Memorial Hall’s tall tower, colorful roof, and intricate stained glass windows make it one of the more eye-catching buildings on campus. Amid the rest of the building’s detail and vibrancy, this outdoor gallery is strikingly calm. The beauty of this passage lies not in the architectural features alone but in the way that those features capture and harness light. The simple silhouette of the gate at the end of the tunnel stands out against a bright arch. Sunlight enters the spaces between the columns, casting dramatic shadows and creating patterns of light and darkness. The result is a quiet and calming space, a break from the colors and textures of the rest of the building.

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On the inside, Memorial Hall is as busy as its architectural exterior. Freshmen eat their meals in Annenberg Hall, students attend lecture in Sanders Theatre, and tourists stroll through Memorial Transept. The building is filled with movement and noise as people move from place to place. Yet one can always find a diligent student such as this one, tucked cozily into a corner in the basement beneath Annenberg. This student seems focused singularly on his work, unaware of—or at least unfazed by—the hustle and bustle around him.

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