Not Everyone Hopes for a White Christmas

Have you seen the classic movie, "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney? I watch this every year, root for snow to come to the Inn in Vermont (or it will fall into bankruptcy) and adore the finale when they all sing "White Christmas."

What does this have to do with the building? The fact we don't yet have snow is a boon for the project! Because the earth is not frozen, the contractors could lay sod and push forward on the landscape plans. Take a look at this photo taken yesterday-no this isn't air-brushed, this is real.

Happy holidays to you, and best wishes for the new year!

Peace-

Zwick

Christopher Columbus got it wrong

The Dean of Continuing Studies, Jeff Russell, joined Dean Douthitt for a behind the scenes tour of the new building. Dean Russell (in the red hardhat) is a faculty member in the College of Engineering, who have been superb hosts while Human Ecology is in relocation.

Joining Deans Douthitt and Russell were members of the technology design team, Pro Audio (white hardhats). The first stop on the tour was the Wisconsin Idea Room, a large video conference room capable of seating up to 20 people. Adjacent to the room is a catering kitchen and a small break-out meeting room.

The group toured Collaborative Learning Hall, located on the second floor of the addition. This space has a flat floor and will support strong connections between students and instructors, as well as student to student, with multiple LCD panels and screens. This room can set up to 144 in groups of 8.

These spaces - and more - are programmed with flexible furniture and robust technology to serve multiple methods of teaching and learning. To think that instructors do not have to be limited to what speaker can be in Madison on a given day gives me chills. Imagine delivering a lecture from Ghana, or bringing in a policy expert in Washington to a morning class in Madison, real time.

The world is flat because technology removed the last barrier.

For more information how to take advantage of these resources for teaching and engagement activities, please contact Associate Dean Clif Barber or Director of Technology Services John Hilgers.

Schedule for Moving Home

Over the past year all of our stakeholders have talked a great deal about the overall timeline and specific schedules needed for project completion—construction schedule, relocation schedule, schedule for furniture, and others. Along with team members Roberto Rengel and Rose Barroilhet, I attend the bi-weekly construction progress meetings so we can keep Human Ecology-specific deliverables on task and coordinate with JP Cullen. At these meetings schedule details are hammered out with the contractor for testing and balancing, when the building is to be cleaned, coordination with campus for fiber optics, and so on.

A major milestone is "substantial completion," the point in the project where the state (remember it's the state, not the campus, that holds the contract) in consultation with the campus, determines that the contractor is just about —but not quite—finished. The architect and campus develop a "punch list" of items that the contractor is still required to complete, but the progress of preparing to occupy the building may continue to move forward.

The time from substantial completion until the start of furniture delivery is busy and many tasks are executed. The internal systems (heating, ventilating, etc.) are tested and balanced, punch list items and technology interface with equipment continues, and many, many more details are confirmed. Furniture delivery—a massive undertaking coordinated and led by campus—won't begin until after this period of testing is complete. And having seen the draft schedule for furniture delivery and installation, I can verify this is a complex plan involving access to the Human Ecology loading dock, coordinating which vendors have access to the building elevators and for how long, and when the semi-trucks are allowed on campus.

The bottom line? The academic departments (CS, DS, HDFS, and IS) will be the first to move into the new building starting May 21, 2012, which means faculty, instructional spaces and the departments must be packed and ready to go.

The balance of Human Ecology units including Centers, administration and projects will immediately follow - keep checking this blog for information and updates.

Are you ready for some football?

I love fall - between the Packers and the Badgers it's just heaven for football in Wisconsin. As an added bonus I park in campus parking Lot 17 which overlooks Camp Randall. No kidding - walking out to my car I can lean over the west side and look down on the practice fields. Or if I park on the top level I am eye-to-eye with Camp Randall. It's a pretty cool view.

Last Monday I was at the construction site and spent a bit of time walking the north side. Holy cats, it's stunning. As I stepped back on the Observatory walkway I got to wondering....just how long is the new complex?

According to our design team, the length of the new facility (existing and addition) is longer than a football field - 1.4 times the length of a football field from the end zone to end zone. Since our building has connections between the addition and existing that are uninterrupted, I should be able to drop a few pounds just walking east to west.

That is if I don't stop halfway at the cafe for a little nosh....you know, just to keep my energy up.

On Wisconsin!

Crane Foundation

No, not talking about the International Crane Foundation, but the construction crane foundation.

A few weeks ago the large crane was taken down from the Human Ecology construction site. For over a year the crane was a fixture against the skyline, a symbol of Human Ecology strength as a member of the flock of cranes on campus. In June we met Sergio, our crane operator who shared the, shall we say...nuances... of spending 8 hours in the air. Once you meet the person who swings the big arm, it becomes personal. You could look at the webcam and see what Sergio was working on that day. It made me proud to think our crane was up there with similar beasts working on the Wisconsin Energy Institute, Union South or Biochem II. They are magnificent.

One of my colleagues asked what happens to the concrete pad the crane had been resting upon - excellent trivia question. Eric Plumer of JP Cullen tells me the crane pad for our project was an integrated part of the footings for the structure. This strategy has 2 benefits - saves on concrete by having the pad do "double duty" and keeps it out of the landfill.

Perhaps just a small plaque on the walkway, "Sergio flew here"

If we LEED, will you follow?

One of the five principles of the Human Ecology building project relates to creating a "...high quality, healthy and energy responsible environment..."

While the project is currently trending LEED Gold certification thanks to the help of our design team and friends, it's important to think beyond achieving LEED and think about behavior changes.

Smoking will not be allowed in the building or within 25 feet of building entries or fresh air intakes. The design team also included a prohibition on smoking inside the building DURING construction to prevent materials from absorbing contaminants that can be released later during occupancy.

Personally speaking, I will be really glad to not have to run a smoke-filled gauntlet to get into the building during inclement weather.

Off the Record

It seems like not that long ago we talked about the need to reduce paper files, and the anxiety that sometimes comes with the transition. When we relocated out of the building at 1300 Linden Drive, we made a massive leap forward to transfer information into electronic formats. The hum of the "Snap-Scan" was up and down the hall - the sound of moving into the next phase of records management. Departments, administration and centers took advantage of this opportunity to streamline operations and leverage record keeping in the clouds.

Now that we are preparing to move back to the building some things have changed - we are more nimble, have fewer file cabinets and have a better "carbon footprint" because we are not printing so much material.

But because we are a public enterprise there are still rules and regulations about what records must be stored in hard copy, what we are required to keep on premises, what is appropriate to send to Archives and what (or when) is the protocol for final disposition.

The campus has an excellent resource to help answer some of your questions - University Archives and Records Management (ARMS.) Please take a few minutes and look at their website:
http://archives.library.wisc.edu/

Letting go of hard copies can be a blessing - I've got about 90% of the building information stored electronically. Occasionally I freak out my team member Roberto because I can search and pull material faster than anything, because it's stored electronically.

I know, can you believe it?! When I move back, the materials in the single 5-drawer cabinet (which is all building stuff) will be cataloged and sent to Archives, along with the contents of a 2-drawer cabinet.

Now if I can just clean up my desk at home....

Mighty Neighborly

Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,
One on a side.
It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, "Good fences make good neighbors.

"Mending Wall" Robert Frost (1874-1963)

To the left, construction of the preschool playground retaining wall begins.

Below is a view of the pedestrian walk-way between Ag Hall and the Preschool playground.

Key Area

It wasn't until I started on this project that I came to appreciate the role keys play in my everyday life. A key still starts my car (working towards a Prius), unlocks my office and secures a bike lock. I use special limes for key lime pie, work on a keyboard, write key points for a presentation and about twenty years ago, I gave my husband the key to my heart.

Fast forward to this time next year when we are in the new building....the days of issuing keys to hundreds of students will be gone and in its place - card access.

Security and access is important - the safety of students and staff was a major topic for the Building Committee. During peak times of the semester undergraduate students will be working at all hours to complete a class project, graduate students may be pushing hard to meet a funded project deadline - we are not a group that fits nicely into a 9-5 scenario.

The beauty of card access is the ability to quickly grant (or remove) access without having to handle a key. With a few short keystrokes (you can boo) the facility manager will be able to add or remove access priviledges for anyone with a valid WISCARD.

For those who "pooh pooh" card access thinking students will just prop open the door, we've got you covered. Each door with card access is connected to the campus Police so if a door is open for more than the allowed time (it's wicked short) then an alarm is sent to Police. The data will show the last person to swipe their card...you see where I am headed. This is serious business.

My key ring is getting lighter - now all I have are keys to the car, my house and suite at work. And guaranteed, I'll still forget where I put them.

The Hills are Alive

I've been out of town on a much needed (as my office mates will attest) vacation and spent a chunk of the morning yesterday walking the construction site with my team member Roberto.

And look what we saw - the north hillside has been cleared (thanks to the goats) and what was once overgrown with nasty scrub, weeds and...well... crappy plants....is being transformed into a marvelous landscape. It was so cool to see a small herd of bobcats whipping up, down and all around this area - moving dirt, placing rock and prepping the area for plantings.

Thanks to the talents of Ken Saiki Design and the good folks in the campus office of Landscape Planning, the view to the north will be simply glorious.

If a tree falls in the woods...

...chances are it will be used on the roof terrace for the School of Human Ecology.

The designer has sourced the wood for the benches that will grace this stunning space by using a combination of fallen trees and fallen or no-longer-used utility poles. The wood will come from Northern Michigan, is white oak which is indigenous to the Midwest.

It's all about me!

I don't know if this is a sign of age or control - if I have a task that I want to make sure gets addressed before leaving for work, I put a "Post-It" note on the back door. Last night I stuck up a note to bring tomatoes and jalapeno peppers in to work.

I prep the coffee pot (for me), fill the tea ball (for Paul) and set two mugs/spoons on the counter the night before.

I reconcile the checkbook every day (because I can't convince he-who-shall-not-be-named that yes, the money does come out of our account the moment you use your ATM card, not when you enter it in the checkbook)

And have added a "countdown" clock to the Building section of the Human Ecology website, counting the days/hours until we begin the migration of instructional spaces and offices back to the new building - May 21, 2012.
http://www.sohe.wisc.edu/new/about/newbuildingintro.html

Writing this I wonder, is this a sign of age? That I will forget something as small as morning coffee or the promised garden-ripe tomatoes for a friend? Am I super organized? A control freak?

Or a super freak.

Meat Product or Helpful Tool?

Today I spent a good chunk of my morning in a meeting to discuss and decide trash and recycling containers for the new building. No kidding, locations of what trash container would go into what room. Up until now the only "Slim Jim" in my world was a dehydrated jerky product or a tool used when I lock my keys in the car; and a "Brute" was an oaf who cut in front of me at the bar.

For those of you who are wondering, we decided the Dean's office was no place for a "brute" - sometimes I crack myself up!

Doris gave me a polite chuckle, but that's because we share an office.

Preschool Petting Farm Receives first Resident

"Snippity-snip, snap and swill,
The tale begins upon a hill…"

Three Billy Goats Gruff, a Norwegian folktale.

This week the first members of the Preschool Petting Farm arrived at 1300 Linden Drive, safe and sound. Happy and hungry, 32 goats call the north hillside of the Human Ecology building project home. What a delight - they are a herd of friendly and most efficient goats. They will spend their days munching on Buckthorn, a particular favorite, and are happy to be part of our community.

Giraffes will be added to the family as soon as we get approval - there may be concern the giraffe heads could be seen from Linden Drive. As I learned during the discussions over the green roof, seeing heads - human or otherwise - from Linden Drive is just not historically accurate.

"All summer long they ate the lovely green grass in both meadows until they all grew quite fat. And they walked back and forth over the troll-free bridge whenever they wanted."

Snippity-snip, snap and snout,
This little tale has been told out!"

For the real story, click on this link:

http://www.news.wisc.edu/19605

New Building will have a New Name!

In 2004 School of Human Ecology alumna Nancy Johnson Nicholas, with her husband "Ab" Nicholas, provided the $8 million lead gift for the building project. Eight years later, the name "Nancy Nicholas Hall" will grace the new entry at the Link - where the addition and the existing building converge (see image to the right)

Click here to read the news story:
http://www.news.wisc.edu/19561

I remember the event hosted by Dean Douthitt to announce the lead gift -it was far from the stuffy and formal press conferences you might expect. It was an ice cream party where the whole school was invited to celebrate with Nancy and Ab Nicholas. Faculty, students, staff, friends from campus all came for a scoop and a handshake, to personally thank Nancy and Ab. The Dean had asked the preschool children to draw pictures of what they would like to see in a new building, and she had the drawings bound and presented it to Nancy - a brilliant and very personal gesture.

I went to the party and offered my thanks to which Nancy said "oh my, don't thank me" and she was quite sincere. After a few minutes of mingling and chatting, I walked back to my office thinking "oh how nice, a new building" - I had been part of the staff for less than a year. Little did I know what was in store.

The Nicholas family together has most generously supported the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their quiet philanthropy is a marvel.

Oh, and a note about the children's ideas for what should be in the new building - unfortunately for this project we were not able to accommodate requests for a pool, a candy mountain or a lot of ponies. Those notes are in my file for "Building Project Phase Two: Expansion to the East."

Another First

The building project is a cascade of "firsts" for me -- from learning the difference between a concrete and steel structure, to Environmental Impact Statements, to learning that "10,000 rubs" isn't about a magic lamp - last Thursday I attended my first beam signing.

The good folks at JP Cullen orchestrated the construction part while Human Ecology handled the celebration end of things - we do love an excuse to party. More than 100 people attended, enjoyed Babcock ice cream and signed the last beam that would connect the historic building to the new addition. Then the beam was raised and spot welded into place. I admit, I got a little emotional - combination of relief and joy. What a milestone to reach.

Beam me up!

It seems like these past few months I've been pumping out communications that start with the line, "...we have reached an important milestone in the building project..." so it will come as no surprise to you that I've got another one!

On June 23, 2011 the good folks at JP Cullen will be lifting the final connecting beam, primed and painted white, into place to complete the structure for the Link, bringing the addition and the existing building together. Now this milestone can be listed among other transforming connections such as the Chunnel, linking of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad, and the Hadron Collider.

Ya gotta think big...unless you living on the edge, you're taking up too much room.

Helium: Friend or Foe?

As part of preparing to "operationalize" the new building, the Day One Readiness team has been working over the past few months to identify best practices and wherever possible, gather written (or web) examples.

I have been reading the "Facility Use Guidelines" adopted by the good folks at the UW-Madison Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC) - it's a thorough document with lots of links to campus guidelines. For instance, there's no need to write a whole big process for catering, because the University has clear guidelines and policies.

And sure, it would be really easy to draft a lot of rules and regulations about keeping the spaces clean and to pick up after yourself but we are all adults.

But helium balloons, now that's a good one.

When I first read the policy banning helium balloons I thought, "well, that Med School is really stuffy. I mean really, who could begrudge a few bright red balloons to welcome students back in September? Or a colleagues birthday celebration, a bouquet of Mylar balloons swaying about?"

Then I remembered we have two major spaces in the new building with ceilings two stories high. The Link and the Concourse are both jewels - and there is nothing more pitiful than watching a couple of balloons begin the painful journey back down as they slowly leak their Helium.

In some facilities on campus Helium balloons are not allowed because they can set off fire alarms and are considered a safety risk. Maybe we should just have a practice that if someone is using these balloons, they need to dispose of the gas the old fashioned way...sucking it in and talking funny.

I'll need to dig a little deeper.

On a Clear Day

Loving life here on campus -- we are just a few short days away from commencement, parking will be a little easier and I won't have to schedule meetings around class change times (driving anywhere around campus during class change means you have to factor in an additional 15 minutes.)

Most of all I am thinking that in just 12 months we will begin moving into our new building. On a day like today when it's a comfortable 75 degrees, sun shining and a light breeze I imagine sitting on the roof terrace of Human Ecology. To the north I will see Washburn Observatory, peek to the west and linger on stately Ag Hall, then full east to take in the glory of our new addition. At night the 100 Women scuplture on the glass wall will be lit with energy effecient LED lights, creating a totally different feel for the area.

I'm counting the days.

Planning the Migration

I could get all clever and talk about the great migrations of our time...bird migration, the Migration Policy Institute, the monarch butterfly, or for smarties, migration as defined by the movement of one atom or more from one position to another within a molecule.

This time I am talking about the Human Ecology migration back to 1300 Linden Drive, going home.

I just sent an email to the good folks at Facilities Planning and Management (FP&M) to let them know at the last all-School meeting we let everyone know they are expected to be packed and ready to move by May 21, 2012. Packing crates will arrive sometime in March/April.

The last day of class is May 11 and finals go through May 19, 2012 and the faculty 9-month contract ends May 27.

Just two semesters to go and we are in the new building!

Double Life

Yup, it's official, I seem to be living a double life.

At yesterday's general faculty meeting I gave a presentation, albeit brief, about the status of "Day One Readiness" - the pseudo military name we've given to the operation to prepare the faculty and staff for occupying the new building. I delivered the information via my new Ipad2, thereby modeling the promise of technology rich spaces and greater flexibility. So, one life I live is dependent on technology, big messages and broad strokes of information so as not to freak anyone out.

Earlier that day I poured through the sign schedule proposed by our talented environmental branding experts from ZD Studio. I had a magnifying glass in one hand and a pencil in the other marking the large floorplans because as those who work closest to me know we have more than 513 areas of the project that will need signs - from the basic code signs that tell you where to exit in case of emergency, to what's to be found in the elevator lobby. They know this because I've been whining about it since this past January. This life is rooted in detail, flipping tiny, painful, minute detail.

But you know what? Even when I am hunched over a floorplan, thinking about what doors will have an access code versus a key, or how many chairs we may need for the cafe, I remind myself what we do is transforming.

On Wisconsin!

The Coffee Generation

Okay I admit it, I am old. I can say that not just because I turned fifty last week (boo hoo) but because when I think about coffee a really old , very nostaligic ad campaign hits me - describing the "coffee generation" and "coffee achievers" - check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rea-yBgOSo Way back when coffee was described as the drink that "picks you up and calms you down" - only Madison Avenue could have crafted such a brilliant line. Coffee achievers in this ad spot include David Bowie (really? David Bowie?) and Kurt Vonnegut, the brilliant mind of "Slaughterhouse-Five." I love my java...and in just about a year I will be able to get a cup o'joe in the cafe of the new building. The cafe is located on the second floor, visible from the Link and across the way from the Student Clubs area, making this a lively juncture. The Union will be operating the cafe and if one thing is clear, it's that our students, staff and faculty run on coffee -- and its gotta be good coffee. But what else should the Union be thinking about in terms of menu and offerings? Take a few moments and share your opinion by clicking the link below for a quick, online survey: https://uwmadison.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_b1Qy2jnATpm2qmE If it's good enough for David Bowie, that's all I need to know.

Rock My World

It's my new obsession...sheetrock.

Frankly I feel a little freaked out that while I have been watching the web-cam of the construction of the new addition, there has been a frenzy of activity in the existing building. My 17-year old daughter would say I am "hovering" or a control freak, but the construction camera doesn't tell the whole story. I can't seem to get other there fast enough to track all the progress in the existing building-it's like a huge beehive. Just a few short weeks ago, most talented photographer Lori Ushman and I were strolling around open floors, weaving in and out of metal studs. And now I find out the construction has progressed to a stage where the walls are about 2/3 sheetrocked (or as they say in the trade, rocked).

What the heck? I'm not mentally prepared - I've been looking at paper plans for so long I get woozy.

So yesterday I drove over to the site, pulled on my Wellington boots and walked up to the third floor. Yup, the walls are up in the Interior Design studios, faculty offices and the department office. I stood in the new space specifically for critiques, nestled in between two studios. It's wicked cool.

My world is officially rocked.

Are you mocking me?

I may have mentioned this a few times, but I am learning more about design and construction every day. Some experiences have already paid off - I've switched my dining room light fixture from traditional glass to a drum shade and the result was dramatic. Simple change you say? In my house, nothing is simple but that's a story for another day.

The thing that now has me really intrigued is the construction mock-up.

For years I've seen these modest installations on construction sites and never knew what they were. When Microbial Sciences was being built, I thought the mock-up was actually an elevator lobby. One person told me it was where the electric was connected to the rest of campus. A third thought it was the start of a bus shelter designed to match the building.

We were all wrong.

The mock-up is a valuable tool for the architects, contractors and campus. Built outside on the construction site, these "mini-buildings" are constructed with the exact materials specified for the project and are representations for viewing and inspecting how each material performs and if needed, make adjustments. For instance, the team may look at different colors of mortar, or test the reflectivity of glass. I learned the mock-up is useful for testing the structure for air infiltration or water penetration, and believe it or not to test for seismic movement.

The mock-up for Human Ecology is slated to begin in the next few weeks - it should be really great.

I've Changed my Mind

Now I think the wood posts (in place while the concrete cures in the new addition)...

...look more like idols from Easter Island.

Cool New Space

One of the most impressive areas in the complex will be the Concourse, located on the west end of the third floor in the new addition. The third floor of the addition has been poured and the contractor is working on the fourth and final floor - this photo taken March 2 is from the perspective of standing in the Concourse looking up towards the fourth floor-Centers area.

The south facing glass wall will be two stories high, and when complete this special gathering space will serve as a point of connection for students, faculty, and visitors.

Land Shark Siting

Candy gram.

Described as a "cunning urban predator" Land Shark is indeed the "cleverest of all the sharks".

This one was sited in the existing building, waiting silently in the hallway outside the new Dean's suite.

C'mon, who doesn't remember "Land Shark", the character from the glory days of Saturday Night Live? Season One?

Guess I am that old.

A Chemical Peel

The Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection - roughly 13,000 items - was for decades kept in a tighly packed storage space in the existing building. The storage room was on the south side of the building, windows covered with wallboard to prevent sunlight and help keep the environment at a consistent level.

As part of the existing building rennovation, the walls of the old storage room have been taken down and the windows are uncovered - and we get a glimpse of the paint colors through the years, before the windows were boarded. This photo is of a very large sheet of paint (about 6-8") that literally peeled off the walls of room 333.

The new storage space for the textile collection is greatly expanded, will have state-of-the art controls to manage the environment within the storage area and - here's the kicker - more space!

I, for one, am looking forward to the renewed and refreshed spaces.

And the Oscar goes to...

(Elevator) Shaft
Perhaps we can have the theme from "Shaft" as elevator music...that's one bad motha' -- can you dig it?

Okay, that was an easy one. I couldn't resist!

The New Phone Books are Here!

Does anyone remember the Steve Martin movie, "The Jerk"? One scene came back to me last week...when he gets the new phone book and is so delighted to see his name in print he runs around shouting "the new phone books are here, the new phone books are here".

Well my "new phone book" has arrived - the skylights and I am super excited!!

Look at the image to the right to see what the fifth floor looked like in October 2010....





And to the left, the new openings for skylights will open the space and bring in much needed daylight. With the walls down and the skylights moved to the north, Plenary Hall (the old fourth floor) is transforming before my eyes.


Can you imagine what this room will look like when complete? No?

Take a look at a photo-realistic rendering of Plenary Hall...The new skylights are here! The new skylights are here!

One Man's Trash, Another Man's Treasure

Just about a year to the day I wrote a post titled "One Man's Trash" - it was March 8, 2010. The story was about the amount of material recycled and harvested out of the existing Human Ecology building when all units and functions had finished relocating. The results of an organized effort by Human Ecology staff, faculty and students to purge responsibly kept tons of trash out of landfills and gave new life to items, thanks to the good folks from Habitat for Humanity.

A year later we have a different set of information to share with you about the construction phase of our project. The project recycling goal is 95% and as of the end of January our "project to date" rate is 93.4%. These numbers play a crucial role in LEED certification as well as just being the right thing to do.

According to data from the State of Wisconsin, the amount of material (including asphalt, cardboard, concrete, metal and wood) that's been diverted is more than 3,800 tons.

I'd say that's a treasure fit for a king.

Color

The February 17 daily strip of the popular cartoon "Dilbert" featured one of the characters, Tina, presenting new space plans to the staff. In the first panel she tells them "Your new cubicles will be a color called 'Death Eater Gray", and in the second panel she explains "The fabric is a soul sponge that will absorb your happiness if you stand near it".

Over the past three - now going on four - years I've learned a whole new vocabulary. I always thought I was sitting on a desk chair but now understand it's a "task chair". There are "reveals", "unforseen conditions", "membranes" and my personal favorite, "gestures".

But nothing prepared me for the complexity and importance of selecting the right colors. I understand why the Preschool flooring is not "Lace Vine" or "Golden Glow". It makes sense that the carpet color/pattern being considered for Plenary Hall is not "Wood Pulp" or "Organic Matter" but may be "Electroplated". Colors that are cool have a different impact than warm, and how it relates to the furniture, flooring and even how much natural light comes into the room is critical information to consider.

Three years ago I would have recommended colors that make me look tall and thin, but this project is about creating the best environment for the whole Human Ecology community. Which calls for an entirely different mindset - so I just need to get over myself and stick to dressing in dark colors with vertical lines...that's slimming, right?

I promise there is no "Death Eater Gray" anywhere in the building.

Studio for Graduate Students

The program for the new building was deliberate in its intent to create spaces to support graduate students; and one of those areas is a dedicated studio. This space is intended to inspire collaboration and support connections among graduate students in Design Studies.

The new studio space is on second floor of the existing building in the east wing. Space formerly occupied by faculty and staff are now combined into a single, open studio with windows on three sides, filling the studio with natural light. The finish will be "raw", with an exposed ceiling and stained/sealed concrete floor.

One of the many inspirations for design elements in the new building came from the first Human Ecology trip to China, led by Design Studies Professor Wei Dong. There visitors saw innovative ideas for flexible exhibition space and as you see in the photo below, studio for graduate students.

For the past several years Professor Dong has taught a study-abroad course, "Global Experience in Design: Chinese Culture, Arts and Design" at Peking University, and has been instrumental in creating the Center for Sustainable Development in Arts and Design with UW-Madison and Tsing Hua University.

Like Terra Cotta Warriors

The other day I had the chance to walk around the new addition. Lori Ushman, who works in Design Studies and is the most talented photographer, graciously trekked along with me. We spent close to 2 hours in the existing building, around the site, in the parking garage and eventually we made our way to the addition.

Climbing up a ladder to the first floor - home to the new Design Gallery - we began our journey. I am understanding space in a whole new way - for 3 years we've been dreaming, drawing and planning on paper but nothing prepares you for what it means to stand right there.

With encouragement (well, it felt more like a challenge) Lori and I climbed three floors of scaffolding stairs on the outside of the structure...and were greeted with the sight of hundreds of wood "soldiers", standing row upon row whose only job is to support the structure while the concrete cures:

My first thought was these hundreds of supports, which are invisible by the webcam, reminded me of the terra cotta soldiers of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Sure a bit of a reach, but the sight of hundreds of uniform supports, row upon row, is striking.

Just don't tell our architects that the First Emperior of China was so proud of his tomb that he murdered its creators.