Boos for the Big House
continued
Others joined the subjective debate. “I have heard over and over about people who do not like the design for the new ‘Big House,’” emailed Lisa Reach. “While it is a drastic change it does maintain the brick arches that are present on many U of M buildings”—unlike the “garish and hideous new Ross Business School building,” one of several campus buildings we omitted for reasons of space.
Toby Citrin spoke up for another overlooked building: “the new
structure for the U.M. School of Public Health (where I work). The
architect in this case, Jeff Riley of Centerbrook Architects, took a
near-impossible task (joining the two very different preexisting
buildings) with a new structure providing a grand new entrance, a
‘Crossroads Tower’ adding major new space, and various central
facilities to bring the School together. The results are stunning.”
Stephanie Rieke Miller of the U-M Museum of Art appreciated the praise for UMMA’s addition, but noted that Roy Strickland needn’t have worried that the museum was changing its main entrance. “In fact, the primary entrance to the museum will remain the ceremonial entryway through the porch of historic Alumni Memorial Hall,” Miller emailed. “We look forward to welcoming the entire community to a twenty-four-hour open house celebrating the new UMMA from 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28, through 6 p.m. Sunday, March 29, 2009.”
