Arizona University Campus
The main campus covers about 1.5 square kilometers in
central Tucson, about 1.6 miles northeast of downtown. It consists of 179
buildings. Most old buildings, including those of the Arizona State Museum and Centennial
Hall were designed by Roy Place, a distinguished architect of the city. The
latter used almost exclusively of red brick. Most building facades are still
composed of this material.
The campus is divided roughly into four quarters. North and
South are divided by a large lawn called the Mall which runs the Old Main in
the west to Campbell Avenue to the east (one of the main north-south artery of
the city). The East and West Campus are separated by Highland Avenue and the
Student Union Memorial Center.
The buildings of science and mathematics are scattered in
the South West. Disciplines "cross" (common to most courses) in the
South East, art and social science in Northwest. Departments optical and space
science and the main library for their focus to the east.
The North Campus is bounded by Speedway Boulevard a major
east-west axes of Tucson. However, since the 1980s, a number of University
buildings were erected north of this axis, and extending in an area
traditionally dedicated to housing (apartments, houses).The university has also
purchased a number of housing units to accommodate more students. The South
Campus is in turn bounded by Sixth Street. To the south is composed of single-family
neighborhoods often rented to students.
Park Avenue is traditionally considered the western boundary
of the campus. A long stone wall along a large portion of the street delineates
the boundary. Only the Old Main Gate (Gate of Old Main, the main entrance of
the University) can enter through the West.Around this street students, faculty
and staff can find many shops: shops, bookstores, bars, banks, tea room, and
the main Fast food chains. Note that most buildings were built dedicated to
trade in the 1920s and restored in the late 1990s.
The oldest buildings on campus were built between Park
Avenue and west of the 'Old Main' (before 1940). The expansion of the
University has made to the East between 1940 and 1980.
The Student Union Memorial Center (the center of life for
students) is located immediately adjacent to the 'Mall' (north of it). It was
completely rebuilt between 2000 and 2003 from 25 to 000 m² 37 600 m² on four
floors. It now includes 14 restaurants (including a dining room surrounded by
the major fast food chains), a new library on two floors, 23 meeting rooms (for
the various clubs), eight lounge areas (including one dedicated to the USS
Arizona, a computer room, a post office, a reprographics room, and an arcade.
One of the two bells rescued from the USS Arizona attack on Pearl Harbor is
placed in the clock tower of the Student Union Memorial Center (she arrived on
campus in July 1946). It strikes seven times every third Wednesday of the month
at 12:07 (time of the sinking of the battleship December 7, 1941) and after
each game of American Football home.
