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2008-04-07 12:48 pm
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Warwick University's Architecture...

...seen through the eyes of PhD comics' guide to University Architecture.

The university was founded to late (and too far outside Coventry) to be considered a true Red Brick Wonderland, but passes PhD's definition, due to the libraries frequent "complaining of being underfunded".

No gothic frippery at Warwick. Not being Cambridge or Oxford is one of it's selling points. People have dropped out of Cambridge to come to Warwick.

By era, and style, Warwick is most firmly in the Neo-Penal style. There's a persistent rumour that Cryfield accommodation was based on the blueprint for a Swedish Women's Prison. Apparently the corridors are so narrow to prevent rioting.

The newer buildings aren't quite guilty of Modernism. If you haven't seen it there's a great scene in this comedy, about a day in the life of the relocated maths department, where they open the fixed shutters.

Where they've really made an effort to catch up to Modernism with the art. The outside of campus is littered with pieces of modern sculpture. From the legacy of red warwick to the kissing penguins; from the occasionaly rotating koan to the stone turd, I love them all.

Lastly theat leaves the campus tower. Whose part will have to played by the arts centre, Warwick failing to have a standalone tower. It remains one of the few places you can see the Warwick Coat of Arms, as "should no longer be part of the University’s logo or used alongside the text 'The University of Warwick'." It fell out of favour while I was there in favour of a more modern swooshy one. Bleugh.

{Edit:'s/Crest/Coat of Arms/g' thanks [livejournal.com profile] makyo}