Yale's Pelli Proposes New Master Plan for Rice by Robert Stoy Discussed Rice's More Immediate Next to the Chemistry Lecture Hall
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K c / A/v i X Yale's Pelli proposes new master plan for Rice by Robert Stoy discussed Rice's more immediate next to the Chemistry lecture hall. to accommodate on-campus doubts. Larry Livingston, Dean of Architect Cesar Pelli presented a expected needs. These were a new A lecture and recital hall, seating meetings and house guests of the the Shepherd School, found Pelli's long-range plan for the Rice engineering building, a biochem- 300-400 people and placed across university. answer to a music school building campus last Thursday in the istry building, a building for the from the west facade of Anderson Still further in the future was a "very elegant" but inadequate in Chemistry Lecture Hall. Its Shepherd School of Music, and Hall and next to Fondren Library, possible 10,000-seat sports arena one major respect. He called its purpose, he stated, was to provide the expansion of the Rice would be shared by the Shepherd situated adjacent to commuter location near Hamman Hall "very future guidance for the location of Memorial Center. School and other departments. parking lot F and a 1,000 to 1,200- perplexing" because, though new buildings at Rice. In his In Pelli's design, the new Pelli's plan provided for seat orchestra hall situated on the Hamman Hall is now a primary discussion, however, Pelli omitted engineering wing would stand on expanding the RMC primarily to same axis with Lovett Hall and performance space, it "is totally a few of the campus's more the Mechanical Laboratory quad the west side, creating a courtyard Fondren, in what is now the unacceptable as a performance immediate needs, according to across from Abercrombie Lab, adjacent to Sammy's Cafeteria. Its playing field west of the RMC. space and would never be several faculty members in behind the Chemistry Lab design was discussed together with Pelli also recommended areas in imagined as something we would attendance. Building. several possibilities for re- which to plant new oak trees in have function in that regard in the Pelli divided the plan into The biochemistry wing and its designing the rear (west) facade of order to extend that aspect of the future." phases ranging from probable sister structure, a building for the Fondren. Pelli did not address the campus's ambience to new The later phase of the master near-term projects to potential Shepherd School, would form a east side of the library. building sites and along more plan included what was termed an ones much further in the future. new quadrangle with Hamman The later phases of the plan campus roadways. "orchestra hall," but Livingston Earlier this year President Norman Hall. Both new buildings would be showed the possible location of Reaction to Pelli's presentation questioned this terminology: Hackerman and Vice-President perpendicular to the triplet science two new residential colleges, one was mixed. The audience, "Among our most urgent needs a for Administration William Akers buildings, with the biochemistry south of Jones College and the comprising mostly architecture concert hall, which we have never consulted with Pelli for about 40 structure adjacent to Biology and other west of Hanszen. A students and professors, received it called an 'orchestra hall.' " minutes, at which time they Geology and the music building conference center was also planned approvingly, but some entertained see Rice, page 7 Inside: } • Samfield shifts blame for repair fiasco, see page 7. • Greg Holies reviews another "winner", see page 12. / \ • Mollenkamp uncovers UT 1HRESHER controversy, see page 15. Volume 71, Number 7 Friday, September 30, 1983 Rice buys Tidelands for graduate student housing by Bob Terry graduate programs will be sought increase of 80 expected in the Rice University purchased the to determine demand for room and Jones Business School next year, Tidelands Motor Inn last board, rules or lack thereof, and may not fill the whole complex. In Thursday afternoon, and work has the type of governance to be set up. that case, preference will be given already begun to convert the motel Unlike undergraduates in the to undergraduate upperclassmen into graduate student housing, residential colleges, graduate in the allocation of the extra Vice President for Administration students currently have but one rooms. Currently there are 62 William Akers announced this small governing body, the GSA, overflowed residents in the week. Units will be available, said and only one common space, the colleges, 47 on the waiting list for Akers, "as soon as we can get a Valhalla lounge. rooms and 940 off-campus fence up and assess v/hat other "We don't yet know what they undergraduates. renovations are needed," will want," commented Coordina- "We won't underprice college sometime between Thanksgiving tor of Graduate Programs Janis rooms," Akers said. and the second semester. Stout, "but this addition offers the Rice Trustee Jack Trotter, The 232-room motel, located chance for visibility and speaking on behalf of the across University Boulevard from cohesiveness. A graduate body is university's Board of Governors, the track stadium at 6500 South not visible, to itself or to outsiders, noted, "Not only does the Main, "looks to be in good shape unless it has a place... This is Tidelands acquisition satisfy a real Workman plants posts outside Tidelan ds —C. Clay internally — only the outside is a deeply felt now." and immediate need of the Rice Tidelands property available. Spaw-Glass, Inc. (founded by Rice little deteriorated," accordingfto President Norman Hackerman community, but also it represents a In recent years, the mote! alumni Louis D. Spaw, Jr. and T. Physical Plant Director Ed agreed, noting, "There has been a sound long-term investment." painted in bright primary colors Frankljn Glass, Jr.), with Samfield, who examined the need for nearby housing for our Despite earlier fears of being has suffered from competition structural work by Walter P. property with Director of Food graduate students for some time outbid, the university was able to with newer, more luxurious hotels Moore Co. (headed by the late and Housing Marion Hicks. now, and this purchase is a purchase the motel, thanks largely in the Medical Center area. distinguished Rice alumnus), the Under the jurisdiction of Hicks, a response." Most universities have to revenues from the sale of lumber The purchase of the Tidelands Tidelands opened prematurely on group of architects, engineers and some graduate apartments, and from Rice-owned timberland in bv Rice consummates a close October 25, 1957, to accomodate administrators will decide on many have "student ghettoes" Louisiana. President Hackerman relationship that has lasted from crowds attending the Rice-Texas further repairs, shelves and desks nearby which are more affordable has expressed the university's the motel's conception to the last game. Rice won that game to for the rooms, and the rent than those neighborhoods appreciation of the Morin M, weekend of its operation when a clinch the Southwest Conference required to support costs. surrounding Rice. Scott family's consideration of the crowd of Ragin' Cajuns from championship and a trip to the Input from the Graduate Rice's current graduate university's housing needs and Southwestern Louisiana Univer- Cotton Bowl. Student Association and from the population of 1100, even with an their generosity in making the sity stayed at the facility. Built by see Campus, page 6 Owls erase losing skein with thrilling 22-21 defeat of USL by Jay Grob Kent State University of Ohio as Hundreds of Rice students the nation's losingest team with 16 poured onto the field in an consecutive losses. unrestrained orgy of joy and the The Owls, who now stand at 1 -3, south goalpost came crashing last tasted victory in November of down seconds after Oscar Speer's 1981 when they upset the Baylor 48-yard field goal attempt fell far Bears 17-14 in Waco. The Ragin' short of the mark as time expired Cajuns of USL, who dished out the Saturday night at Rice Stadium, Owls' second loss in the streak with Stadium. a 21-14 win in the 1982 season No, the conference champion- opener, fell to 0-3. UWIVEBSITV ship had not been clinched. Said Owl coach Ray Alborn Rather, the Rice Owls had won a amidst the pandemonium of the football game, holding on to beat Rice locker room, "We never the University of Southwestern spoke about the losing streak to Louisiana 22-21 before 10,000 our players or among the coaches, fans. but there has been a lot of pressure As everyone and their brother on everyone here. This will help us knows. Rice's win broke their 15 more than if we had beaten them Sammy rides again after 22-21 victory game losing streak, and leaves see OWI.S, page 14 Faculty, student input needed to master plan The noted architect Cesar Pelli unveiled a new master plan for Rice University last Thursday. It's too bad that Rice's faculty and students weren't consulted by the administration before Pelli was given his instructions. Master plans, of course, tend to remain just that: master plans. I am sure that when Pelli's vision approaches concrete and tile reality the twin justifications for Rice's existence — faculty and students — will at least have a voice in space and resource apportionment. Nevertheless, one would think that the whole project could have been put off until Rice's decennial self-study was completed and a thorough review of Rice's needs and priorities was in hand. Rice certainly needs a master architectural plan, and Dr. Alters' and President Hackerman's decision to address the challenge is welcome.