McMillan Hall is adorned with multiple arched architectural features and arched entryways. The architectural features are indicative of gothic architecture, which dates back to the 12th century with aspects of high ceilings and intricate designs and arches. The gothic architecture serves as alluring visual art that is aesthetically pleasing, comforting and beautiful. From the windows, slightly recessed from the fascia of the building, to the doorways and walkways, arches are plenty in McMillan Hall. The elements of the arch design evoke a symbol of passage and can be seen as welcoming to students of the university. This is deduced from the Brookings Arch at the front of the university. It seen as the starting point of your journey, with each path on the Brookings Quad leading to a different arched passageway. Channeling Keith Basso, these features are an example of place-making where the building seems to emit an active, classical feeling, representative of the gothic background, to both students and visitors alike. He states, “Place-making is a universal tool of the historical imagination. And in some societies at least…it is surely among the most basic tools of all” (Basso 5). This constant interactive relationship between students of the university and the architectural landscape of McMillan Hall, as well of other arches at the university, is certain to dispel any hesitancy about the highly academic environment. As a result, the landscape itself seems alive in its own right.
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