Tower Hall, San Jose State University, Thursday, August 15, 2013

It's not well known but when Tower Hall was built after the Great 1906 Earthquake, the architects, over a few beers, decided to have a little fun with the future generations of art students & artists they knew would be drawn to their creation:   "You know, it might be fun to add buttresses and other Gothic elements and some Moorish features to our basic Spanish theme.   Then we'll cover it all with ivy to really confuse people.   They won't have a clue as to what they're looking at."    So they did, and it does, and some of us don't.

For more information about Tower Hall, check out: 
http://www.sjsu.edu/fdo/departments/pdc/projects/towerhall/

Upcoming paintouts:
Thursday, August 29 - TBD - check your e-mail for updates

Lunch on the lawn

Dick Zunkel

This is another site I had walked by many times when my daughter was a student here, but never studied the building. The paintout caused me to look at the tower and adjoining building with the artists eye and appreciate it's intricate detail. Rather than attempt to render the entire structure, I chose to sit close and paint a "worms eye view."     Dick

Brad Santos

Lots going on architecturally on the tower.   We found the gargoyle perches but, disappointingly, no gargoyles.     Brad

Sylvia Waddell

I was struck by this view of the the old tower and the newer City buildings right behind, which also meant I didn't have to put in too many fiddly architectural details!.  Brad's right though, the ivy is a great cloaking device!   Sylvia

Grace Tang

Tower Hall is considered the centerpiece of San Jose State University.  It is also the oldest structure designed in the Spanish Revival style, which houses lecture halls and administrative functions. The dense plants growing along the exterior walls of the building add some antique qualities to the 100 yrs old building. It is heartwarming to see students walking across campus with their minds completely absorbed in their school work!   They are the future owners of our nation!    Grace