My fellow Western students, I have just embarked on the most sensational artistic experience.  Close to the McIntosh Gallery and the UCC, you will find the Social Sciences Centre (figure 1).  This enormous concrete mountain-like building is perfectly situated between artistic and social centers.  You can have a taste of both worlds as they coalesce in this building.  

I am sitting down mid-way to the summit of the social sciences stairwell where I hope you will come with me on this colourful journey.  At first glance, you will be nonplussed by the grandeur of this architectural piece and its lack of foofaraw, but trust me, this mélange of concrete, steel, tile and glass is far from boring. 
           
The social sciences stairwell is situated very close to the east entrance of the building (figure 2). Initially, it is not very attractive but give it some time and you will fall in love with its welcoming concrete arms.  They extend themselves towards you, grabbing your attention, making you want to start the climb.  As you make your way up, you will notice the wood grained concrete walls caressing your presence, forcing you towards the top with the help of blue steel rails.  Even from the top, you will be able to map out the climb, see the open space as well as every floor.

As we make our way to the top, we will find the need to look down, let’s do it (figure 3)!  However, the richly coloured banners will lead your eye up to where it really counts.  Isn’t it amazing how this space was designed with natural tendencies in mind?  Christopher Wallis’ installation of stained glass windows will stupefy you.  After climbing such a tamed setting, this sky-lit ceiling creates an urban aurora borealis (figure 4). 

Before coming to London, Ontario, Wallis worked in London, England for many years.  In 1959, he established his own studio in London, Ontario.  He worked on commissioned pieces such as the stained glass windows at St Mark’s Church in Brantford Ontario in 1978.  Wallis uses glass in different ways here.  In St Mark’s Church, the glass is figurative and paint is used.  In the UWO installation, he uses sandblasted sheets of glass that feature opaque colours, emphasizing the angle of light, rather than a narrative.  In the Social Sciences Centre, the glass sheets are uniquely positioned on diverse angles to ensure optimum enjoyment and diffusion of light.  This multicoloured ceiling is always in a state of flux.  Depending on the time of day or the season, the colours are never the same.  Wallis designed a very complex system of light.  To the frantic passerby, this installation seems to be a perplexing mess, but as you can observe, this ceiling is always enjoyable to admire.  This multicoloured  ‘sky’ metamorphoses the environment in which we find ourselves, whether it is to study or to simply take a stroll from one floor to the next.

This space is never trafficless for more than an hour.  Students use this staircase between classes, to meet up with their friends, or to casually find a study place near the ‘summit’ or at the very base where you can find tables and convenient seating.  The lighting is not harsh on our eyes and it is noisy enough to keep you awake.  For those of you who tend to fall asleep while reading your course books, this is the place to be.  It is aesthetically pleasing while not distracting.

The amalgamation of wood grained concrete, mind awakening sound, eye directing banners and coloured light make this environment seem like an urban forest.  Similar to the texture of a mountainous facade, this stairwell grasps your attention and welcomes you into its presence.  This space forcefully calls upon you to look up, you may question the sight, but in my opinion the questioning is the first step you need to take in order to admire this full body experience.  So look up, and start your climb on this urban mountain.