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Table of Contents

Tours

  1. Architectural Walking Tour

    Self-guided tour of Paul Rudolph's Legendary Brutalist Campus at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

    Stops

    1. Stop 01: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Life and Career of Architect Paul Marvin Rudolph

      An introduction to the life and career of international renowned architect Paul Marvin Rudolph, the visionary of the Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute (SMTI), now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. (To start the tour click on Stop 1 video below.)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Portrait of Paul Rudolph. Courtesy of Paul Rudolph Institute of Modern Architecture

    2. Stop 02: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Paul Rudolph & His Masterplan

      In 1960, Paul Marvin Rudolph was hired by the Boston architectural firm Desmond and Lord to assume the role of lead designer for a brand-new public university Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute, now UMass Dartmouth. (Launch Video Below for Stop 02)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

       

      Photo: Architects model presented to state officials.ca. 1962. Claire T. Carney Archives and Special Collections. UMass Dartmouth.

    3. Stop 03: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Not just an architectural style, Brutalism is a philosophy intrinsic to Rudolph's campus design. Many admirers and critics suggest that the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is perhaps Rudolph's most iconic representation of his urbanist vision. A project that denotes his successful career and exemplifies his contribution to our mid-century architectural heritage. (Launch Video Below for Stop 03)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)


      Photo: East Facade of Group 1, now the Liberal Arts Building at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Courtesy of PhotoGraphics Department at UMass Dartmouth

    4. Stop 04: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Love at First Sight

      Some may say "love at first sight" is not a phrase associated with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. But many admire this monumental architecture with its geometric forms, enormous cantilever structures, and massive fluted columns. (Launch Video Below for Stop 04)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)


       

      Photo: East Facade of Group 1, now the Liberal Arts Building at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth

    5. Stop 05: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Is It Sculpture or Is It Architecture?

      At first glance, Rudolph's stairwells appear detached, free-form exterior sculptures that mimic their anatomies. Yet, upon closer observation, the stairwells are far more complex. The external forms are embedded within the interior, making boundaries of space indistinguishable. (Launch Video Below for Stop 05)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)


      Photo: North Stairwell of the Group 1 Building. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth.

    6. Stop 06: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Hardly a Concrete Jungle

      Paul Rudolph created a holistic singular academic campus strong enough in design to withstand time. Across the United States, only a few college campuses are conceived and executed by a single architect. Two noteworthy campuses that influenced Rudolph's core ideals were the University of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson and Florida Southern College by Frank Lloyd Wright. Both campuses are designated as national landmarks. (Launch Video Below for Stop 06)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)
      Photo: West Facade Group 1 Building. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth.

    7. Stop 07: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Raw Concrete: Breaking Boundaries

      Hardly a concrete jungle, reinforced concrete allowed Paul Rudolph and other Brutalist architects the freedom to create non-traditional architectural forms and to explore the manipulation of space, volume, texture, and light. (Launch Video Below for Stop 07)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each)and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Paul Rudolph. Detail Sketch of Window. pencil on tracing paper. Claire T. Carney Archives and Special Collections University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

    8. Stop 08: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Architecture is Like Music

      The atrium design exemplifies Rudolph’s fascination with architectural movement and the intersections between flowing, molded, and empty spaces that transform and shift with the light and shadow. (Launch Video Below for Stop 08)

      (ArchitectureTour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Interior Atrium Group 1 Building. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth.

    9. Stop 09: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      A Spacial Interplay
      The atrium showcases Rudolph's belief that architecture should be multifaceted and experiential. Occupants should interact with the  architecture space on multi-levels and for a multitude of purposes. (Launch Video Below for Stop 09)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Interior View South Atrium in Group 1 Building. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth

    10. Stop 10: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist C

      Campanile and the Public Square

      Perhaps, the most critical architectural element to Rudolph’s campus design is his campanile. Indeed, many believe Rudolph's Brutalist campus would be incomplete without its bell tower.


      (Launch Video Below for Stop 10)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Interior View South Atrium in Group 1 Building. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth

    11. Stop 11: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Everchanging Perspectives
      Rudolph regarded himself as an urbanist and sought to make the relationship between buildings and the public sphere eloquent. His asymmetrical pathways and spiral enclaves arranged purposely across the campus complex create a shifting perspective for individuals traversing the campus. (Launch Video Below for Stop 11)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Nautical Bench outside in front of CVPA. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth

    12. Stop 12: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Library: In Need of Care

      The library, the tallest building on campus, represents the physical and symbolic center of the university. For many decades, this massive structure succumbed to climate and structural deterioration requiring substantial renovation. (Launch Video Below for Stop 12)


      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Library Entrance. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth

    13. Stop 13: Paul Rudolph's Brutalist Campus

      Rudolph Brutalist Vision Revitalized

      After years of planning, in 2011 the state of Massachusetts commissioned Boston architects, designLAB to renovate the university library and adjacent building. DesignLAB's task was to transform the library into a collaborative learning and social center for the campus community while maintaining the integrity of Paul Rudolph’s Brutalist vision. (Launch Video Below for Stop 13)

      (Architecture Tour of Paul Rudolph's UMass Dartmouth Campus. The virtual tour includes thirteen stops (3-5 minutes each) and takes approximately forty-five minutes.)

      Photo: Interior View of the Library Entrance. PhotoGraphics Department. UMass Dartmouth