University College, historically known as the Arts Building, is an academic building of the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames R ...

on its main campus in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. The building has become an iconic symbol of the

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, as well as a prominent landmark in the city of London. The building sits atop a hill (known as UC hill) and faces the

Thames River The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

. Along with the Physics and Astronomy Building, University College is one of the first buildings that was built on the present campus in 1922. The building currently houses the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

History

Background

The Western Board of Governors purchased 165 acres of land in 1916 for development of the new campus. This proposed campus was to house a number of new buildings, dedicated to serving the Faculty of Arts. At the time, this proposed campus was distant from the rest of downtown London. More land was purchased in 1922 to increase total acreage to over 250.

Construction

Construction on the building began in 1922 as part of the first phase of the campus construction. This phase included the Arts Building, as well as the Science Building (now the Physics and Astronomy Building), a

Boiler House A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, central h ...

(now known as the Power Plant), greenhouses, a

playing field Play is a range of intrinsically motivated activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but may be engaged in at any life stage, and among other higher-functio ...

for sports, and a

running track An all-weather running track is a rubberized, artificial running surface for track and field athletics. It provides a consistent surface for competitors to test their athletic ability unencumbered by adverse weather conditions. Historically, v ...

. As well, the bridge over the Thames River was constructed at this time. Credit Valley

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...

, as well as

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

, was used for the exterior facade of the entire building. The original interior consisted of hollow tile on the floor, with

Terazzo Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical bind ...

finish on top. All floors were laid with the Terazzo flooring except for the main Auditorium, where a

white oak The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera ''C ...

wood floor was laid. Oak panelling lined the main Auditorium, with matching beamed ceilings. A large

water tank A water tank is a container for storing water. Water tanks are used to provide storage of water for use in many applications, drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemi ...

was situated inside the main tower to facilitate the plumbing of the building. The

cornerstone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over tim ...

was laid on June 18, 1923, and the building was finished in the summer of 1924, just in time for summer school classes to use the building. The official opening of all the buildings built in the first construction phase was on October 16, 1924.

Additions

Two major additions to the building were built in the 1960s. The West Addition was built in 1962, and the North Addition was built in 1967.

Renovations

The University College building underwent a $34-million renovation from January 2016 to August 2018. During the majority of the renovation period, the building was closed to the public. The renovations encompassed almost the entire building (117,000 sq. ft.), across all four floors. One of the main objectives of the renovations was to modernize the interior parts of the building such as ventilation, wiring, and plumbing. New open-concept student lounge spaces were added to the building. Careful attention was given to any historical features such as Conron Hall and its accompanying stained glass windows, and the exterior building facade remained untouched. In-depth landscaping removed overgrown trees to help enhance the exterior of the building and lighting was added to showcase the stained glass windows. The laneway in front of the building, Kent Drive, was refurbished to allow only pedestrians as part of the "Open Spaces Strategy".

Architecture and features

The building is constructed in the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture. Architect John M. Moore designed the building, along with help from Frederick H. Spier. Spier's influences are seen primarily in the tower and main auditorium.

Exterior

The exterior of the building is clad in

backed with concrete, and uses

for trim features and sills. Ornate stone carvings adorn most of the doors of the building, with a large coat of arms atop the main door.

Stained Glass

Stained glass windows are seen to the left of the front face of the building. This glass contains school crests of other Canadian colleges and universities.

Tower

The main iconic attraction of the building is the central tower. Known as the Middlesex Memorial Tower, this tower was made in part from a $100,000 donation given by the County of Middlesex in 1921, and is a memorial to those from Middlesex County who died in

World War 1 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The tower stands at 130 ft, with a flagpole at the top. The main entrance to the building is located at the base of the tower, along with a large plaque explaining the memorial. The original design of the tower was done by Spier, but London architect John Moore increased the height of the belfry to accommodate a bell carillon. Ultimately, the carillon was never installed. ''(The reference incorrectly refers to the carillon as a "Clarion". While both are instruments, the carillon is a common bell instrument that would be put into belfry towers while a clarion is a manual stop on an organ.)''

Auditorium

Known as Conron Hall, (formerly known as Convocation Hall) the main auditorium showcases the architectural design of the collegiate gothic style. The hall is a large space, with 650 seats. Seats span the main floorspace as well as a balcony. The stained glass windows are seen all throughout the hall, as well as the oak panelling and oak beam construction. Graduation ceremonies were held in this auditorium until 1932.

References

{{University of Western Ontario University of Western Ontario