Oregon State University - Beaver Yearbook (Corvallis, OR)

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Ground lloor plan ilt of brick and stone with a copper (0M roof, which becomes more colorful as time passes, and with concealed lights illuminating the exterior at night, the Memorial Union, centrally located among campus buildings and activities, presents a campus MEMORIAL UNION home for students, alumni and faculty. The main entrance on the north is approached across a wide front area, beautifully landscaped with trees, shrubs, flowers and fountains, reaching to the home economics building. Flowers, shrubs, playing fountains and stone seats will ornament the terrace which runs the full length of the building. Admission is gained through massive bronze doors, gift of the class of 1916, over which is a high arched plate glass window of many small panes set in bronze frames. Two white glazed terra cotta columns on either side of the doors support a large dome of the same material which reflects rays of light. Across the front are stone columns, 11 on either side of the entrance, which are tied together with a wrought iron railing to form an 8-foot loggia. Behind the bronze doors of the main entrance is a great marble floored vestibule, 40 feet square. Caen stone walls reach up 48 feet to the huge dome and coffered, vaulted ceiling. A reflecting ball upon which concealed lights will play adds to the beauty of the dome. The marble staircase leading from the vestibule to the main floor is paneled on either side following the old Roman style. These sunken panels provide space for mural paintings. Directly below the vestibule on the ground floor and reached from the terrace is the fountain room. Facing the stairs leading down from the main entrance and south of the fountain room is an assembly hall with a normal seating capacity of 800, which may also be used for dances or banquets. It may be enlarged by means of folding doors opening into the concourse on the north and French doors opening into the cafeteria on the west. At the east end is a stage, back of which are [18]

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 Memorial Jjnion

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dressing rooms. Ample space is provided for fair-sized gatherings as well as minor dramatic productions. Occupying the entire west end of the ground floor are the cafeteria rooms and kitchen. The cafeteria is built to ac-MEMORIAL UNION commodate 350 people but may be expanded to care for 1500. It will be modern and scientific in every detail. Storage rooms for the students’ cooperative book store are found in the east end of the round floor. At the cast end of the mezzanine oor and directly over the storage rooms are the sales room and office of the Co-op. This room is accessible both from the through corridor and an outside entrance. A barber shop, employment bureau and ticket distribution office also occupy a portion of the east end of the mezzanine. The office of the cafeteria, a beauty parlor and women's rest room arc-entered from the through corridor on the west. In one place the corridor forms a bridge overlooking a section of the cafeteria. Across the vestibule on the mezzanine floor, up the grand marble-stairway and through the concourse with its high arched doorways is the living room on the first floor. The memorial fireplace, gift of the class of 1917, will be one of the fireplaces in this huge living room. Hardwood floors, polished hardwood wainscoting and high-beamed ceilings add spaciousness and beauty to the room the heart of the Union. Overlooking the lounge and accessible from the second floor an iron-railed balcony extends along both ends and across one side of the room. Opening off the living room at each end are the club rooms for men and women. Each has a fireplace, paneled walls and access to the loggia facing the men's gymnasium. Six banquet rooms, four of which may be thrown together, occupy the west end of the first floor. One of these rooms is to be used as an alumni luncheon room. On the north side of the concourse to the right of the grand stairway will be the alumni headquarters. On the left will E. C. Allworth Manager of Memorial Union [if]