Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Assembly Hall [PAGE 7]

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The A w m U y Hall —new u j unusual m3 purpose marvel ai the University of Illinois — 1 attracted ',-nrld-i*idc nHrnsson for In feature! design, engineering- and structure. Tbe Assembly Hall ii financed by bonds guars iced by a student fee; no tax fundi are I I K J in cmiilrucuori Because ir it a student building Dasscrd by undents lor student affair*, student oiga rural ions have first priority on iti us It consists of a massive concrete seal bowl on which II placed an unusual reinforced concrete, rmf The buildiiig ii 400 feet in diameter, and has the worlds largest edge-supported don Their art no pillnn or trusses inside. The roof averages 3 J inches In thickness, yel gains iren doua strength from its folded-pIatE design, jus corrugation strengthen! cardboard. There are nearly 15,000 seats, including 142 wheel chair positions. This capacity can he augmented through addition of chairs on tbc central floor, or it may be reduced to 4,200 seats in the [heater quadrant at the west Individual, numbered fiberglass chain are used throughout; those in the (heater quadrant also have upholstery and arm m i l Special attention is given to space and comfort- The seats were designed especially for this building. Large as the Assembly Hall's great arena m m from the top row, its efficient circular design males the seating closer and viewing better than in any other building of comparable capacity. Placement of the central floor about 30 feet below ground level means that entrances bring the public into the I fall at points about half way up in the a n t bowl, so it is an easy wail: to and from scan; the highest row ii only 29 rows, from the entrance, rather than the 48 it would have been by standard design. rith horiaontal wheels came from mis|iio project) to wind 614 miles of fifth-inch

•tee) wire around the edge of the Assembly H i dome. The 2,467 lops of wire were placed undl great tensions — up to 130,000 pounds a squat inch* This pressure slowly squeezed the eonereti compacted it, JO that the dome diameter now 2 inches less than when originally poured. T h apogee of the dome rose 2.5 Inches. The force n the wire caused the building to move and lift Itself into being as an integral structure. Left bchii and beneath it waJ some 800,000 board feet or scaffolding, which then was removed. Ctrdiuc. the Assembly Hall under the cantucvered teat bowl is the quarter-mile Upper Concourse, one side of it is the concrete, at the other a I wall, dramatically angled to contribute toil the total cutback design feature of the buildprofile Si* spacious ramp* bring visitors to Upper Concourse- Twenty-four bridges span Lay from the Concourse Into the arena. Bert them are 24 borrow-light shafts to bring natural lighting to the Lower Concourse. A t this level are meeting rooms, ticket facilities, offices, mechanical rooms, first aid station, dark and wirepbom center, and p r o s mom. At tbe central floor level i i the Service Area, then; are storage (paces, theatrical backtage facilities, locker rooms and dressing rooms, communications center, television interview room, ntenanee headquarters. Operation of the Assembly Hall will see it transformed often among its basic functions as auditorium, arena, (heater and exhibition hall. In some of these changcovers it will follow the p r o tedurcs established at other multi-purpose halls I n others it will be perfecting new principles n operation. In all instances it will be proving itscll a versatile and outstanding departure among the ion's building! for rnnss assembly. — he Assembly Halt will utilize! Of nearly 1G.U00 seats a n d more than

,500 , on the central * Purtahte mm capacity for ta l b , gwdi and yet tequire _ only a u, o d e r a t p ^ d speaker's ptatform. o tnii ""P-inV/ir M S h t be used ' o r Preddentfal ve, lax officio] ,»,, , * « y Conunencemant or sunic n u ouur.nHi. . for convention sessions with T o S ^ " ^ ^ . anoTforTtudent rallies. . . _ . _ ™ «He Aiscruhlj Hall Into another a tractor will . ub|> ™ " " " ° of 120 each , „ i i o n t * o c h " f r ' i n ~ mniTTi ™ * * » the nd e r n o u n ^ i- ^ ."i * ' « m WIUI the elements of

Ero noor, t h i . , u , , „ 'Is* "f, T ~~ - ~ 7 . ~ varfety of 8 b l 8 ? "* W * M !""• " , " . ' r " oy 8 foot modules. I t can be used a> A " " ^ " J P l ' e a t e d p U n o m or, with addition of ta fc.^""' " « * well-equipped Elglny-live f « , „ „ „ M r ( , tbe B n i l ^ fc

l , r o m arch out ™ the •! preacenlum arco out over ,1.e = ^ " ' " , , i l fin, M ""> modern canopy. ' • giant When the dr.incrin . . . . . _ , .

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south ends 0 f the I u , . n-, " * = « « " ' m d board wil, t , w T n r t 3 r - J o h ; J m X i d * { ! H " T high grid. If the floor i. , „ J 3 f , u n d w d l c arena shows, it v ^ d be C » . ™ T ? " ' " • " = " » « 3 "1-ipnsen, s'o ^ ^ ^ 7 ^ 7 1 , ^ l ^""1" s T r i r ^ 1UUl « - K r M a T * : or huge'rubber n s a V m S ™ * " " " ^ " ' ^ ' ' " ^ -«-* u n i v e r r i u ™ : ^ ; S . ™ T ^ liar siruciurn Planmng or starting rim* - ^ « « Dome . . i „ .no , .. A«embly Hall the w o r ^ T ^ ^ T " ^ " " dome. Among t h e T w o r T I , ^ - ' " " " " c d

- h « « e r grid. When 1 U c building is used a . a the grid win s u p u o r t the full array of heatrreal d r a p e s - ^ ^ ^ ^ the front and ride, for , & , „ „ }ieight. a traveler opening curtain at Utc front, sets of borders I a backdrop. These will be brought forth cts and raised into positron the grid. Also on the grid he theatric •_ — c r y and sellings. ^ P ^ ^ f * «"« d r a p e r * , a n d grid will be from P w ' e at die side of the stage. T h e ci a dial for the distance and di^__^ ' a given set to move. T h e n , o n cue, he can flip a switch that will start that movement. T h e system is accurate to within a n Inch. The. full stage will accommodate road companies ballet huhony orch ,-pc of event thai" might appear on toge any |e- For programs of serious music the Astern•sic, Hall will have avail acoustical ing surfac May.fore^mjl^1""0'

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