A main lecture hall in David Lawrence Hall after the 2015 renovationThe other main lecture hall following the 2015 renovation
Lawrence Hall was constructed on the site former Pittsburgh Board of Education's central warehouse and maintenance shop which was acquired by the university for $300,000.[1] Designed by Johnstone, McMillin & Associates,[2] it was completed in the spring of 1968 at a cost of $2.2 million.[3] Lawrence Hall was originally known as the Common Facilities Building,[4] and contains a large lecture hall that is typically divided into two parts and nine classrooms on two floors.[5] Lawrence Hall is used for social sciences classes and other disciplines across the school's curriculum.
A lecture hall in prior to the 2015 renovation
In 1969, Lawrence Hall became the center of one of the largest student protests at Pitt during the late 1960s era when many student demonstrations were occurring around the world. A group calling itself the Concerned Students and Faulty attempted a three-day, round-the-clock fast in the lobby of the building to protest academic and administrative policies at the university, including demands to open access to all meetings and files and to abolish grade averages.[6][7] Reaching approximately 350 protesters, the group gradually diminished to slightly over half that size by the time the building officially closed. A court order obtained by the university chancellor Wesley Posvar led to a peaceable relocation at 4:30 am, approximately 16 hours after the beginning of the sit-in.[8] The approximately 70 remaining protesters moved to the ballroom of the William Pitt Union where some continued their protest. The protest had little effect, although some of the students promised more sit-ins and the group continued on, but soon after folded due to a lack of student interest.[6][9] The events did prompt Posvar to attempt to hold an open hearing in the Commons Facilities Building in the spring of 1970 in order to let students air their gripes and opinions. However, the meeting was lightly attended.[10]
On September 16, 1970, the building is named in honor of David L. Lawrence, a trustee of the university from 1945 until his death in 1966, who was also a former Governor of Pennsylvania and the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1946 to 1959 during Pittsburgh's first urban renewal program dubbed Renaissance I.[3]
The hall housed the largest auditorium on campus which originally seated 998 people and was generally divided into two large lecture classes.[11] Four of the first floor class rooms were also redesigned in 2013 in order to create better faculty-student interaction and a more collaborative learning space.[12][13] A $7.4 million renovation of David Lawrence Hall was undertaken in 2014. The main lecture hall was split into two separate lecture halls which were reopened in 2015 with improved acoustics and capacities of 571 and 332 each.[14] Three new 50-seat classrooms were added to the second floor mezzanine, and the main lobby was overhauled.[15]
Sculptureedit
Virgil Cantini's 1966 steel with bronze and glass sculpture Ode to Space sits outside the entrance to David Lawrence Hall. The sculpture contains the inscription, labore as astra or "to work toward the stars."[16] The sculpture, weighing one ton and standing 15 feet high, was anonymously donated to the university as a memorial to Chancellor Edward Litchfield, who died in a 1965 plane crash.[17]
Referencesedit
^"Pitt pays $3000,000 for Oakland site". The Pittsburgh Press. 1961-10-29. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^"Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection: Construction of David Lawrence Hall" (photograph). University of Pittsburgh. 1967. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
^University of Pittsburgh Office of Institutional Research (April 1979). Fact Book 1979. University of Pittsburgh Office of Planning and Budget. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^. University of Pittsburgh Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education. September 30, 2011. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
^ abAlberts, Robert C. (1986). Pitt: The Story of the University of Pittsburgh, 1787-1987. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 393–394. ISBN0-8229-1150-7. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^"The sit-in at Pitt". The Pittsburgh Press. 1969-03-19. p. 26. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^Associated Press (1969-03-12). "Pitt students end sit-in on court order". The Blade. Toledo, OH. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^Shrensky, Isadore (1969-08-26). "New sit-ins predicted for Pitt by graduate student in parley". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^"Open Hearing at Pitt attended by few students". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. 1970-03-17. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^. University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^Maier, Em (August 26, 2013). "Construction projects advance over summer". The Pitt News. Pittsburgh, PA. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
^Barlow, Kimberly K.; Levine, Marty (August 29, 2013). "What's New at Pitt: Places". University Times. Vol. 46, no. 1. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
^Oltmanns, Alex (May 1, 2014). "Lawrence renovations planned". University Times. Vol. 46, no. 17. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
^Barlow, Kimberly K.; Levine, Marty. "What's New at Pitt: Places". University Times. Vol. 48, no. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
^Carnegie Museum of Art (2006). Pittsburgh Art in Public Places: Oakland Walking Tour. Office of Public Art. p. 9. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
^"Pitt given memorial to Litchfield". The Pittsburgh Press. 1968-10-04. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
david, lawrence, hall, 442399, 955303, 442399, 955303, university, pittsburgh, major, academic, building, university, pittsburgh, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, united, states, where, serves, school, largest, lecture, hall, auditorium, facility, contents, history, . 40 26 33 N 79 57 19 W 40 442399 N 79 955303 W 40 442399 79 955303 David Lawrence Hall at the University of Pittsburgh David Lawrence Hall is a major academic building at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania United States where it serves as the school s largest lecture hall and auditorium facility Contents 1 History 2 Sculpture 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp A main lecture hall in David Lawrence Hall after the 2015 renovation nbsp The other main lecture hall following the 2015 renovation Lawrence Hall was constructed on the site former Pittsburgh Board of Education s central warehouse and maintenance shop which was acquired by the university for 300 000 1 Designed by Johnstone McMillin amp Associates 2 it was completed in the spring of 1968 at a cost of 2 2 million 3 Lawrence Hall was originally known as the Common Facilities Building 4 and contains a large lecture hall that is typically divided into two parts and nine classrooms on two floors 5 Lawrence Hall is used for social sciences classes and other disciplines across the school s curriculum nbsp A lecture hall in prior to the 2015 renovation In 1969 Lawrence Hall became the center of one of the largest student protests at Pitt during the late 1960s era when many student demonstrations were occurring around the world A group calling itself the Concerned Students and Faulty attempted a three day round the clock fast in the lobby of the building to protest academic and administrative policies at the university including demands to open access to all meetings and files and to abolish grade averages 6 7 Reaching approximately 350 protesters the group gradually diminished to slightly over half that size by the time the building officially closed A court order obtained by the university chancellor Wesley Posvar led to a peaceable relocation at 4 30 am approximately 16 hours after the beginning of the sit in 8 The approximately 70 remaining protesters moved to the ballroom of the William Pitt Union where some continued their protest The protest had little effect although some of the students promised more sit ins and the group continued on but soon after folded due to a lack of student interest 6 9 The events did prompt Posvar to attempt to hold an open hearing in the Commons Facilities Building in the spring of 1970 in order to let students air their gripes and opinions However the meeting was lightly attended 10 On September 16 1970 the building is named in honor of David L Lawrence a trustee of the university from 1945 until his death in 1966 who was also a former Governor of Pennsylvania and the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1946 to 1959 during Pittsburgh s first urban renewal program dubbed Renaissance I 3 The hall housed the largest auditorium on campus which originally seated 998 people and was generally divided into two large lecture classes 11 Four of the first floor class rooms were also redesigned in 2013 in order to create better faculty student interaction and a more collaborative learning space 12 13 A 7 4 million renovation of David Lawrence Hall was undertaken in 2014 The main lecture hall was split into two separate lecture halls which were reopened in 2015 with improved acoustics and capacities of 571 and 332 each 14 Three new 50 seat classrooms were added to the second floor mezzanine and the main lobby was overhauled 15 Sculpture editVirgil Cantini s 1966 steel with bronze and glass sculpture Ode to Space sits outside the entrance to David Lawrence Hall The sculpture contains the inscription labore as astra or to work toward the stars 16 The sculpture weighing one ton and standing 15 feet high was anonymously donated to the university as a memorial to Chancellor Edward Litchfield who died in a 1965 plane crash 17 References edit Pitt pays 3000 000 for Oakland site The Pittsburgh Press 1961 10 29 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection Construction of David Lawrence Hall photograph University of Pittsburgh 1967 Retrieved 2012 05 04 a b Pitt buildings honor Litchfield and Lawrence Pittsburgh Post Gazette Pittsburgh PA 1970 09 17 Retrieved 2010 10 08 University of Pittsburgh Office of Institutional Research April 1979 Fact Book 1979 University of Pittsburgh Office of Planning and Budget Retrieved 2010 10 08 Lawrence Hall University of Pittsburgh Center for Instructional Development amp Distance Education September 30 2011 Archived from the original on June 8 2013 Retrieved September 12 2013 a b Alberts Robert C 1986 Pitt The Story of the University of Pittsburgh 1787 1987 Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh Press pp 393 394 ISBN 0 8229 1150 7 Retrieved 2010 10 08 The sit in at Pitt The Pittsburgh Press 1969 03 19 p 26 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Associated Press 1969 03 12 Pitt students end sit in on court order The Blade Toledo OH Retrieved 2010 10 08 Shrensky Isadore 1969 08 26 New sit ins predicted for Pitt by graduate student in parley The Pittsburgh Press Retrieved 2010 10 08 Open Hearing at Pitt attended by few students Pittsburgh Post Gazette Pittsburgh PA 1970 03 17 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Tour Pitt David Lawrence Hall University of Pittsburgh Archived from the original on 2010 10 25 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Maier Em August 26 2013 Construction projects advance over summer The Pitt News Pittsburgh PA Archived from the original on August 26 2013 Retrieved August 26 2013 Barlow Kimberly K Levine Marty August 29 2013 What s New at Pitt Places University Times Vol 46 no 1 Pittsburgh PA University of Pittsburgh Retrieved September 12 2013 Oltmanns Alex May 1 2014 Lawrence renovations planned University Times Vol 46 no 17 Retrieved September 15 2016 Barlow Kimberly K Levine Marty What s New at Pitt Places University Times Vol 48 no 1 Retrieved September 15 2016 Carnegie Museum of Art 2006 Pittsburgh Art in Public Places Oakland Walking Tour Office of Public Art p 9 Retrieved 2010 10 08 Pitt given memorial to Litchfield The Pittsburgh Press 1968 10 04 Retrieved 2010 10 08 External links editDavid Lawrence Hall on Pitt s virtual Campus Tour Preceded byHillman Library University of Pittsburgh BuildingsDavid Lawrence HallConstructed 1968 Succeeded byCrawford Hall Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Lawrence Hall amp oldid 1057644999, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
