Reading Places

Every area of the world is bound to communicate in a certain way to the inhabitants of that area. The style, size and specific use of the area influence what the place communicates as well as what kind of information is communicated there.

A college dining hall is place where many people gather at one time in order to eat and catch up with their fellow students. More specifically, the Flagler College dining hall is where many students communicate with their friends and neighbors while eating. While this dining is more lavish and intricate than most other college dining halls, the function is still the same. However, the message that this dining area say to its users could be quite different.

The style of this dining hall communicates a message that makes dining in this area seem more formal than dining in the student center (for example). The lavish decorations on the walls, the formal chairs, and the ornate ceilings all make dining there seem like you should almost be dressing up in order to eat, although no one ever does.

Based on the other people I see in this dining hall, I don’t think that they feel any obligation to act as they would in a restaurant, but the old look of the room gives me that impression.

The hallway that leads to the dining hall also gives it a more closed off feeling, as though it is a secluded part of campus that is only for students. It is also very dark on the inside, making it feel very closed off from the outside.

The communication between the people in the dining seems to be purely social. It’s very loud and is not a place that encourages work. Typically people there converse about their day and their friends. They may discuss some work they have to do, but very rarely would someone try to do work in there.

Overall, despite this not being a very typical dining hall in its style. The function allows it to remain the same for those who eat in it. The formal style doesn’t really influence how people act in it, although it seems like it would. The function of the place rules over what the tone and style of the place are.