The university shouldn’t forget about what it learned during the Bird’s Eye View contest.
For the past few years, Temple’s grounds department has kept track of the number of dead birds lining Main Campus buildings. In November 2011, The Temple News reported that the department estimated between 800 and 1,000 dead birds last year.
Commendably so, Tyler School of Art and the Office of Sustainability held a competition, the Bird’s Eye View contest, to spread awareness about the deaths of birds-in-flight. Experts suggest that reflective, glass buildings contribute to these deaths, as birds mistake the glass for an open path.
The Temple News applauds the efforts to bring the issue to light. Now that the awareness portion of the contest is done, we’re curious how the university is making any long-term effects stick.
Temple’s 20/20 plan flaunts sleek, glass-heavy buildings on the rise: the architecture building, Pearson and McGonigle Halls and the South Gateway project.
The Temple News doesn’t chastise the university for building visually pleasing buildings as it moves forward with its 20/20 plan. However, officials should communicate with the initiatives coming out of the various departments – including the Office of Sustainability – to incorporate them into future buildings.
The winning window pattern of the contest by Molly Denisevicz should be implemented on necessary buildings on Main Campus. As of right now, Temple hasn’t planned to produce the designs to apply to current and future buildings.
If Temple is going to promote initiatives, it should follow through with them – not forget about them halfway through the crash course.
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