Modernism at Cal

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Berkeley is essentially the opposite of everything that UCSD represents in terms of architecture.  The campus has an extensive heritage of historical buildings dating back to the second half of the 19th century. I didn't take any photos of those. 

But there are a few nice examples of modernism at the school. The Cesar E. Chavez Student Services Center is my favorite:

The Chavez Center was designed by the architecture team of Hardison & DeMars, and completed in 1961. 

Some people refer to it as "The Flying Nun".


I particularly appreciate the mix of textures and forms - between the shadow block, the wood, and the thin shell concrete roofline... I'm a sucker for drama in architecture, I guess.