Clark College has made the right choice by beautifying the campus. The remodel of Gaiser Hall will make Clark a more attractive campus as well as more functional.
Some have argued that the new building is a waste of finances, because a college should spend its money on new equipment or reducing tuition prices. The argument is that Clark should just be a skeleton of pure function.
We need buildings that work efficiently and fulfill the purpose of their existence before we need a fountain or an art gallery, but we can’t stop there. Beyond the function, inspiring architecture is a sign of greatness. When buildings, campuses, and cities are built beautifully, and not just functionally, it shows a society at its greatest.
Famous works come down from antiquity because of their blend of function and form. The Sistine Chapel, Versailles, the Forbidden City, and the Pyramids are all blends of art and structure. None of these represent pure utilitarism, yet they all mark the greatness of some society at some point.
Even though Clark is a humble community college is should still make strides toward expanding the limitations of function and aesthetics. Clark will never represent the greatness of our society, but great works are not created in a vacuum either. The Golden Gate Bridge did not come from creators who didn’t value beauty. It was built in time when architecture sought to achieve beauty and function. Other lesser bridges came before it, but they also strived to combine both of these elements. Its purpose was to simply connect two pieces of land, but it also became a work of art.
The new and improved Gaiser Hall represents that middle ground. Maybe someday another building will go up even more grand than Gaiser.
This remodel is also an example that our school is robust. We are not in financial survival mode. It shows that this school is flourishing in the heart of Vancouver.
After I took a walk and saw the view found from behind the huge slanted windows, I was sold on the aesthetic value. It is a wonderful vantage point to see our campus in action. If you are struggling with the remodel, I suggest you go there and check it out.
Our reconstruction efforts expose a value that we all have. It is in our gardens. It is in our cars. It is in our music collections. This value affirms for us that a little extra effort and a little more finance can go toward creating something beyond simple usefulness.
If a person wants pure utility in his or her buildings, I suggest a trip to Mt. Hood Community College. That campus resembles Army bunkers with its square cement structures and sparsely lit hallways. In fall and spring the gorge wind whips through the cold corridors under gray clouds. I can imagine the depression that haunts the students of that school.
Clark College has greenery right through the middle of campus and a fountain that kids can play in. Ultimate Frisbee games are visible as the days warm up, while birds feed behind the Science building. We now have a new building to crown our campus. Clark has chosen to mix function and form and we are all better off for it.
