The Upcoming Center for the Visual Arts
The Center for the Visual Arts is one of many upcoming campus projects on the University’s list. We dug a little deeper to find out how seven buildings will turn into one, and what that will mean for students, faculty, and visitors alike. TV2’s Kim Anderson has the story.
[bbrvideo width=”350″ float=”left” caption=”The New Center for Visual Arts will bring all programs currently housed in 7 different buildings into one.”]BBR_01A_Anderson_Art[/bbrvideo]
The School of Art is currently housed under seven different buildings on campus (and a few off), but that’s all about to change. For the first time since 1960, all of the programs will be in the same building. Construction is currently underway for the new Center for the Visual Arts.
The plans for the project include gutting and completely renovating the Heating Plant and Van Deusen Hall. Van Deusen currently houses the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability, and Technology, but is set to be vacated once the college has a new building next spring.
The School of Art has students excited for the new space, including Danny Likar, sophomore Crafts major. He is excited not only for the new space, but also for the chance to interact with other students also in the school. He said, “I think it will help me grow, as in there will be more at my disposal to use, and there will be more people for me to talk to because everyone is going to be in that same building.”
The project has a budget of $25 million and other than making classes more convenient for students, Director of the School of Art, Christine Havice hopes that the building will bring a more collaborative atmosphere to the arts programs.
I think for everyone the kind of synergy that’s possible just by co-location is a really great feature for us to look forward to.
-Christine Havice, Director of the School of Art
She said that students will “be able to go back and forth sharing tools and learning from one another which sometimes is not necessarily part of the formal program but can be one of the best things.” She also said that she thinks it’s hard for students in the School of Art to feel a part of a larger program while they’re spread across campus, and that this building will hopefully change all of that.
With students and faculty excited, uncertain, and ready for the future, completion for the project is set for 2015.