Hayward, it's just my opinion that UM's Central Campus, overall, is bland, cold and cramped; that the Diag is more akin to an corporate/industrial office park than a college campus; not as inviting as, say, Berkeley, U. Washington, OSU's Oval/Mirror Lake area or Indiana's or Miami/Ohio's campus.  Many buildings UM's aren't ugly, just bland (Ruthven museum, Haven, Modern Languages, Hill, etc.).  The undergraduate library wasn't called the UgLi for nothing (although I understand, it has been improved recently)... and btw, both UM's Chemistry and Nat Sciences are Kahn factory type buildings that mirror each other and frame the north mall to the Rackham Grad school building (itself stately though somewhat bland, itself; gorgeous reading room, though) -- and I don't mean their interiors; these 2 buildings look like factory buildings from the outside; Kahn specifically designed them this way; reflective of his GM factory structures.

 

Yes, the Law Quad is stunning.  But overall, UM's campus, to me, is underwhelming, esp given the school's rep.  As I said, it's a matter of opinion.

 

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Also, the only other state school that has a library reading room comparable, architecturally, to UM's law library is the University of Washington's (Seattle) main (Suzzallo) library, pictured below:

 

 

 

the only thing i really enjoyed were the old school uofm dorms. You know those ivy covered ones? (the closest michigan will ever get to being ivy league)

Yep, there's Mosher-Jordan on the Hill.  Martha-Cook's about the most beautiful and stately; it's all women.

^ It's a virgin vault.

 

 

clvlndr,

I guess we have different ways in which we view/define architecture and urban spaces.  When I think corporate/industrial office parks, I picture faceless post-modern buildings and parking.  Not this:

 

 

I'm not going to argue that a few exist, like the UgLi as you mentioned, but they engage the surroundings in an urban context.  So does every other building on campus.  Like many campuses, there are a few rotten apples, like the buildings I mentioned earlier.  But there are very few in comparison to the rest of the university.  Keep in mind U of M was flat broke when the diag was built, so not every structure could be like the law quad.  Some of greater buildings such as the West Physics Building, Economics Building, Haven Hall, and Mason Hall all burned down and were replaced with "buildings of their time."  That means we were stuck with ugly modernist garbage that architects of that time praised.  I'm just happy that U of M realized a change needed to be made in recent years and these buildings were either demolished or renovated.  Their replacements may not be collegiate gothic or Beaux Arts but I think they are pretty good compared to the trash other universities put up.  Just look at MSU, sheesh.

 

But speaking of expensive buildings, our newest residence hall will begin construction soon:

http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=3060

When I think corporate/industrial office parks, I picture faceless post-modern buildings and parking.

 

You mean, like North Campus???

 

I'm a big fan of the U-M's architecture.  The Kahn stuff is priceless!