The Foundations of Mallinckrodt
In these early plans for the Mallinckrodt center, it is clear that much of the building was dedicated to the arts. However, the coffee shop and bowling alley–an idea which never came to fruition–signals the architects' goal to make the building a center for both student social life and artistic life.
Originally reffered to as simply the "University Center," the plans for the new building were announced in the Spring, 1970 issue of Washington University Magazine. This announcement was the culmination of years of student and staff advocacy for a student union, arts center, and central meeting place on campus.
In this introduction, the magazine draws bold similarities between the new construction and the world famous European plazas. Their claim was derived from the plazas' ability to adapt to the needs of human activity and traffic over time. They argue that the University Center had gone through a similar process of adaptation during the planning stage, as well as being designed to encourage large amounts of foot traffic through the building.
Evidence of the prioritization of students' needs on a conceptual level is clear in this article as the magazine highlights the concerted efforts made to incorporate both formal and informal settings for socialization, including a snack bar and a dining room. They also note optional plans to renovate the downstairs cafeteria into a lounge and musical performance area. Thus, in addition to the grandiose plans for cutting edge architectural design, the highly anticipated University Center was intended to be a lived-in space for students to enjoy.
The University Center completed construction in 1972, and was offically dedicated as the Mallinckrodt Center on October, 12 1973.
Credits
O’Brien , Frank, ed. Spring, 1970. Review of University Center: A Preview of the New Facility . Washington University Magazine , 1970. Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives. Collections . https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1037&context=ad_wumag.
O’Brien, Frank , ed. 1973. Review of Mallinckrodt: The New Crossroads of Campus. Washington University Magazine , 1973. Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives. https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1051&context=ad_wumag.