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Physical Sciences North

Introduction

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Designed and built by Robert A.M. Stern in 1994, Physical Sciences North stands in contrast to the low hanging Arts Building and other 1950’s era stripped back and open modern designs. The prominent columns at the entrance, decorative circles below the windows and rectangular shape with a slightly sloped roof set the building apart from the other more utilitarian buildings on the UCSB campus. The architect wanted the building to look very classic and traditional, purposefully built to look older compared to the Chemistry Hall. Built next to Buchanan Hall and the Chemistry buildings, it stands apart as a more stylized and arguably aesthetically pleasing building, pulling on classic architectural references within it to create the look of a conservative yet modern academic building.

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Backstory and Context

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Examining the front of the building, the self contained front is markedly different from other buildings on campus that feature open walkways and large windows to let in the Santa Barbara sun. The columns vaguely reference Doric columns, and attach a level of prestige to the building. This very traditional design choice is contrasted with the exposed concrete bricks they are composed of, creating an interesting contrast of ancient and modern.

The red tiled roof, however, connects to other buildings on campus that pull on the Spanish Colonial Revival style, as well as the lighter white and beige walls. The evenly spaced windows, horizontal lines and balcony give the building a classical appearance different from the rest of campus, displaying a seemingly sharp change in design that is not seen in other buildings, making it unique to the series of science buildings occupying this part of the campus. 

While the exterior of the building looks very traditional, the interior of the building contains many state-of-the-art science labs. The Chemistry and Biochemistry department utilize specialized labs in this building including: mass spectrometry facility, nuclear magnetic resonance facility, and the x-ray facility. Since Physical Sciences North is connected to the main Chemistry building, and close to many of the other science buildings, the researchers and students have access to different departments on campus.

Sources

Robert A.M. Stern Associates website. Accessed May 19th 2021. https://www.ramsa.com.

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