I must admit. Before writing this article, I had only been inside Conron Hall once, and was fairly unimpressed (figure 1). Four years ago, as I was a freshman at the University of Western Ontario, I went to the room on the second floor of University College for a seminar on how to pick course modules. I remember being really bored with the presentation; there were only four of us at this seminar (in a room that can hold 225 people), and the professor running the event sounded like Ben Stein on a bad day. So I got to looking around. My first thought was that the room was big....unnecessarily big for a lecture hall. It was sort of pretentious. However, I thought the stage looked kind of cool, and my thoughts didn’t go far beyond that, as it was nine in the morning. And as a rule, I don’t ever start thinking critically until 10.

However, I made the trek back to Conron Hall–a little older and a little wiser–to see if I could capture any aesthetic gems that I might have missed four years ago. Now, when I say trek, I mean trek. University College, arguably the oldest building on campus, is at the top of a hill. A steep hill. Then, once you enter the building, you have to climb two flights of stairs to get to the Hall. Needless to say, it is quite the workout. But finally, I was at the large, wooden arched doors with the Hall on the other side. This was its last chance to impress me.

For the second time, I entered the Hall (originally named Convocation Hall), and was blown away by the size. The curved ceiling, with a unique wooden grid-like pattern, must have been at least 25 feet high (figure 2). To the right, there is a giant, regal stage, complete with a white plaster archway outlining the confines of the performance area (figure 3). To the left, there are fixed seats, like those found in many lecture halls. However, the area with the seats is outlined by bronze and glass barriers, and to the rear, looms a large balcony. Clearly, this space is not simply for lectures; theatrical motifs found throughout the room give Conron Hall a sense of vibrancy, a sense of life. Behind you, above the intricate wooden panelling stretching up the wall, there is a pathway flanked by stone and ironwork with complex, repeating designs on one side, and a wall of frosted glasswork on the other. The entire room screams neo-Gothic design (or Collegiate Gothic, if you prefer). There is a portrait of the room’s namesake, UWO academic stalwart Alfred Brandon Conron (1919-1993) (figure 4). Conron is rightfully held in high regard (his fascinating story can be found here). In addition, the school’s slogan, “Veritas et Utilitas” (“Truth and Usefulness”), is found on the curtain flanking the stage. Clearly, the room is grounded in history, a very proud history. The size and design combined almost overwhelm you; you feel like you should not be trespassing on this seemingly sacred ground.....

......and then you look straight up, and see stage lights. Wait, what? Stage lights? And look, two more columns of stage lights, on both sides of the room. That is when you start to notice all of the modern aspects of the room. And there are quite a few. It is a peculiar mix of old and new: Gothic chandeliers are surrounded by recessed lighting; the seats, positioned in the traditional theatre style, are upholstered in a strange purple and blue pattern; the wall opposite to the entrance of the room, where Gothic style windows reach seemingly to the heavens, is littered with modern amenities (figure 5). Blackboards, an overhead projector, multiple music stands litter the room (figures 6 & 7). Okay, maybe those items aren’t all that modern, but they appear to still be in use (there’s also a piano, which doesn’t appear to still be in use). There are four rows of portable lecture seats that are scattered before the theatre seating. And that is when it hits you. Between the time that classes were first held in this room in 1924, and today, the room has taken on less of a ceremonial look into the past, and more of a utilitarian appearance. The unorganized placing of these modern objects throughout the Hall overtakes the style the designers of Conron Hall painstakingly put together. At this point, it just seems that the room is simply a Gothic facade, without any of its original substance.

However, as complicated as the relationship between these two conflicting aesthetics may be, it is quite an interesting contrast between style of the past, and the function of the present. Conran Hall is a space exuding two different eras, with two different values. If you can imagine everything that is contrived is stripped away, it really is a beautiful room–immaculate even. Conron Hall is definitely worth a look. Just be sure to wear sweats....it’s quite the hike.