Old Main

by Richard P. Dober

This companion piece to Campus Heritage is published by SCUP and the Association of University Architects (AUA). It describes the forms, fame, and fate of Old Main, arguably higher education's iconic architecture. These edifices came into being as intentional examples of institutional aspirations and accomplishments, track stories of neglect and renewal, illustrate how some lost through human and natural disasters are now remembered with inspiring campus designs, offer reasons why Old Main and comparable buildings and landscapes deserve a prominent place in comprehensive campus plans, and outline workable methods to achieve that objective. The accompanying graphics, including a visually delightful collection of historic picture post cards, help support the premise that a rounded view of America's collegiate enterprises would be incomplete without understanding and acknowledging the contributions these magnificent masterworks have made to campus development.

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©SCUP 2007

 (PDF 35.3 MB)

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

Old Main
Emblematic Importance
Old Main and Authenticity
Old Main As An Educational Resource
An Economic Asset
Chapter Contents

CHAPTER TWO

Majors And Minors
Admirable Arizona
Adjusting To Reality
Superlatives
Formula Designs and Found Space
Extrapolations

CHAPTER THREE

The Iconic As Style
The Reverential and Referential
Iconic Features
Cloaks and Robes

CHAPTER FOUR

The Appeal Of Precedent
Emblematic Designs
Formation and Fate
Transformative Models
Bethany College
City College of New York
Persistence and Alternatives

CHAPTER FIVE

Towers and Domes
Variations On The Tower Theme
Towers: Down, Gone, Survived, Replaced, Extended
Dominant Domes

CHAPTER SIX

Edifying Edifices
Meritorious, Marginal, Meager
Castles, Chateaus and Stately Halls

CHAPTER SEVEN

Remembrance
Action Now

SOURCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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About the Author

Richard P. Dober—senior consultant at Dober, Lidsky, Mathey, and Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in campus planning and facility planning services. Trained at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, Dober has served as a campus planning and design consultant to over 345 colleges and universities worldwide as to foundations, government agencies, the World Bank, and UNESCO. He is a founder of the SCUP and a member of the AICP.