Ours is an exceptionally beautiful campus. For the most part, this beauty serves a background role – subtly soothing and strengthening us while we, quite properly, devote our conscious attention to other things. However, from time to time, I like to bring one or another aspect of the Anselmian aesthetic into the front of my mind so as to enjoy it more fully. With last week’s ribbon cutting ceremony, I figured now would be a good time to focus on the nursing building. I know I have made my thoughts on the uncovered side of the roof clear, and I stand by that perspective, but I don’t want to dwell on it here. Rather, my focus will be on the aspects of the building that are, in my view, distinctly worth appreciating. First, there is the main body of the building: a top ⅔ of red brick atop a lower ⅓ of passably granite-like blocks. To me, this conveys a sense of solidness, and a continuity with the traditional style of New England. Set against this solidness, the slate gray sheet metal and the extensive use of glass give it cleanliness, and a bit of modern intrigue. Glowing through that large front window, the spherical lights, hung at various heights, are reminiscent of celestial bodies or soapy bubbles going weightlessly on their merry way. To the solidness and the cleanliness they add a sense of lively warmth. Staying on the outside, the landscaping and the patio are certainly worthy of appreciation, but I would turn your attention to the walls themselves. In the stone-like section, note the layers of “taller” and “shorter” blocks. Throughout the entire wall, note the way in which some layers stick out further than others. All of these details, for as subtle and “unnoticed” as they are, serve to break up the space and make what could be a painfully monotonous surface into something rather pleasant. Inside, on the main floor, I am immediately drawn to the gracefully curving wall that encloses the back of the auditorium with all of those veneer grade hardwood strips (I almost feel a pang in my heart for how much that must have cost, but it is beautiful). This, along with the nice colors and soft chairs distributed around that section to the left of the door, gives a further sense of life and warmth. As I move towards my class on the third floor, I am sometimes slightly bothered by the bottleneck around the single door to the stairwell, but this is generally not much of a problem, and other than that I am very happy with the flow. The classrooms themselves are nice and clean and bright – good for learning STEMy sorts of things. Still though, tucked into corners here and there, are cozy little study spots with nice carpeting and soft chairs. Overall, I think this building does a magnificent job of combining the solid, clean, rectilinear elements that make a building seem conducive to serious work, with the soft, warm, rounded elements that make a building seem comfortable. Chef’s kiss. If you haven’t yet taken the time to walk around the Nurshing building, to appreciate it, and to welcome it into your heart as a happy new part of our campus, I would highly encourage you to do so.