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What if Netsch really hits it big in terms of his reputation 50 years from now
UIC tear downs comming?
"Architects, he noted, sometimes see their status rise after their deaths (Netsch died in June 2008): “What if [Netsch] really hits it big in terms of his reputation 50 years from now, can you believe we destroyed two of his most iconic buildings? I don’t know.”
A new round of updating the campus master plan is now under way. While South Campus marked a major expansion across of Roosevelt, the traditional campus border, this time UIC is contemplating living within existing boundaries — for the most part.
In general, UIC envisions a greener campus, with a spate of new buildings replacing the current seas of surface parking and better connections between the school’s health and medical uses on the west and the traditional academic campus on the east.
They already tore down the walkways which were more "iconic" in terms of scope then UH and BSB. Something needs to happen to both of those buildings because BSB is a terrible space inside for such a huge building and UH is falling apart.
I'm not concerned about Netsch's reputation in 50 years, but I am about UIC's which I think is at a critical juncture in shaping its future. I don't think the buildings are a success or can be altered in any significant successful way.
I am excited to see the ideas put forward for the school because there are a lot of great people who have a lot to offer. It sounds like the school is continuing to move in the right direction, and I am not worried about anyone missing these two particular Netsch buildings. "His" campus has already been significantly altered and I think there is plenty of room for improvement.
No doubt about it, the future vision of going to school with jet packs Netsch envisioned has been obliterated. However the tall university hall is an icon and I think a fine piece of architecture. Surely it could be redapted for student housing. How many dorms can boast of the view you would have looking at the skyline from the 15th floor of the tower? How unique would that be? It would almost certainly require additional core, maybe additional elevators and stairs, also glazing and plumbing, and that sounds like a lot but consider how much built structre we would be throwing away for the sake of green. BSB - sadly is a horrendous plan for a classroom building. Interesting architecturally but almost unusable.
University Hall as a residence hall is a great idea, but having never experienced the upper floors of the building, I have no idea what it would take to adapt the building. Also the area around the building is such an underutilized space due to the wind vortex created by the building that I think reworking that whole part of campus would be worth the cost of losing two substantial buildings.
In addition, I would love something to be done with the ComEd(?) area next to the A&A building and the A&A building. There is so much area in that section of campus that I think something on nearly the scale of the South Campus could be done there. Especially when the nearby parking lots are included.
I think building IN the campus to increase the density would be a great move after building OUT the south campus. I also like an idea I heard one time which is to continue to build along Halsted with retail at the sidewalk and residential space above and around it. This could really take UIC to the next level of behaving like more of a residential campus in a global city.
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