To accommodate both a human scale, deemed appropriate to a liberal arts mission, and the naturalness of the wooded site, the bottom third of the building is set below grade, its upper third is tucked within the eaves of the roof, and the exterior is clad in wood battened siding. The submerged floor surrounds an outdoor, sunken terrace with cafe tables and chairs that brings daylight into the sub-grade rooms. Here, a wooden pagoda marks the main entrance to the lower level and assumes an arts and crafts image in the spirit of good humanities fun. The quadrangle is ornamented with copper and bronze floral motifs that serve as roof scuppers and light fixtures.