Ode to Welch 2.122

Written by Audrey dejong

I take it all in at once. The high ceilings, intricate light fixtures, and wooden inlays along the corners give an elegance and balance to the room, not normally expected for a space dedicated to the hard sciences. But WEL 2.122 stands apart from the others. Swinging open the double doors, you find a lecture hall that is obviously special. The doors expose a room that is warm and inviting, even grandiose with the decorated ceiling and geometric wooden panels. Yet it remains functional amidst the aesthetics: the neatly aligned rows of seats provide ample space for learning, the periodic tables framed high on the walls are necessary references, and the black board serves as a powerful reminder of a dedication to knowledge over the years.

I find beauty in the simplicity and complexity of WEL 2.122. It is a reminder that learning is beautiful and that academics are an artform. This is where learning takes place best, in a space that has been carefully constructed and cared for, not in gloomy study rooms or lifeless laboratories. The lofty ceiling of WEL 2.122 not only gives the room a sense of grandeur but provides the physical space for abstract and elevated ideas. This is where chemical concepts— inorganic catalysts, quantum physics, the laws of thermodynamics—have been discussed. This is where ideas have been explored, manipulated, and been inspired. Ideas have room to grow in WEL 2.122 to become something elegant and refined, just like the ornate details that line the dark wooden ceiling beams and the parisian-inspired pilasters. 

The facets of education are also there, from the lecture slides to the rows of stadium-style seats, allowing for the transfer of knowledge from the front to the back of the room. The focus is on the black board—a testament to the timelessness of learning—and the more recently installed digital presentation board. All students have an unobstructed view of the lecturer, fostering a sense of equality, community, and collaboration. The time-honored architecture also lends itself to this culture: the students of the past sit among the students of the present. Separated only by time, the students have asked questions, digested material, and played a part in the expansion of collective academic knowledge. In WEL 2.122, knowledge is enduring and curiosity is eternal. 

Romantic and timeless, WEL 2.122 is where scientists, students, and staff have gathered to learn, debate, and discuss. The architectural brilliance of the space is undeniably academically inspiring, fostering an atmosphere of discovery and exploration that generates jittery energy each time I visit. I actually came across WEL 2.122 for the first time by accident. Looking for a place to study, WEL 2.122 seemed unassuming, and better yet, the doors were unlocked. The space has since proved to be magnetic, drawing me back in different ways over the last three years.