!I'm in love!

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TomTeeTom

went to the open day today and just was astonished by the beauty of the univeristy. I live in London and the differences are amazing. I had seen the pictures but the views just take you aback. Anyone feel the same.

I've been in Cambridge 2 years and I'm still in love with it. Not just the tourist sites like King's College Chapel. In fact, I think King's Chapel and John's New Court are overrated and a bit vulgar. I love all of it. From the Abbey Stadium to the University Library, From Girton to Homerton. From New Hall to Magdelene. From Peterhouse to the Boat Houses. My favourite five buildings in Cambridge at the moment are:

Pembroke Chapel. In fact, Pembroke generally is gorgeous, but the Chapel is stunning. Understated beautiful amid much "look at me" architecture.

The Centre of Mathematical Sciences (CMS). It looks flying saucer crash into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (well, maybe not) and has daffodils on the roof. It's an amazing building, and astonishingly well designed.

Newnham. Newnham is probably the prettiest college in Cambridge, with stunning gardens.

Old Addenbrookes (the Judge Business school). I love this. It's definitely easy to overlook but it feels quite Moorish or Berber.

Downing College. Especially their Georgian accommodation stuff.

Reply 61

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Arrogant Git

Newnham. Newnham is probably the prettiest college in Cambridge, with stunning gardens.

True.

And I agree with you about the CMS -- it's absolutely awesome! Shame most non-mathematicians never go and see it...

I like you. You walk around with your eyes open. :smile:

Reply 62

NJHL

What I was told by my school was "Go check out a university before you apply!"

And now I really, really, really want to go to Cambridge and probably won't get in. I hate my school.

Reply 63

generalebriety

Arrogant Git

The Centre of Mathematical Sciences (CMS). It looks flying saucer crash into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (well, maybe not) and has daffodils on the roof. It's an amazing building, and astonishingly well designed.

Arrogant Git

Newnham. Newnham is probably the prettiest college in Cambridge, with stunning gardens.

Ach. I want to love Newnham, I just can't stand the side on Sidgwick Avenue. Why make such a beautiful college and then decorate the front with that eyesore?

Reply 64

kitkat_2007

I thought Newnham was really beautiful too - three girls from my old school are going in Sept/Oct (gp) so I shall definitely ask one of them to show me around these gardens!!! Anyway it's right next to languages which is what I'll hopefully be doing so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. They had better be as good as you all say!

:biggrin:

Reply 65

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generalebriety

Ach. I want to love Newnham, I just can't stand the side on Sidgwick Avenue. Why make such a beautiful college and then decorate the front with that eyesore?

Hmm. We're not really helped that that side is actually the *back* of college, and what they can do there is quite limited. I quite like the new glass, though. I also like the fact that the 'secret' of Newnham is inside its walls, rather than displayed outside. (Though, if you want to see what it was built to look like, the original porters' lodge is in the Pfeiffer Arch entrance on Newnham Walk. The main 'road' used to go straight through where the gardens now are. That kind of explains the architecture).

kitkat_2007

Best in the summer, when the sun's out! I always feel a bit sad that interviews, when many people will be seeing the college for the first time, are in the winter -- more often than not interviewees have to stick to the corridor, rather than the gardens. :frown:

Reply 66

generalebriety

epitome

Well, I knew it was the back technically, but I mean, I could call my back door the front and it still wouldn't make it the front. :p:

I have no idea where the real front of Newnham is, I just know everyone uses the entrance on Sidgwick Avenue, which to me makes it more or less the front. Meh. Semantics... :p:

Reply 67

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generalebriety

Well, I knew it was the back technically, but I mean, I could call my back door the front and it still wouldn't make it the front. I have no idea where the real front of Newnham is, I just know everyone uses the entrance on Sidgwick Avenue, which to me makes it more or less the front. Meh. Semantics...

*grins* It's my job to get pissed off about semantics, young man! :p:

Pop round to Newnham Walk next time you're in the vicinity, then, and see the Real Entrance (as designed). It's the one with the lovely ornate gates (newly repaired, at last) -- the ones that all the blokes smashed when the move to allow women to get degrees in 1921 was defeated...

Reply 68

generalebriety

epitome

*grins* It's my job to get pissed off about semantics, young man! :p:

Will do.

Reply 69

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generalebriety

Will do.

Excellent. And I live in that very entrance/archway, so come and say hello! :biggrin:

Reply 70

kitkat_2007

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It's a pity that there isn't sunshine to cheer interviewees up at that time, it must be said.... when I last went to Peterhouse (gp where I'm going) I took a photo on my phone of the gardens there (very pretty too) and put it as my background.... nothing like that to keep me motivated during exams. Sad, huh?!
:woo:

Reply 71

Arrogant Git

generalebriety

Ach. I want to love Newnham, I just can't stand the side on Sidgwick Avenue. Why make such a beautiful college and then decorate the front with that eyesore?

I think that's what makes me love a building more- when I've dismissed it previously or walked past it a hundred times and then 'discovered' it. I tend to have mini-epiphanies of this nature every couple of weeks. The Strachey buildings were all i'd seen of newnham for most of first year. But I remember walking through Newnham gardens one spring morning and the mist rising up off the lawns and the view of the college across the gardens took my breath away. I do get overly excited about architecture though. Especially in Cambridge.

Nice to see some CMS appreciation though :smile:

Reply 72

Simba

Supergrunch

Hmm, I seem to be in a minority. I didn't start loving Cambridge as a place until part way through my first term.

At the risk of being poked, I have to agree. I'm not a fan of old, outdated architecture at all. My Mum and Nana and on the other hand thought it was absolutely amazing, ended up taking a lot of pictures :p: