The Classroom building was built in 1968 and dedicated in 1971. It was designed by Laramie architects W. Eliot and Clinton A. Hitchcock and according to a plaque inside the building it is especially praised for being one of the most innovative architectural structures in the Rocky Mountains region. With its prominent round shape the Classroom building represents one of the most significant stylistic characteristics of the so-called “Googie” architecture that was very popular during the mid-century era and is famous for its space-age and atomic-age themes, as can be seen in the examples shown in pictures 6, 7 and 8. Informed by the government’s extensive efforts in the space program, that style was a synonym for progress, future and modernity. Another trademark of mid-century modern architecture is the play of curvilinear and rectilinear shapes, which is emphasized by the juxtaposition of the Classroom building’s base and top. The new geometries were based on variety within repetition. Looking at the top of the building the reoccurring vertical windows create an interesting and intriguing pattern that contributes to the structure’s UFO character. But despite its ‘extraterrestrial’ shape the Classroom building blends in nicely with its surrounding thanks to the material that was chosen for its construction. The buff-colored sandstone can be find in most of the buildings on the UW campus.
Site features of mid-century modern buildings include square planter boxes which also can be seen on the north and the south side of the Classroom building. They serve to reduce and break impervious surfaces and create a more ‘natural’ atmosphere.
Site features of mid-century modern buildings include square planter boxes which also can be seen on the north and the south side of the Classroom building. They serve to reduce and break impervious surfaces and create a more ‘natural’ atmosphere.
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