Final-essay 2

The purpose of this assignment is to have us reconsider a place that we are acquainted with in order to get a deeper understanding of the place and truly connect to it; to take a step back and analyze the area from an outsider's perspective. To abstractly look at a place compared to its physical appearance, to re-imagine and consider all the aspects that create the place. My group chose Old Main because to us, it is one of the most memorable buildings on campus. Old Main is positioned perfectly in the center of the University of Arizona, which makes it a place of continuous interactions, especially by those that are new to the campus. Physically, Old Main is an aged building but it creates a space of acceptance and relaxation, however at night, its alter ego is revealed. After dark, Old Main morphs into an alter ego of negativity, punishment and fear; resembling that of a haunted house. Interpretations of Old Main depend upon the time of day one visits and the individual’s reason for the visit. Old Main is either a place that signifies one of U of A’s relaxation areas or a place that reflects the dreadfulness of U of A. The different atmospheres between day and night both emphasize on the space and purpose that Old Main promotes.

Final-essay 2

In 1891, Old main opened its doors and was the first building to house classes for the University of Arizona. There were about 32 students that day and Old Main contained everything for them: classes, rooms for students and staff. It was the heart of the school and that stays true today. Geographically, Old Main is at the center of the campus and this picture demonstrates this because Old Main is significantly between two massive trees, its what draws the viewers attention first. On the map of U of A, it illustrates how the college expanded and branched out from Old Main; like the buildings that stemmed from Old Main the purpose also did as well: to unify the student body.
Today, Old Main is smaller in size because it was rebuilt due to a fire, and its purpose is to house the Dean of Students. Old main looks like a peaceful place with luscious green grass, crimson brick walls, wide open porches, and surrounded by massive trees. During the day Old Main is a place of clear serenity, an inviting place, the place yearns to become the space. The setup of Old Main is clear and open purposely to promote social gatherings and unite students. Being the first building of the University of Arizona, Old main attempts to sustain that importance of leadership by establishing and building upon the body of students. The following picture illustrates the social networking space that Old Main entails.

Final-essay 2

Here, Old Main reflects the peaceful, fun loving atmosphere of U of A. People are what make Old Main a social space. Visitors are welcomed by the animated environment, it portrays a sense of hospitality: come enjoy the spirit of U of A through Old Main. People are sitting on the benches, relaxing, hidden away to read their books or sleep, others are walking through the fresh green grass, and some are casually riding along side it. The picture seems almost too perfect with the luscious colors of nature and the happy faces of the people, but for them Old Main is a place of simplicity and peacefulness. Old Main is a space of social gathering; mothers stroll their children the grass, men play Frisbee, students sit on the bench near the waterfall.
This picture illustrates Old Main as the center of campus. The angle is coming from the street, which leads to the entrance. It’s the first thing that visitors see upon entering U of A; it’s the first thing one sees everyday because it’s the drop off point for all of the shuttles. For most it is the source of direction, the way they find other buildings on campus by associating it with Old Main; the source of direction. Old Main demonstrates and promotes one of the many societal gatherings on the campus of the University of Arizona, however Old Main is unique in that it’s not always a space of peace. It’s a casual place by day, but at night, old main embodies the atmosphere of a haunted house. However, few notice the spookiness of Old Main because most people relax at Old Main during the day and at night they disregard that the building even exists and if they happen to notice it they walk a little faster.

Final-essay2

At night, Old Main is significant in that its atmosphere is different than the rest of campus. It is not over crowded or filled with constant noises, it is secluded from the rest of U of A. As seen in the earlier photo, Old Main is surrounded by a road, and this road reflects Old Main’s island-like separation. The mood of Old Main is creepy and empty, however this does not stem out to the rest of campus; near by the centennial hall and the student union are lit up and filled with people. The road around Old Main purposefully alienates it because U of A promotes the fun activities of college life, but they also want to hint the consequences of it as well. Old Main is used as an icon to demonstrate the disciplinary aspect of U of A but the college does it below the radar.
Old Main is surrounded by a beautiful scenery of flowers, trees, grass, a water fall, and multiple benches which create a welcoming atmosphere. This distracts you from the fears of Old Main for the moment but it still lingers on, you are subconsciously aware that Old Main houses the Dean of students. This picture reflects the fearful aura that Old Main transmits. The dark picture portrays the creepy essence of Old Main and how it promotes discipline. During the night, Old Main takes the form of a haunted house with the dark trees, murky shadows, creaky wooden floors and loneliness. The majority of people do not know this side of Old Main but those that have been in trouble or know the haunted rumors, view Old Main as a space of fear and emptiness. The omniscient atmosphere creates a space of authority and obedience. At night, Old Main purposefully portrays negative affects and consequences of disobedience in college, in order to invoke fear into past and future offenders to stop the defiance. This image contradicts what Old Main was meant to stand for in 1891; it was intended to promote an area for education and social networking, however today that is not the case. Old Main at night, is now a space of negativity and emptiness with ghostly history.

Final-essay 2

At first glance, one might assume that Old Main is a space of coziness, relaxation and peacefulness, due to its older Victorian style house with a rap around porch, the benches and fresh air. Its actually inviting, however, this welcoming picture is perceived differently from those that know the haunted tails of Old Main. One of the reasons why Old Main is considered haunted is because the first building was burned down in a fire and it is marked by death. During the reconstruction of Old Main a man was found dead. This man was in charge of the rebuilding of Old Main, but his body was found on the second floor, he had been murdered and his killer was never found. This tragic story emphasizes the disturbances of Old Main. This reflects the transition of Old Main from a space of education to a space of fear. U of A plays off this new outlook of dread to establish its authority; they use the stigma to promote discipline.
For instance, students that are caught in possession of alcohol, they attend Old Main for the consequences. These individuals now associate Old Main with negative attributes and the spookiness of the building accentuates these feelings even more. However, for those students that have not been to Old Main for lack of obedience find that it’s a peaceful place. Thus, the individuals that socialize around Old Main may perceive it as either a place of dread or of serenity. This picture reflects both sides because it was taken in the early morning in it’s transition phase, between the night time fear and the afternoon relaxation. Like all places, the space is enhanced by the viewers’ perspectives and that individual’s knowledge influences their outlook. For instance, those that are aware of Old Main’s gloomy past and its containment of the Dean of Students will most likely avoid Old Main and view this picture as wearisome. Others that are unaware of this information may view this picture as comfortable and relaxing. It depends on the person’s knowledge and interactions they associate with Old Main, however the purpose remains the same: the promotion of socialization and discipline.

Final-essay 2

This assignment allowed me to reconsider the purposes of Old Main and it made me realize that Old Main has an alter ego, creating two spaces, and yet both contribute to its overall purpose. Old Main is an ancient place that promotes a space of enjoyment and fear. These contradicting spaces emphasize the purpose of Old Main, which is to secure the University of Arizona’s identity of socialization and control. As the center and first building of U of A, Old Main has a duty to uphold and enhance the community surrounding it. I am particularly happy that my group agreed to do this assignment on Old Main because I have a new perspective of it, a deeper meaning and thus a stronger connection to it (and the University of Arizona). I live off campus and I take a shuttle everyday to school, therefore, I see Old Main everyday. I have seen Old Main during the afternoon, the early morning, and night fall, however I never stopped to understand how it gave off the different atmospheres that it did. After this assignment, I now understand the different stages of Old Main, the glory (during the day), the transition (early morning), and the dreadfulness (night fall). This assignment allowed me to understand the true purpose of Old Main and how it accomplishes it.

essay2. conclusion- saaben mendoza

Here, Old Main reflects the peaceful, fun loving atmosphere of U of A. People are sitting on the benches, relaxing, hidden away to read their books or sleep, others are walking through the fresh green grass, and some are casually riding along side it. The picture seems almost too perfect with the luscious colors of nature and the happy faces of the people, but for them Old Main is a place of simplicity and peacefulness. Old Main is a space of social gathering; mothers stole their children the grass, men play Frisbee, students sit on the bench near the waterfall. This picture illustrates Old Main as the center of campus. The angle is coming from the street, which leads to the entrance. It’s the fist thing that visitors see upon entering U of A; it’s the first thing one sees everyday because it’s the drop off point for all of the shuttles. For most it is the source of direction, the way they find other buildings on campus by associating it with Old Main; the source of direction. Old Main demonstrates and promotes one of the many societal gatherings on the campus of the University of Arizona, however Old Main is unique in that it’s not always a space of peace.