Circles, Stacks, and Groves

Friday in class, we went out and looked at examples of Circles, Stacks, and Groves. Following are some examples of them that I found on campus.

This is my example for a circle. It is the circular entry into the Jefferson Suites building. The significance of the Circle here is that it symbolizes a place of importance. The circle is used to draw people in to the center, as one of my classmates decided that he was going to do. 

This is my example of a grove. These are just some plain stone columns, but they are grouped together as a grove of trees would be. As someone with some experience in landscape architecture and design, it is not uncommon to have trees that would do the same thing if the columns weren't here, thus reinforcing the representation of the Grove. 

This is my example of a stack. The Bryan Building is very much an example of a stack. the way that the building is put together actually looks like a bunch of individual pieces placed one on top of the other in a rather haphazard manner. 

These are all examples of the environment that we exist in as college students. This environment can either shape our rituals, or we, as people, can let our rituals shape our environment. And, I firmly think that there is a solid element of both in life. As an ex-smoker, I know that I let my rituals shape my environment by having to go find places that it was acceptable and out of the way to go smoke. I now let my rituals shape my environment by not going to the smoking areas, and instead having more time and going the more direct path to where I need to get to. But, my environment still shapes my rituals. As a theatre major, I spend a lot of time in the theatre, on campus, etc. Thus, my rituals revolve around that particular environment that I have put myself into. So, I think that it is a combination of both that make up who we are and what we do - we change our environment, and let our environment change us - it is a give and take.