Brodie Hall is the best academic building on campus
Ranking (some) lecture halls from best to worst
Photo courtesy of Faith Zatlukal
My favorite academic building is Brodie Hall, and let me tell you why. Brodie is where I spent a lot of time during my first semester at SUNY Geneseo, and I came to know the nooks and crannies of it well. At certain times of the day, you will hear music floating through the halls, but for the most part, Brodie is a quiet place to relax or do work. Its charm lies in its cozy study spots, natural lighting, vintage architecture, and artwork, such as the beautiful stained glass windows. Brodie is the hidden gem of this campus—literally, with many places to curl up with homework.
My second favorite academic building is Welles Hall. I know that many people despise Welles for its hot temperatures, but I do not think heat is a deterrent. The building itself has heating issues because of its history as one of the oldest buildings standing on campus. According to the Geneseo website, Welles was originally built in 1932 as the Winfield Holcomb School of Practice, which was an elementary school. Hence, Welles’s charm comes from its historic architecture on the inside and out, including its lockers, wooden floors, and old faucets. Also, Welles is home to a free food pantry, and often has shelves of books free to students. Might I add, too, that the heat in Welles can be wonderful in the winter!
My third favorite is the Integrated Science Center (ISC). The ISC features a modern look that still feels cozy because of its color palette. The front of the building, as students know, is mostly windows, providing natural light in the entryway. Also in the entryway is the swinging pendulum and a much larger than life sized periodic table of elements. Like many academic buildings, the ISC is home to a variety of display cases and artwork, but unlike any other academic building, the ISC has a dinosaur drawing spanning multiple floors.
Next is my fourth favorite: Newton Hall. Newton’s odd shape is what intrigues me the most, but I also like that the large lecture halls still feel comfortable because of their color scheme and architectural design. However, the seating in Newton’s larger lecture halls tend to be far too close together, leading to awkward exchanges trying to get in or out of your seat. Another one of Newton’s downfalls is its lack of study spaces, instead featuring seating for students waiting between classes. Admittedly, not every lecture hall needs study spaces, but those with study spaces rank higher for me personally.
My fifth favorite is Bailey Hall. Bailey is home to possibly the best lighting of any lecture hall with an open concept that allows natural light from skylights on the second floor. Bailey’s architecture is newer, and a majority of the spaces on the first and second floor are dedicated to student seating. However, good luck actually finding a place to sit when classes are switching over—there is a reason they need so much seating. Additionally, Bailey’s classrooms are the result of over-modernization. From the walls, to the ceilings, to the chairs, the classrooms are a wash of the same color: tan.
My least favorite lecture hall on campus is South Hall, mainly because it is average in most aspects. Its open high ceiling from the second to third floor allows voices to reverberate unpleasantly. The classrooms are nice, but fairly average. South also suffers from overheating like Welles, but I am not entirely sure of South’s explanation for it. South also has a lot of steep stairs, and can be confusing to navigate at first.
All of which to say, I personally value comfort, availability of seating, and cozy classrooms over modernized academic halls, making Brodie and Welles my favorite buildings to attack a mountain of homework.