Welcome to The Storrs Before, the column where I talk about the architectural history of buildings in Storrs! Today, our history mystery is Weston A. Bousfield Psychology Building. What did it look like before? What changed over time?
Before
The construction of the psychology building was part of a trilateral project, which would be completed alongside a math building and fine arts addition. The building was expected to have around 86,000 square feet of space, with more than 200 research labs. When it was being built, the plans called for a four-floor building meant to fit in with the nearby Graduate Center. It was well needed since all psychology classrooms and houses were scattered throughout campus. However, problems during development quickly rose.
Strikes, mazes and violations
The project had a hard time getting off the ground due to budget discussions, and construction was stalled further when workers went on strike in 1972 over money disputes. Once that problem was resolved, construction workers found multiple inconsistencies in the blueprints for the structure. With all the necessary changes made, the building surpassed its original budget by about 20%.
When the building opened in May 1974, teachers and students came across issue after issue. The walls lacked any soundproofing, making it hard for teachers to hear themselves over the lecturer next door. The wall issue also allowed for the smells of research animals to waft through the basement, spreading an unsanitary aroma through the ground floor. And if that wasn’t enough, the whole place was a maze. The strangely thin hallways were easy to get lost in, with many people confusing one hall for the next.
Later inspection by the fire department revealed that the hallways were two feet too short and that the basement’s lack of sprinklers created a death scenario in the case that a fire occurred. Nonetheless, the wall issue was fixed, and slight safety modifications were made. The maze problem, however, has never been resolved.
In the 1980s, the building came under fire again for its neglectful care of the research animals. Small cages and little water were some of the many animal violations discovered. Students also complained about the lack of walkways around the building, which was especially dangerous during muddy seasons. Both problems were corrected promptly, and the building had little issue for the next few years. When UConn’s master plan came out in the late 80s, it stated that Bousfield would get necessary renovations, such as a parking lot and additional rooms.
The master plan
In 2003, the psychology building was approved for a $20 million renovation. With the goal of adding 30,000 square feet of space, the additions included more classrooms, research space and an annex. The entrance was also relocated to provide more separation between different sections of the building. To this day, Bousfield is still regarded as a confusing maze. With all the needed additions and changes, the building resembles a conglomerate mutant structure similar to the Student Union.
It is, in my opinion, one of the few architectural disasters on campus. Luckily, UConn has had much better insight into buildings in recent years. “UConn 2000,” “the Master Plan” and Quarterly Construction updates are all public files used to help organize building construction in order to avoid a repeat of Bousfield. On the bright side, studying in the Bousfield skylight lounge is extremely peaceful. If you’re ever in the building, be sure to take a look up there!