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January 14, 2008, 11:15 AM ET
At the U. of Southern Indiana, a Proposal for a Conical Tower
Plenty of presidents and trustees — to say nothing of alumni — seem to think that a university isn’t really worthy of the name unless it has a tower. Over the years this sentiment has produced some much-loved landmarks (like Sather Tower at the University of California at Berkeley) and a number of what can politely be called spectacularly mediocre attempts. The Modernist efforts are particularly unfortunate: Florida Southern College’s Centennial Tower, Pomona College’s Smith Tower, Temple University’s Bell Tower, and the State University of New York at Albany’s combination bell-and-water tower. Just to name a few. The point is, campus towers are a risky business.
Now Malcolm Holzman of Holzman Moss Architecture has proposed building a tower (right) as part of a plan to renovate the University of Southern Indiana’s campus center, according to the Evansville Courier & Press. And the tower he has in mind is a giant cone. The cone is pierced by windows and topped by what the newspaper describes as “a pagoda-like crown.” At 70 feet, it would be the tallest structure on the campus. It would link the existing campus-center building with the university’s old library, which is to be incorporated into the new campus center.
Early reaction is favorable — perhaps surprisingly so. According to a Courier & Press online survey, as of Monday morning 46 percent of those who had voted liked the design, 28 percent thought it was okay, and 24 percent hated it.
Mr. Holzman told the university’s trustees that the design was preliminary. “It’s a way to show what we’re doing, to allow for commentary about it,” he said. (Holzman Moss image)
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