Sunday, May 26, 2013

Poly Canyon Architecture Graveyard


Horses roamed and students came in herds to spend the day among the ruins in jovial song!  Steel girders, glass, wood, cable, cement, cloth and plastic were skillfully crafted in their heyday giving hope to the future of new habitat design. Memorial Day weekend proved to be a great time to view the experimental architecture structures of Poly Canyon Design Village in San Luis Obispo. Started in 1962, among the rolling hills of the California Polytechnic State University, the first of 20 structures would break ground.  A definite sign of the times, these buildings were constructed in the style and so named "Geodesic Dome," "Shell House," "Bridge House" and "Cantilever Ship Structure." Currently 5 structures have been removed due to safety issues, leaving 15 still in a sad state of disrepair. Alas, the day was successful and this afternoon hike to the students' creative area was not uneventful with the spotting of a snake along the entrance road and a chance meeting of a former student builder. We looked, we entered, we climbed and we enjoyed a part of history built by talented CalPoly architecture and engineering students who came before. The "A" ladies ROCK!