29 Comments
Barnard’s brand new student center, the Vagelos Center aka the Diana aka the Nexus aka the Vag, is open and ready for business as of yesterday. Hey, ‘Vag’ sounds like ‘vagina’. Weird!
The Diana is shiny, new and streamlined. It is much, much nicer than Lerner. The Vag’s first patrons seemed excited about their new space, and the eating, lounging and study spaces were crowded today around lunchtime. There was a long line at Liz’s Cafe and students seemed to be enjoying their healthy options; Bwog noted edamame in spades. The study spaces are abundant and well laid-out, with plenty of nooks for individual or group study, and the art and architecture studios on the upper floors are spotless. There were still a few signs of construction: blue tape, a dusty smell, the ongoing work outside the entrance.
Despite lingering work, the students we spoke to were impressed and pleased with the Diana overall. Still, a group students stood a few feet back from the Vag, still puzzling over the color scheme. A consensus was eventually: it could be peach, orange, red, salmon, pink, auburn or burnt auburn. The color scheme reminded Bwog of the new Renzo Piano-desigend NYT building in Midtown– and right across from Sulzberger, too! More pictures of the Vag inside and out after the jump.
The sixth floor "Roof Terrace"
Study space
More study space!
Outer space
Computer lab
Strong, beautiful lunchtime
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29 Comments
@OwlPower eew so fruity-tutti and RED. I won’t be able to concentrate on my bookies with those nasty orange tables.
@Anonymous yawn
@hey maybe this will help alleviate study space concerns at columbia? notably butler or lerner?
@Anonymous can columbia students go in there?
@please be encouraged to come to the Diana Center. All students and members of the community are welcome in the student center. Also, no swiping.
@K&B Anyone know if men are allowed in the Vag?
@alum wtf? looks like the set of a 1960s film set in the future. cheap, too.
I’m not in NY anymore and can’t visit but from the looks of it I’d take lerner anyday.
@Anonymous I totally disagree that the Diana is “much, much nicer than Lerner.” Since when is bright red accented concrete-encasing nice?
@agreed i like lerner better. the diana is a little claustrophobic feeling – a little too much red and windows covered with weird like…. white stripey things.
@Anonymous yeah. have fun trying to fiddle with the flaps of the vag
@Would you even consider eating out of your own vag? I wouldn’t! Barnard is sure playing up the nickname with the red color scheme…
@BC11 Isn’t that really really red room the soon-to-be Diana dining hall?
@ok you said: haha you barnard girls complain about no outlets etc., concrete floor and act all entitled to everything…you have to remember though, you go to the 30th best liberal arts college…
so cut your school some slack…if you were looking for a better quality education should have gone somewhere else
@um ... where do you come off criticizing the quality of academics at Barnard College? what does this have to do with the new building? and are you really so insecure of yourself that you have to put others down?
@Anonymous also confused what outlets and decor have to do with a “better education”?
@not a fan of the bare concrete floor
@in kilter In a calculated move designed to avoid jokes, there are no carpets or drapes.
@but it has a landing strip.
@okay the vag joke is funny, yes, but the Diana was never going to be called and is not now called “The Vagelos Center.” The Vagelos Center is the Alumnae office at Barnard. A joke is not an excuse for incorrect facts. The new building is called “The Diana” aka Nexus aka the Vag.
Also, Java City is now “Liz’s Place” not “Liz’s Cafe”
I know it’s nitpicky and someone is bound to respond to this with a bitchy comment, but still: check your simple facts, Bwog. It ain’t hard.
@Hey! Bitchy comment!
@as a barnard student I don’t know, I’m a Barnard student and I love that we’re calling it the Vag. It’s just too good.
@bc 10 I was actually at the “topping off” ceremony last year when they unveiled the name for the building with a firework-display of the new name of the building. It was definitely Vagelos. They intended on naming it Vagelos, but I guess after the reaction of the student body they reconsidered and named it after Diana Vagelos’ first name. She and her husband were apparently the biggest donors.
@Umm I was also there. That was never intended to be the name, just the name of the donors. As someone involved in SGA and lots of other things on campus, the admin. always told us they did not have a final name (from the day of “Vagelos fireworks” on). They did not “change” the name because of students, that would be very silly.
@Well SOMEONE’S crabby.
@It's sooo red!
@bc10 severe lack of outlets.
@Anonymous look in the floors. there are some randomly placed flap things that you need a penny/dime to open and uncover power/internet jacks
@let's keep going What a spacious vag! —annnnd it’s old NOW.
@diana what a strong and beautiful vag