^ I'll have the stuff ready by Saturday definitely.

Here's all bad:

ugh, I hate the interior of the school of music. I agree the exterior is pretty cool. It definitely needs a renovation inside though.

The Student Activities Building is rather dissapointing. It's not really bad, just boring looking. Typical "university buearocracy" building.

The Hatcher addition is okay, but not spectacular. If it wasn't for the brick, I would have hated it. The same goes for Markley Hall and Lloyd Hall.

Dennison is ugly because of its "riot proof" design, when infact U of M does not have riots.

Medical building 1 looks pretty dated. There's another nearby that looks like a 60's office building.

I'm debating on the dental building. Cool design, but ugly brick. The brick has also needed many repairs so it looks very spotty.

The Modern Language Building. UGH! I've spent way too many hours in the MLB. The building is practically a bunker. I'm glad it's red brick, but it's still ugly as hell. Tear it down!

I think the middle part of the school of business is actually the ugliest. It's a weird design.

The architecture and arts school as previously mentioned.

The Cooley building on North Campus is dated looking.

FUTURE UGLYNESS

Solid State Electronics

School of Public Health Addition

BUILDINGS THAT HAD MAKEOVERS (These look nice now, or a lot better, but when first built looked bad)

Haven Hall

LSA Administration Building

Undergraduate Library (UGLI)

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This may seem like a lot of buildings, but really it's not Like I said these make up about 90-95% of all campus owned buildings.

Here's a site that created last year (but never finished) of U of M's campus buildings. Not all have pictures, but it's a good start for you.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ifmuth/project/

Be sure to click on building list since the interactive map broke down one day.

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No, he didn't do Carnegie actually. I was referring to Angell Hall, Nat Sci, and Hill Auditorium

Interesting -- it sure looks like Kahn. Do you know who did it?

By the way, Austin Dingwall in the Daily didn't care for it. Do you know him at the Arch school?

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