Stanford University
Geographically, Silicon Valley more-or-less corresponds to Santa Clara Valley and County. Living here and having guests to show the area, Stanford University is one of my favorite places that I recommend to see. You can do a self-guided tour as well as Stanford tour events.
Leland Stanford built a fortune and political power as a railroad [robber] baron, California governor and then as California senator. In 1884, he and his wife, Jane Lathrop Stanford, lost their only child, Leland, Jr. age 16, to typhoid. The couple conceived of the idea of a university as a monumental memorial to their son who loved to learn and explore, donating $40 million USD (recall this was in the 1880s) and their 8,180-acre Palo Alto farm property that became the campus. Founded in 1885, the university has become the most recognizable legacy of the Stanford name.
1. The original campus buildings and open spaces, known as the Quad, was influenced by the Spanish mission and rancho style. The Quad is a rectangular ring of administration and department buildings constructed with sandstone blocks, covered patio walkways continually lined with generous sized arches, adobe-red tiled roofs, and a huge courtyard. The details that embellish the Quad buildings are characterized as Richardsonian Romanesque (named after the architect Henry Richardson).
As the campus expanded, the buildings on campus are of many architectural themes, each defined by the styles and economic situation of the era when the building was designed and constructed. Today the campus buildings and outdoor spaces represent a mix styles, while still keeping a theme of tan walls and red roofs of the original Stanford architecture. And, and you can see the entire campus from the next venue ....
2. For a small elevator-ride fee, go to the top observation deck of the art-deco styled Hoover Tower to see a spectacular view of the red/tan campus below, and beyond of Silicon Valley, the foothills and the bay. Dedicated in 1941, the tower building houses the [Herbert] Hoover Institution and library/archives for the study of war and peace. The architect was Arthur Brown Jr., who also designed San Francisco's sleek Coit Tower and the gilded-domed beaux-arts City Hall.
While on the observation deck, look out immediately in front of you at the 4 pyramid-shaped minor towers on the corners of the building. The set of concrete corners is my favorite decorative detail of Hoover Tower's edifice; each pyramid is covered with scale-like shapes that remind me of medieval armor or dragon scales or Mesopotamian ziggurat.
3. From 19th century Spanish mission style to 20th century art deco style, walk to Bing Concert Hall to arrive at 21st century design. Opened in 2013, Stanford wears this classy gem that serves all sorts of performances to the public. The architect was R. Olcott from Ennead Architect, the firm that also designed Cantor and Anderson Collection buildings in the art quad opposite of Bing Concert Hall.
Nestled within a 1 foot thick tubular concrete enclosure, the interior concert hall is as beautiful in acoustics as in appearance. It is designed by Y. Yashishu of Nagata Acoustics, who also worked on the glamorous spare-no-expense Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. From the ceiling hangs white "sails," designed to reflect sound and used as a projection screen for visual effects. The walls are clad with rippled wood strips and ripple-embossed tiles, conveying a physical feeling of sound waves.
Leland Stanford built a fortune and political power as a railroad [robber] baron, California governor and then as California senator. In 1884, he and his wife, Jane Lathrop Stanford, lost their only child, Leland, Jr. age 16, to typhoid. The couple conceived of the idea of a university as a monumental memorial to their son who loved to learn and explore, donating $40 million USD (recall this was in the 1880s) and their 8,180-acre Palo Alto farm property that became the campus. Founded in 1885, the university has become the most recognizable legacy of the Stanford name.
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| Standord University, Main Quad including Memorial Church (center) Bird's eye view. |
2. For a small elevator-ride fee, go to the top observation deck of the art-deco styled Hoover Tower to see a spectacular view of the red/tan campus below, and beyond of Silicon Valley, the foothills and the bay. Dedicated in 1941, the tower building houses the [Herbert] Hoover Institution and library/archives for the study of war and peace. The architect was Arthur Brown Jr., who also designed San Francisco's sleek Coit Tower and the gilded-domed beaux-arts City Hall.
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| Hoover Tower, note the 4 corner points on main tower |
3. From 19th century Spanish mission style to 20th century art deco style, walk to Bing Concert Hall to arrive at 21st century design. Opened in 2013, Stanford wears this classy gem that serves all sorts of performances to the public. The architect was R. Olcott from Ennead Architect, the firm that also designed Cantor and Anderson Collection buildings in the art quad opposite of Bing Concert Hall.
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| Bing Concert Hall, front |
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| The terraces of 842 seats are configured in the "vineyard" layout style (like an amphitheater), with a special choral section behind the stage. All seats are within 75 feet linear distance from the center of stage, allowing an intimate performance experience. |
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| Wall tile at terrace [upper] level |
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| Wood clad wall at stage [lower] level. Note the white "sails" at top. |
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