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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]For UVA - imo Darden and the lawn side of campus is really pretty but there are also a lot of really ugly/not in the UVA style. Clemons, Arts and Architecture buildings and some of the STEM buildings come to mind. And their new buildings don't really look that much like UVA.

W&M has the same problem on a smaller scale, but it looks like with the dorm reconstruction on west campus and the replacement of older buildings by Swem they're trying to return to the colonial style again. The b school building was built maybe 10 years ago and looks gorgeous.[/quote]

I like both campuses, probably preferring W&M overall, but I differ with you in that I think both both schools are too conservative with projects for my tastes.  Darden was a mini version of the lawn in an area that is far removed from the lawn.  I think a less traditional approach would have been better and more appropriate for modern business education.  It is out of step with what other schools have done.  W&M's business school is kind of a massive traditional interpretation of the 300+ year old Wren building, and again is far removed from it in location.  I think another approach for that location would have been better.  (Both of these complexes had the same architect.)  UVA's South Lawn project seemed kind of silly to me.  UVA agonized and debated over the project, replaced architects, saw a near revolt in the Architecture school.  South Lawn was a complete misnomer.  It is not visible from the Lawn as the view is blocked by Cabell Hall.  It is located down a hill, across a busy street, and its site is in something akin to a gully.  It didn't need to try to tie back to Jeffersonian architecture.  I think Jefferson would want the school to move ahead in architecture.

Perhaps both schools are a bit gun shy because their [b]modern architecture projects in the 1960s and 1970s were not good at all and they have been trying to fix [/b]and replace them ever since.  However, those project might have failed because they were too conservative.  Yale had notable modern projects in that time period that have become part of the fabric of the school.[/quote]

Whose buildings in the 60s and 70s turned out well? Those are always a monstrosity on any campus. Or very uncomfortable [/quote]

Yes, most of the first generation of modern buildings on U.S. campuses were not good.  But I visited Yale recently and the Morse Colleges, Beineke Rare Book Library, ice hockey rink, and art museum additions have stood the test of time.  Not much I can think of at Virginia colleges from that time period have stood the test of time.   Current architects can do interesting modern buildings and can be more sensitive to context, though.    [/quote]

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