Earlier this fall, the senior class decided that its senior gift would be related to the Old Main Bell. So, the School of Architecture made each of its 45 second-year students create a design for how the bell could be incorporated into the Old Main landscape. It would make sense, then, that the senior class would take a look at these designs and pick their favorite? That’s why they’re being displayed in the HUB, right?

Of course not. According to an article in today’s Collegian,

While the students’ designs may influence the final design for the Senior Class Gift, the competition is completely independent of the design process being worked on by the Office of Physical Plant (OPP).

Well that sucks. Their work shouldn’t be for naught though, so Onward State took a look at the designs and chose our favorite and least favorite.

Analysis after the jump.

Our Favorite

This design impressed us with its simplicity of design and function. What does it look like? Old Main. What do you do there? Sit. Easy.

Our Least Favorite

This looks like someone sliced and diced the Chicago Bean (which we think was actually based on the ship from Flight of the Navigator). Why would we need a sound-dampening structure in the middle of the Old Main lawn? People aren’t going to be able to ring the bell… are they? How does it “unify” the campus through sound? And wouldn’t this just clash with Old Main? Maybe it’s a good thing that OPP has final say.