Last weekend I meet up with some members of the Syracuse Photographers Association to explore the architecture found on the Syracuse University (SU) campus in Syracuse, New York. About a dozen photographers attended including Debbie from Ithaca and her husband. SU has been around since 1871 with the campus featuring late 19th and early 20th century buildings as well as modern day designs. I have a personal history with a couple of the ones I am showing you today.
Hall of Languages
The Hall of Languages on the Syracuse University campus in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 4500, EV 0, 48mm focal length.
The Hall of Languages was the first building constructed on the Syracuse University campus back in 1871. Built in the Second Empire style designed by architect Horatio Nelson White using Onondaga limestone at a cost of $136,000. The east and west towers were part of the original construction while the central tower was not added until 1886. The building was the home of the College of Liberal Arts from its beginning, although other schools and departments have also occupied the edifice. A section of the eastern wing is said to have been used as a natural science museum at one time.
The Hall of Languages was the location of my one and only class at Syracuse University while I attended the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Still needing 3 credits in English to meet my graduation requirement, I took a creative writing class from a professor who thoroughly enjoyed teaching it. Her enjoyment was infectious and I found myself completely engrossed in the assignments. I credit her with my continued efforts at writing and why I look at it as fun and not a chore.
Newhouse Communications Center III
Newhouse Communications Center III building on the Syracuse University campus in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 1250, EV +0.3, 70mm focal length.
Built between 2005 and 2007, the Newhouse Communications Center III cost $31.6 million. Just a bit more expensive than the Hall of Language was. As the name implies, this is the third building named after Samuel I. Newhouse who was founder of Advance Publications. Advance Publications prints newspapers, magazines from Condé Nast and Parade and owns cable television and Internet companies. The set of buildings house the Newhouse School of Communications where many famous alumni like Bob Costas, Joe McNally, Dick Stockton, Mike Trico and Steve Kroft learned their craft. The Newhouse Communications Center III building features a Collaborative Media Room, designed with clean lines, sleek furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass panels overlooking campus and includes an expanded 2,500 square foot café and 350-seat auditorium.
Bowne Hall
Bowne Hall on the Syracuse University campus in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/16, ISO 360, EV +0.7, 28mm focal length, HDR image.
Bowne Hall was built in 1909 for the Department of Chemistry at a cost of $175,000. Named after Samuel W. Bowne, an SU Trustee from 1893 to 1911, who contributed $100,000 towards the building’s construction. Today, very few laboratories exist as the building had a major renovation in 2010 covering 17,000 square feet. This made room for the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, a cohesive collection of faculty from Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical Center and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
In the summer of 1979, I took a six week long class in Bowne Hall in organic chemistry. I needed the class to enter the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. No class, no transfer. The class was four days a week and included a 2 hour lecture and 2 hour lab each day. I spent every night in the library preparing for the next day’s work. I achieved an A for the class and was able to start my work towards a degree in Wildlife and Forest Biology. Whew!
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