The UW-Madison campus is in mourning today following the death of the George L. Mosse Humanities Building. Police are still investigating the matter, but have indicated that they believe suicide to be the cause.
'I am deeply sorry to announce that I have just learned that the Humanities Building, a symbol of the UW-Madison campus, has passed away,' Chancellor John Wiley said in a statement. 'While the circumstances surrounding its death are still not entirely known, this does not diminish its life at all. This building was a landmark and important figure to the university community. I express my deepest condolences to the Humanities' family. Our prayers will be with them.'
The apparent suicide of Humanities is a sad end to the troubled life of the 36-year-old building. Completed in 1969, the Humanities Building was a testament to the brief, but influential 'brutalist' movement in architecture. Almost immediately after the opening of the building that houses the history, music, art and art appreciation departments it was on the receiving end of much debate and scorn.
If its suicide is confirmed it will become the last tragic chapter in a very troubling life story. Subjected to withering criticism throughout its life there was almost no doubt that this was the way it was going to end. Architectural critics and Madisonians alike felt that Humanities was a blight on the campus grounds and has consistently been listed as one of the ugliest buildings in Madison.
'Even though it was the building for the music department, the acoustics for a concert was absolutely the worst in the world,' said John Schaffer, director of the School of Music.
'During my freshman year here I thought that Humanities was a parking structure,' sophomore Ben Carass said. 'When I had my first class there I still wasn't entirely convinced that it wasn't... it kinda had that parking garage-urine smell to it.' The last straw came last week when UW-Madison unveiled its campus master plan which called for the demolition of Humanities to be replaced by a series of buildings creating an 'arts and humanities district,' according to Baltimore development firm Ayers/Saint/Gross.
'Great campuses are like great symphony orchestras, with most of the buildings and grounds playing in harmony. Humanities is like that freak on American Idol who doesn't realize that she can't sing,' a spokesman for Ayers/Saint/Gross said.
With the news of Humanities' suicide, no one was more stunned than neighbor Vilas Hall.
'I've lived next to Humanities for over 30 years now and this is just totally shocking,' Vilas said. 'It's just so sad to see something with so much potential take its life like that. I mean, Humanities and I were cut from that same hideous mold, but you don't see me jumping off my roof.'
