What’s That Building? UIC’s Behavioral Sciences Building

The Behavioral Sciences Building at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is an architectural anomaly that evokes comparisons to an M.C. Escher drawing due to its unconventional design, featuring octagonal stairwells, windowless classrooms, and seemingly illogical hallways. This structure is a remnant of the university's ambitious endeavor to establish an ultra-modern urban campus, conceptualized by architect Walter Netsch. Netsch's unique aesthetic, known as "Field Theory," diverged from the prevailing rectilinear architectural forms of his era, embracing instead a highly conceptual approach. He described his theory as being akin to the repeated, organic shapes found in a field of flowers, which is visually echoed in the building's blueprints and aerial views, showcasing a dense array of simple octagons and complex eight-pointed stars. Netsch, a trailblazing architect, first gained prominence in the mid-1950s with his avant-garde design for the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. In the early 1960s, he was commissioned to design the UIC campus, intending to create an environment distinctly separate from the surrounding urban landscape. His vision included a network of buildings interconnected by elevated walkways, with the Forum, a large amphitheater, serving as a central feature. Field Theory was applied to three UIC buildings: Art and Architecture, Behavioral Sciences, and Science and Engineering South. However, only the Behavioral Sciences Building fully realized the intricate and challenging aspects of Netsch's theoretical framework, with the other two buildings featuring a more constrained application of his design principles. Despite Netsch's radical architectural intent to foster a complex, maze-like experience, the building’s design has presented challenges for its occupants, with former students like Evette Ocasio describing it as "confusing and inaccessible." Over time, UIC has implemented interior signage to aid navigation. Significant external modifications have also occurred since the building's construction. In the 1990s, the campus underwent renovations aimed at fostering a greener, less urban aesthetic. This initiative, much to Netsch's dissatisfaction, involved the removal of the second-story walkways and the introduction of extensive landscaping, including lawns, shrubs, and trees. These renovations left the Behavioral Sciences Building with peculiar features, such as a concrete plaza protruding from the structure and external walkways that now appear purposeless, no longer connecting to the once-unified second-story system. Remnants of Netsch's original vision for an elevated outdoor realm can still be observed in the form of concrete pyramidal benches, or excedra, which were designed as informal meeting spots for academic groups. These elements stand as a testament to Netsch's pioneering, albeit sometimes perplexing, architectural philosophy and the subsequent evolution of the UIC campus. #UICBehavioralSciencesBuilding #WalterNetsch #FieldTheory #ModernArchitecture #UrbanCampusDesign #ArchitecturalHistory #CampusRenovation #ChicagoArchitecture #UICBehavioralSciencesBuilding #WalterNetsch #FieldTheory #ModernArchitecture #UrbanCampusDesign #ArchitecturalHistory #CampusRenovation #ChicagoArchitecture