Monday, May 17, 2010

DePaul University

A couple of postings ago (April 3, 2010), I alluded to DePaul University in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood as exemplifying a community that, I felt, had a unique college-town feel amidst the larger city. Last week, I was in downtown Chicago for an academic conference, so I decided to take the "L" (short for elevated trains) up to DePaul (Fullerton Ave. station). DePaul also has professional schools downtown, but I focused on the main Lincoln Park campus (see this three-dimensional map of all campus buildings). Signage is plentiful, both for the university and the surrounding community.



An interesting juxtaposition of traditional and modern is the university's Concert Hall (formerly the Chapel), which has a solar panel nearby for alternative energy purposes (shown by the third column, going left to right, of the building's facade).


Another attractive area on campus is known as The Quad and St. Vincent's Circle. I took two photos of this area, one from a distance and the other (the insert) closer to the Circle.


Most buildings on the DePaul campus are constructed in an attractive red-brick style, but the school is not exempt from what I call the "concrete jungle" appearance (an architectural style known as "brutalist").


An oddity of the campus is L train running through it, here by an athletic field.


Talking about sports, DePaul and the city of Chicago named a street on campus (on an honorary basis) for legendary former Blue Demon men's basketball coach Ray Meyer.


DePaul is situated in what is primarily a residential area, and a very nice one at that.


There are also, however, student-oriented businesses near campus (cafes, bars, T-shirt/memorabilia shops, etc.) that are characteristic of college towns. Here are some photos I took in the neighborhood south of campus (shown at the very bottom is the intersection of Webster and Halsted).