Is ucd really ugly ?

LetsThinkBIG

Ucd looks, well lets face it. Ugly. Mass concrete sprawl. Its like soviet russia!

But!!! I can put up with that.. Are the people nice ?

Fluorescence

Silly question. You have a mix of people in every area of life. A university with over 20,000 students is going to have it's fair share of sound people and jackasses.

Also, there are many parts of UCD campus that are quite scenic and beautiful. They're just not right beside Quinn

WeeBushy

There are about 22,000 of us, so yeah there's a couple of nice ones floating around

Depending on the course you pick, it can be difficult to get to know people and it can seem bit daunting at first. But if you make an effort, and join some clubs/socs you will make friends. UCD is a very lively and fun place to be in college.

The place isn't that bad looking imo. Maybe you just get used to it, but I don't think its that ugly. No trinity campus obviously, but in the sun/snow I think it can be quite nice.

Gardoggle

i've always wanted to know about those long concrete slats over the library windows... not sure they're there for aesthetic effect? is it an expensive way of keeping the sun from glaring in? does it add to UCDs concrete ugliness as identified by OP?
i like that they're unusual but they're not particularly attractive as a feature..

(i should be studying, i dont have time for this, what am i doing?):pac:

Chet T16

I'm pretty nice, not sure about the rest.

Conor108

The difference between UCD and Chernoybyl is the lack of radiation.

WeeBushy

Gardoggle wrote: »

i've always wanted to know about those long concrete slats over the library windows... not sure they're there for aesthetic effect? is it an expensive way of keeping the sun from glaring in? does it add to UCDs concrete ugliness as identified by OP?
i like that they're unusual but they're not particularly attractive as a feature..

(i should be studying, i dont have time for this, what am i doing?):pac:

UCD was built when there were a lot of student riots in Europe, so the campus was built to be "riot proof". They were part of that process, allowing security to easily get around campus. The lake is there to provide a large body of water in case of fires. The tunnels allow security to pop up anywhere on campus, and they tried to design the campus so that there were few large open areas to prevent mass gathering near buildings.

Well, so the story goes anyway. I just like the fact that they keep us dry

Gardoggle

WeeBushy wrote: »

UCD was built when there were a lot of student riots in Europe, so the campus was built to be "riot proof". They were part of that process, allowing security to easily get around campus. The lake is there to provide a large body of water in case of fires. The tunnels allow security to pop up anywhere on campus, and they tried to design the campus so that there were few large open areas to prevent mass gathering near buildings.

Well, so the story goes anyway. I just like the fact that they keep us dry

hi thanks, but i meant the actual concrete yokes that go across the windows of the library, making it look like some kind of spaceship!

Gardoggle

this is what i'm talkin about..

WeeBushy

Gardoggle wrote: »

hi thanks, but i meant the actual concrete yokes that go across the windows of the library, making it look like some kind of spaceship!

Ah sorry, I didn't read you post properly. I saw "concrete" and went on a tangent...

No idea, my guess is suck the like out of students so they couldn't be bothered to strike. And that's the link I should've used to go on my riot ramble.

Gardoggle

WeeBushy wrote: »

No idea, my guess is suck the like out of students so they couldn't be bothered to strike. And that's the link I should've used to go on my riot ramble.

well the riot theory is a runner coz if you threw anything at the library windows those concrete things would ensure that they didnt smash...

goose2005

WeeBushy wrote: »

UCD was built when there were a lot of student riots in Europe, so the campus was built to be "riot proof". They were part of that process, allowing security to easily get around campus. The lake is there to provide a large body of water in case of fires. The tunnels allow security to pop up anywhere on campus, and they tried to design the campus so that there were few large open areas to prevent mass gathering near buildings.

Well, so the story goes anyway. I just like the fact that they keep us dry

That's a myth - Belfield was built in 1964, four years before the big student riots.

Gardoggle wrote: »

i've always wanted to know about those long concrete slats over the library windows... not sure they're there for aesthetic effect? is it an expensive way of keeping the sun from glaring in? does it add to UCDs concrete ugliness as identified by OP?
i like that they're unusual but they're not particularly attractive as a feature..

(i should be studying, i dont have time for this, what am i doing?):pac:

Actually at night, when all the lights are turned on, the concrete slats make the library look really nice.

Also, only the east end of campus is ugly - the new science/med buildings are quite fancy. The vet building reminds me of the new Star Trek movie. It's just the central concrete bits that are awful.

bnt

Gardoggle wrote: »

hi thanks, but i meant the actual concrete yokes that go across the windows of the library, making it look like some kind of spaceship!

The architectural term is brise soleil: they're there to control the amount of sunlight that enters the building. Very 60s Brutalist, a bit pointless in the Irish climate, especially when the sun shines straight in your eyes when you're on a computer ... :cool:

Take a walk up to Richview some time: a red brick former Masonic school, more cosy, nicer on the eyes.

WeeBushy

bnt wrote: »

The architectural term is brise soleil: they're there to control the amount of sunlight that enters the building. Very 60s Brutalist, a bit pointless in the Irish climate, especially when the sun shines straight in your eyes when you're on a computer ... :cool:

Take a walk up to Richview some time: a red brick former Masonic school, more cosy, nicer on the eyes.

Show off

Killer Pigeon

LetsThinkBIG wrote: »

Ucd looks, well lets face it. Ugly. Mass concrete sprawl. Its like soviet russia!

But!!! I can put up with that.. Are the people nice ?

Yes, UCD does have communistic Utopian architecture. The graduates are a product of the communist experiment that is UCD. They all have a uniform mindset, they think alike. Yes, UCD is in fact a communist state deep within the heart of D4. The means of education, real estate (accommodation) and property are all owned by the University. There exists a system of social organisation in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian organisation within the University (UCDSU) dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party (Fianna Fáil ownership of UCDSU atm). All students are forced to work doubly the normal amount of a usual college student by the totalitarian dictator, the Dear Leader, Hugh Brady. Yes, unlike most communist states UCD and UCDSU do have elections but sometimes seemingly important positions go uncontested, for some strange reason, and there has been many who have voiced their concerns outside the University as to whether the elections are in fact democratic.

joannaman

They shot the movie Robocop in UCD back in 1987 :cool:

errlloyd

I am going to go out on a limb here, and say, I have been to a lot of universities (travelling to inter-varsities) and I think the people in UCD are nice.

On average I think we're craic, I think we don't take ourselves too seriously, I think we have learned to live and love our campus. **** it, we are the banter. So OP, if you want my personal opinion, if you asked any person in this thread to join you for a pint. I think they would. I think if you go up to any society stand on freshers week, and sign up, they'll immediately provide you with a social sphere.

So **** anyone who says otherwise, UCD students are objectively nice people.

noodler

Are we not only talking about the building and campus being ugly?

Why are people talking about the students?

GobBass

In Soviet Russia, building uglies you.

RandomName2

LetsThinkBIG wrote: »

Ucd looks, well lets face it. Ugly. Mass concrete sprawl. Its like soviet russia!

But!!! I can put up with that.. Are the people nice ?

I find that the university can look really pretty actually.

Just two problems: areas under construction (a mess). Also, the front of the Ag-sci building, and the route between the Comp Sci building and the North Science Block. They are genuinely ugly (and the area near the Comp Sci building is always water-logged :mad:)

RandomName2

errlloyd wrote: »

UCD students are objectively nice people.

I find that pains in the asses don't bother going to UCD even if they are enrolled. So, technically students, but not actually in UCD

PrometheusZer0

LetsThinkBIG wrote: »

Ucd looks, well lets face it. Ugly. Mass concrete sprawl. Its like soviet russia!

But!!! I can put up with that.. Are the people nice ?

In soviet russia, concrete sprawls you!

(I'm not sure if this meme is exclusively American or not, so just in case ... http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/in-soviet-russia)

alan4cult

I suppose the people have to be nice to make up for the f**kin state of the place...

Gae

goose2005 wrote: »

That's a myth - Belfield was built in 1964, four years before the big student riots.

If memory serves me, only the science building was built at that stage, the rest of it was built later. I don't have any hard evidence to back me up, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the Tierney building is like a fortress.

parker kent

Gae wrote: »

If memory serves me, only the science building was built at that stage, the rest of it was built later. I don't have any hard evidence to back me up, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the Tierney building is like a fortress.

That is true, the Faculties of Commerce, Arts and Law moved to Belfield from the City Centre in 1969/1970. The library building opened in 1973. So goose2005 is the one peddling myths!

Raphael

The college was built after the riots, but the architectural designs were submitted and accepted before them.

EoghanRua

LetsThinkBIG wrote: »

Ucd

Its like soviet russia!

Is it? In what way...specifically?

El Siglo

You get a lot of arseholes as well, probably the same number as TCD with the exception that they're only slightly less pretentious.;) In saying that, UCD is great craic and I enjoyed my three years there.;)

parker kent

The work being done around the college is really improving the overall look of the college. The Science Building will look very nice when it is finished. Interesting to see what it looks like after the renovations to the Arts Block and the Stillorgan Dual Carriageway entrance are finished. If they ever take place that is!

parker kent

Raphael wrote: »

The college was built after the riots, but the architectural designs were submitted and accepted before them.

Oh I know that, I was just joking in the above post about myths, I should have added the Pacman smiley to say that. I was just confirming that only the Science Building was in use when they moved to Belfield in 1964.

For the record, the plans for UCD were designed in 1963 after a competition between various architecture companies etc. None of the alleged "riot-proof" features are remotely related to riots.

The lake is there as a fire-fighting measure and came about because there is/was a stream running through the site that apparently stank to high heaven before the campus was built. By damming it to create the lake the smell was removed. The placement of the steps outside the Arts Block are because the land is quite undulating with curves everywhere.

The design of the Arts building, with a common ground floor and upper floors that become less interconnected as they rise higher, was intended to give the individual departments a specific identity while allowing for (conceptual) interdiscipliniarity at ground level, where all fields meet and share space. This design feature wasn't developed so riot police could get the lift to the top floor and drive the unruly students down to the ground floor from above.

The underground tunnels also weren't an anti-riot feature as has been suggested. Ever look above your head in UCD? Ever see an overhead wire? Didn't think so. All services are underground.

The riot proof myth probably started because people come to UCD with the attitude that it is a concrete jungle and that all administration and academic staff are evil and meet in a secret underground layer (whilst dressed in robes of course!) to sacrifice virgins. Or something like that.

Killer Pigeon

parker kent wrote: »

The riot proof myth probably started because people come to UCD with the attitude that it is a concrete jungle and that all administration and academic staff are evil and meet in a secret underground layer (whilst dressed in robes of course!) to sacrifice virgins.

You're just assuming it's myth, you can never know for sure. I'm going to go on an expedition to find out, anyone want to join me?