<Back

Forum toasted on its way out

by Kwon Yang

On a typical day at the Forum, students pore over books while the atmosphere hums with ambient chatter. Some wander in to get a fix quick of java before morning classes, others take a seat to frantically finish homework assignments, while many just hang out and chat.

During its 42 years of existence, the Forum has been a popular gathering place for students, with food, drinks, games, student and staff offices, and popular speakers. But all this will change next year when the Joe Rosenfield '25 Campus Center opens, taking over almost all of the Forum's current functions. With the close of the Forum looming, the college hosted a "40 Years of the Forum" event yesterday to commemorate the building and its history.

The Forum was built in 1964, and planned by modernist architect Walter Netsch, who also designed Burling library and the college's old arts building.

Project designer Robert Peters was on hand for the Forum event yesterday. He said the Forum was designed with the aim to make it "a living room of the campus." To that end, the building was intentionally planned in a non-linear manner. "On the upper level you can make a loop all the way around from one room to the next to the next," said Peters. "You can go there at any hour and ... walk through [to] find something that interested you."

Students at the Forum enjoy the environment. "It's a comfortable place to hang out and work," said Anne Borkowski '09. "I like the fact that you can see the train [from here]."

Pavitra Kannan '07 agreed. "I think it's comforting," she said. "During finals week, it was a great place to relieve stress."

Jenny Anger, Art, a panelist at the Forum commemoration, said her favorite part of the building was the South Lounge. "To me it's wonderful to have the open windows so you have a sense of connection with the whole community," she said. "And yet there's also a sense of intimacy to the space."

For Lauren Etzkorn '08, feelings for the Forum were more basic. "I like the yogurt," she said.

<Back