Amazing Financial Vicissitudes. The Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA
Ah! Quick change. Amazing vicissitudes. On May 4, 2007, the Graduate Business School of the University of Chicago was named for Charles M. Harper (1927-) - CEO of ConArga Foods - who had given an enormous undisclosed sum of money - one of the largest gifts ever to this kind of enterprise - to further these studies. But already in 2008 the University decided to change the Centre's name to Chicago Booth School of Business. David G. Booth, chairman of the Black Diamond Group and much more, gave the immense sum of 300$ million for business education. This is said to be the largest gift ever to any business school. The recent tasteful bronze plaquettes still in place with Harper's name are overshadowed now with huge white and blue banners proclaiming the ascendence and excellence of Booth.
The great glass and concrete building of the School is exactly opposite Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House (1910). Its archictect is Rafael Viñoly (1944-), a foremost American architect originally from Uruguay. His building 'cites' the neo- and western-gothic archictecture of the University. This is especially evident in the spacious Rothman Winter Garden (named for a wealthy 1977 graduate of the School, Robert Rothman). Regardless its fabulous design and its amazing lightness and 'bluity', this Garden - as can be readily seen if you look carefully at the reflections as well as the structure itself - almost too explicitly draws attention to the conventions of the neo-gothic style of many University buildings. Whether this is an ironic ploy or a serious play for historical continuity is a matter for debate.
Whatever the case, this particular Medievalist, returning from lunch to Swift Hall and its throwback to the Middle Ages had food for thought and conversation...
This photo was taken in the Rothman Winter Garden.
Amazing Financial Vicissitudes. The Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA
Ah! Quick change. Amazing vicissitudes. On May 4, 2007, the Graduate Business School of the University of Chicago was named for Charles M. Harper (1927-) - CEO of ConArga Foods - who had given an enormous undisclosed sum of money - one of the largest gifts ever to this kind of enterprise - to further these studies. But already in 2008 the University decided to change the Centre's name to Chicago Booth School of Business. David G. Booth, chairman of the Black Diamond Group and much more, gave the immense sum of 300$ million for business education. This is said to be the largest gift ever to any business school. The recent tasteful bronze plaquettes still in place with Harper's name are overshadowed now with huge white and blue banners proclaiming the ascendence and excellence of Booth.
The great glass and concrete building of the School is exactly opposite Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House (1910). Its archictect is Rafael Viñoly (1944-), a foremost American architect originally from Uruguay. His building 'cites' the neo- and western-gothic archictecture of the University. This is especially evident in the spacious Rothman Winter Garden (named for a wealthy 1977 graduate of the School, Robert Rothman). Regardless its fabulous design and its amazing lightness and 'bluity', this Garden - as can be readily seen if you look carefully at the reflections as well as the structure itself - almost too explicitly draws attention to the conventions of the neo-gothic style of many University buildings. Whether this is an ironic ploy or a serious play for historical continuity is a matter for debate.
Whatever the case, this particular Medievalist, returning from lunch to Swift Hall and its throwback to the Middle Ages had food for thought and conversation...
This photo was taken in the Rothman Winter Garden.