Kent Bloomer’s Physics Wall, perhaps the most diagrammatic of his works, presides over the expansive sunlit atrium of Willamette Hall. Bloomer translated current ideas from science into tactile three-dimensional form spread throughout the entire atrium. For example, the metal lights on the first floor employ geometric forms evoking the crystalline structures of minerals and geology. For the stairs, Bloomer incorporated a graphic representation of DNA that bears a striking resemblance to Native American motifs. Finally, the design culminates in an expanding grid of suspended stars – a sculptural representation of the Crab Nebula. The grid begins as orthogonal, but curves and thins as it reaches towards the skylights and forms a transparent network of silvery threads and diamond-shaped stars.

Executive Architect:
The Ratcliff Architects: Christopher Ratcliff, principal
Design Architect: Moore Ruble Yudell
Associate Architect: Brockmeyer McDonnell