Trinity’s Architecture: More Than Just the Long Walk

Leon Hu ‘29

Staff Writer

I would like to preface this by saying that I know nothing about architecture. This is an almost purely vibes-based appreciation of the buildings on campus. Still, it certainly does not take a William Burges to appreciate the absolutely stunning nature of (almost) every building on campus. As members of the Trinity community, we have all been blessed with some of the most stunning collegiate architecture in New England; it is all drop-dead gorgeous.  

Let’s start with the obvious.  The Long Walk is, in every way, the center and crown of campus. Our virtual alumni connection system is called the Virtual Long Walk. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Students walk it every day, and it’s undeniably beautiful. 

If the Long Walk is the crown, the Chapel is the crown jewel. It always warms my heart when I hear the chiming of its carillon during common hour.  The Chapel was actually designed by the same firm that designed the National Cathedral in D.C., and stepping into the rose garden looks just as beautiful as its former counterpart Jackie Kennedy once had installed at the White House.  The same thing goes for Downes and the opposing side of the Long Walk, containing Cook, Goodwin-Woodard and Clement. The entire main quad area is beautiful, but that much is obvious.  

But what about the other 80-plus acres of campus?  There is far more to Trinity than just what’s between Jarvis and Seabury.  Frequently, it seems, most people don’t seem to appreciate the rest of campus outside its glamorous center. That’s fair, and I certainly agree that that’s the best part of campus, but our entire campus is stunning.  There’s more to Trinity’s architecture than just that.

First off, there’s Raether.  There’s that section on the second and third floors on the top side of the library, near Engelhard, where you can very distinctly tell what was part of the old building and what was part of the 1978 expansion. The brick walls formerly composing the exterior and the window frames remain—so when studying in that convenient niche by the sunroof, it feels like you’re inside and outside at the same time. It’s simple, but gorgeous.  And don’t get me started on the DiBenedetto Reading Room!  It’s so nice that it seems like there’s always people there (especially at those couches that face the window, giving you a birds-eye view of Hartford), but thankfully, Raether has more than enough space for it to work.  I’m also frequently surprised that nobody seems to go to the basement, where there’s an almost restaurant-esque booth-and-table setup that’s very cute for studying.  

And who could forget the concrete jungle? Upperclassmen are practically allergic to it, but it’s a really nice place regardless (although I concede that the presence of hundreds of freshmen probably does not help the case).  Still, the compactness, the cobbled stone pathways, the bridges, and the sparse yet adequate amount of foliage that dots the trees feels strangely enchanting at times. And, although certainly not every room has this luxury, there’s some wonderful views of the jungle and the LSC quad offered by the dorms there. There’s a strange charm that permeates the jungle, and it’s a nice introduction to Trinity dorm life. 

On the opposite end of campus, Vernon is probably the best campus-like feel across all of Trinity.  High Rise paints the horizon, and cultural and Greek Life housing dotting the street feels, at times, actually city-like.  It’s the only spot on campus that actually feels somewhat urban, and it’s a great medium between a campus-feel and urbanity.  Particularly, the CHER house has always caught my eye — it’s quite emblematic of the old-school yet undeniably compact and urban—and who can forget 115 Vernon, the English building?  I’m biased, as an English major, but somehow, taking classes in what used to be the President’s House just works. You feel at home, both figuratively and literally.  

I also must mention the LSC. Again, I’m biased—I’m also a psychology major.  The LSC has the strange property of looking far larger and imposing when up close than from afar.  In fact, one of the reasons I came to Trinity was because during my admitted students’ visit.  While walking to the LSC for a presentation, the sheer scale of its brutalist architecture imprinted on me so deeply that I couldn’t choose anything else. The beauty of the Roy Nutt STEM building is also magnified by the view from the lobby out the large panes of the LSC.  The entire LSC quad area is a stunning example of a different architecture; I’d argue it even rivals the main quad. I will die on the hill that the LSC is a top-five building on campus.   Obviously, not every building on Trinity is perfect aesthetically (I’m looking at you, Mather), but our campus is ranked on Architectural Digest’s most beautiful campuses list for a reason.  We’re not ranked like this just because of 10% of our campus. We’re ranked for the entire thing. We have something special here, and it expands far beyond just the original buildings at the center of campus. Trinity’s periphery matters, too; all of Trinity is beautiful.  Take walks beyond just the length of Downes to Cook.  See more of all of what makes Trinity special. There’s a lot more to the buildings of Trinity than the Long Walk.