University of Oregon’s Villard Hall

Villard Hall was the second building opened on the University of Oregon grounds. It opened in 1886. In 1949, the University Theater addition was made to Villard Hall. The hall became the home for the Theater Department.

Villard Hall was made in the Second Empire style that was common at the time. This architectural style developed during the Second French Empire. It lasted as an important style through the late 1800s.

Today Villard Hall is on a quite edge of the University of Oregon grounds. Theater pupils practice on the grass outside. The rest of the building is surrounded by trees.

Tugboat Construction in Fremont

In this view we see a tugboat being made in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. The hull is half done with the front half in progress. Behind the boat is Salmon Bay where it would be launched.

Today Seattle is noted for big tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft. Seattle started as a harbor though. This supports the shipping of goods on the Pacific rim and to the rest of the world.

Beatty Biodiversity Museum Whale Skeleton

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The Beatty Biodiversity Museum is on the grounds of the University of British Columbia. The museum houses the university’s collection of biological samples. This ranges from pressed plants to fossils.

Their most striking sample is the blue whale skeleton in the lobby though. The skeleton is 85 feet (26 meters) long. The whale died of natural causes and washed up on the shore of Prince Edward Island in 1987.

University of British Columbia Student Union Building

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The new Student Union Building on the University of British Columbia grounds opened in 2015. It was built to give more room for student events. The old student union building did not have enough room for the current students.

West Seattle High School

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A combined grammar and secondary school had been in West Seattle since 1902. West Seattle High School opened in 1917 to provide a fixed home for the secondary school though.

West Seattle High School is in a Neo-renaissance building. It is decorated with geometric designs and has a terracotta roof. This sort of design is unique for Seattle schools.

The school has graduated a number of local figures:

  • Dow Constantine is the county commissioner for King County. He graduated in 1980.
  • Jim Whittaker was part of the first group from the United States to journey to the top of Mt. Everest. He graduated in 1947.

University of British Columbia Main Mall

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Taking a break from COVID-19 Walking Views, this week’s image shows the main mall at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The mall is lined with Red Oaks and has a view of the northern end of the Cascade Mountains.

Many TV shows have been produced on the main mall. Some famous shows produced on the main mall are Battlestar Galactica, Smallville and The Man in the High Castle.

The main mall hosts many important buildings. The primary public buildings and gardens on the main mall are:

  • The Beatty Biodiversity Museum,
  • Pacific Museum of the Earth,
  • Museum of Anthropology,
  • and the UBC Rose Garden.

The university’s main library and many colleges also sit on the mall.

COVID-19 Walking View: Oregon State Capitol Building

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Painted this view of the Oregon State Capitol Building on a cloudy day. The weather this summer has been cooler than normal. This has caused summer to look like fall.

The Oregon State Capitol Building is made in an art deco style. Most state capitols copy the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC. The Oregon State Capitol Building was completed in 1938 though and shows the design customs of the time.

COVID-19 Walking Views: Tykeson Hall

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Tykeson Hall opened on the University of Oregon campus for the Fall 2019 term. I painted this view of the hall shortly shortly after it opened. Last week, I walked on the University of Oregon grounds and thought of this image.

The hall houses academic and career advising, the Division of Equity and Inclusion and the College of Liberal Arts. It shut down in March for COVID-19.