As you may already know, McMillan Hall was the women's dormitory since it's construction in 1907 to the 1950's and 60's when the South 40 was constructed. McMillan Café was the place where they ate. McMillan Café's history informs it's present use and its initial purpose is reflected in some of the design aspects. Now, the Café is used for symposiums and for dinners, catering to both social and academic foci.
The architectural aspects of the room, including the window frames, lighting fixtures, and vaulted ceilings are characteristically dated to the time of the café's original construction. That being said, those aspects are maintained in a way that is warm and historic, not run down and dreary. A lot of cache of academic institutions comes from a prolonged presence in an area and this idea is reflected all over Washington University's campus landscape via the internal design and external architecture of many of the buildings. Ken Basso, in the first chapter of the book, Wisdom Sits in Places, discusses place names, their origins and their purposes. Even as landscapes change, the names of places remain which holds significance and history. McMillan Café is still referred as a Café even though its purpose has become much broader. In terms of place attachment analysis, the café has a fireplace, large windows that let in sunlight all day long, and light yellow paint on the walls. All of these factors combine as recognizable symbols that create an atmosphere of warmth, social interaction, and welcoming. |