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 In 1979 both the nation and Michigan were recovering from
economic recession and an energy crisis. At WMU planning was once again
underway to provide facilities for the University's increasingly professional
and diversified programs.
In 1972 the Departments of Art, Music, and
Dance were combined to form the state's first College of Fine Arts.
Theatre was added to the College in 1976, but the programs continued
in their existing locations with no organizational cohesion, and with
facilities that were ill-suited to support program growth. In fact,
many studios and offices were housed in leased facilities - former neighborhood
homes on the near west side of campus (between Rood and Kohrman Halls
and Howard St.). The Walwood Student Union was the principle facility
for the Dance Department - the ballroom functioned as a dance studio
and the lavatories served as changing rooms.
The 1979 Campus Map outlines the location of the proposed new Fine
Arts Building. Construction
of the Dorothy Upjohn Dalton Center would
be completed in 1982. (Dorothy U. Dalton was a WMU Board Member from
1964 to 1972.)
The design of the Dalton Center reflects the impact energy reduction
regulations had on the architecture of the late 70's and early 80's.
It was acknowledged that the 70's energy crisis resulted in part because
the United States had grown accustomed to unlimited and cheap energy.
A variety of construction standards and practices were implemented with
the intention of reducing energy consumption. These practices included
lowering the wattage on lighting, making building envelopes "tighter",
increasing the amount of insulation, and reducing the size and number
of exterior windows. Since then, improvements in building materials
and technology and new methods of construction do as much or more to
reduce energy consumption than any of these measures.
Many city governments responded to the energy crisis with plans for
improving urban transportation systems and reducing reliance on the
automobile. The 'Directions to campus' portion of the pamphlet (on the
left) shows the location of Kalamazoo's proposed "Intermodal Transportation
Center". |
