What's so bad about Warwick's campus?

I've read a lot of threads on TSR saying that it's awful - it's probably my top choice at the moment and I'm going to the open day in September, but I'd just like to know why people hate/d it so much?

I don't think it's that bad really - it was very nearly my firm, and the architecture had nothing to do with my decision. The most modern buildings (I think the sciences?) are actually quite nice. There are some ugly buildings that look like they might be from the 60s, kind of run down looking. You'd just have to go and see what you think and if it would be an issue for you.

Visit it, view the accommodation and see what you think of it

Warwick is a 60's university.

60's university = ugly campus.

It's not just Warwick, Brunel looked like a concrete jungle when I visited, and apparently, it's one of the 'better looking 60's universities'.

It's ugly. Just plain 1970's brutalistic architecture consisting mainly of cheap, slapped-together, purpose built, tacky looking buildings.

It's in the middle of nowhere.

The closest city is Coventry, which I would need volumes of cyberspace to tell you just how ugly and miserable of city that **** hole is.

It's all a shame, really. Warwick has an excellent reputation for the social sciences. Probably no better university to study disciplines like sociology, social history, industrial relations, etc.

Warwick is a 60's university.

60's university = ugly campus.

It's not just Warwick, Brunel looked like a concrete jungle when I visited, and apparently, it's one of the 'better looking 60's universities'.

I visited Brunel last year and I think there's more concrete there than Warwick

As for Social Studies, it's alright - it's got a red brick exterior from the 80s (like here) and the interior still looks decent, so for you it's quite a nice place to study. There are concrete monstrosities (and another) that consist of the first buildings built in the late 60s/early 70s which currently house the Library, Humanities, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering departments. That's not to say the interior is as bad as the exterior! Note the bathroom tiling on the left of the previous two photos - these are the Library/Humanities departments. Much nicer buildings have been constructed around, featuring red brick and other strange materials. The front of the Engineering department completed a makeover earlier this year.

Around 'Academic Square', consisting of buildings constructed from around the turn of the century, it's much nicer. Here and what is possibly the most overused shot of campus here you can see some of the more recent buildings. There's one more building to be constructed to complete the 'square' and apparently that starts in a year or two.

You have the Warwick Arts Centre here which features a bit of concrete and the most puzzling pieces of art right outside, the Koan, which then rotates around with revolving lights at night.

But yeah, see for yourself.

I really don't think it's ugly at all - especially in summer, when I think buildings like social studies and maths look ugly. The only ones that actually meet with the dull 60s stereotype are the library, humanities and science. They may be some of the biggest, but social studies, the SU, the Arts Centre, maths, etc look really nice. The accommodation blocks are obviously all different; the only grey one is Old Rootes, which is pretty dull admittedly - but some of the others are really nice.

There's loads more green space and water and trees than you'd find near any city-based uni and more than most campus ones I've visited. Where else can you pop out of your lecture and go for a walk round a lake or through a forest?

That said, I've always been quite openly in love with the campus, and love blinds.

It's ugly. Just plain 1970's brutalistic architecture consisting mainly of cheap, slapped-together, purpose built, tacky looking buildings.

It's in the middle of nowhere.

The closest city is Coventry, which I would need volumes of cyberspace to tell you just how ugly and miserable of city that **** hole is.


It's all a shame, really. Warwick has an excellent reputation for the social sciences. Probably no better university to study disciplines like sociology, social history, industrial relations, etc.

I've read a lot of threads on TSR saying that it's awful - it's probably my top choice at the moment and I'm going to the open day in September, but I'd just like to know why people hate/d it so much?