TECH TOWER

Atlanta, GA

Another late-1880’s jewel. The Lettie Pate Evans Administration Building, commonly known as Tech Tower, is the focal point of Georgia Institute of Technology, informally known as Georgia Tech, or locally, just Tech. The Tower was designed by the firm of Bruce & Morgan and contracted by Angus McGilvray for US$43,250 ($45 million today). It was built in the Victorian style, characterized by its revival of various historical styles and its elaborate ornamentation. The building is 130’ wide by 120’ deep by 145’ tall and is constructed of red brick trimmed with granite. The gabled roof was originally terra cotta, but later replaced with copper shingles. The main complex of the building stands four stories high plus a basement. The tower is topped with four lighted TECH signs on a high-pitched roof. The building sits on the crest of a tree-dotted hill, giving it the appearance of being larger than it actually is. Competing colleges have made a game of stealing the “T” off the Tower. But it somehow always gets replaced.

My five years at Tech were touch-and-go grade-wise, but I survived the architectural gauntlet, being one of 11 students from the starting class of 145 to graduate on schedule. The tough academics and animal-house partying made my experience at Tech most memorable. While on campus for this sketch, I visited the architectural school, loaded with students working to keep up on a Sunday afternoon. It was interesting to observe not a single T-square or triangle in sight – what a change. I overheard one student there say he had been in the lab for 10 hours a day every day of the last week. In that regard, nothing has changed.