We spent a good amount of time in class this past Tuesday talking about structural architecture and engineering. It was actually really interesting to look at the things that we take for granted in a building. It makes sense, then, that we started at Temple Hoyne with all the exposed structure there. We talked about the supports around the building and why they actually work like they do. For example, there is an i-beam that supports the building and runs between the stairs near where our class meets, and it cannot be much more than a foot in width. However, the engineers (or architects, I'm not sure which…) were able to allow this beam to work over such a long distance (maybe 50-60 feet) and not break. There are other support beams that pinch in on the sides of them beam so it does not break. A simple, yet effective engineering principle.
We saw similar ideas taking place in the Armory, Huff, and the practice football facility. In each building there were several beams stretched across the ceiling or roof to hold together and support the building. We saw how all the supports work together to create a network of support for the building. Although engineering is not my specialty, I can appreciate the work that goes into constructing something such as this. There were even simple architectural hints that pointed to the support structures and how important they are. In the practice football facility, there was a line extending down from every other beam where the ceiling and wall met. This was to represent that there was a beam there, although the wall covered it. It was almost like showing security even though we could not see the support was actually there.
My favorite part of the tour was probably the tunnel between Huff and the Armory. It was too bad we couldn't get through the door, but next time I'll try and figure out the code. Maybe the most important thing I learned was that Professor Hinders is a fearless leader when crossing the street. But that's all I will say about that.
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