Cycling Claremont: Studio Art Hall, Pomona College

The most recently completed building at the Colleges - this one on the Pomona College campus - is the Studio Art Hall. The hall is like a little village collected under a single protective roof. That roof plus the cantilever upper level and the obvious exterior staircase make it seem like the building hovers over the ground. The sense is compounded in the areas where you can walk under the upper level, such as seen in the top photo. The rooms revolve around a central court, open to the sky. From the courtyard you look up at the exposed structure of the roof and its patterned forms. It adds an element of interest in contrast to the plain blue of the sky. Another interesting contrast is of the numerous materials used - concrete, glass, metal, wood.

I didn't step into the building, but can imagine the studios are quite light-filled. The building includes a lower level gallery, though I didn't notice any reference to its hours of operation. Next you ride through the campus check it out - there are many interesting lines and angles - for instance view along the north face of the building (unfortunately, perhaps the most uninteresting facade) to the old, whited-domed observatory. I am not sure how the design of the ground plane relates, but the alternating bands of concrete and plant material is an interesting contrast in its own way. Currently there is a display of student art projects, various objects made from cardboard, scattered around the site.

The Cycling Claremont series of posts highlight some of the local businesses and points of interest I have been known to frequent because I like what they offer, because they are bicycle friendly, or because they provide something unique or interesting, and which visitors to Claremont may also like.