New Beginnings

When I tell someone I go to De La Salle, they often ask me what it’s like to go to school there. And in reply, I often mention the classes I take, the incredible teachers I have, the Lasallian spirit, but never had I contemplated throwing architecture into the conversation. But ever since the new Kinnoull building emerged from a cloud of sawdust and paint fumes, it’s a topic I’m excited to discuss. In the short period in which this building has been standing, life at the College has changed. It’s not that we spend hours gazing, awe-struck at its magnificence, but, at the risk of sounding overly sentimental, it’s the little things that make this construction so special. The little lights that help you see the stairs as you find your seat, the fact that with a click of a button, those same seats will be gone. The fact that now people walking down High Street can’t help but notice that we’re here. The adventurously artistic design that has turned the entire school into connoisseurs of the craft. But not only this; a whole new spectrum of lunch time experiences has come into play. Tables in the cafeteria have become arenas for everything from poker games to philosophical debates. Students are talking to people they usually wouldn’t, even if just to inquire as to the vacancy of a seat. The magical floor heats up, and has already proven most gracious to bare feet on winter days. The brand new kitchen facilities have seen canteen food become a novelty again. This fine creation has drastically improved the view from the library, increased incentive to hurry to assemblies, and school tours just got a whole lot more impressive.

Life is never bland at De La Salle. It is filled with people and history and passion, that assures each day brings about improvement for all who pass its gates. And while De La Salle exists not in its architecture, but in these elements of which we are so proud, buildings, such as this marvel, encourage learning, inspire friendship, foster scholastic pride, capture students’ imagination. I alone cannot express the gratitude with which the student body welcomes this creation. But I shall try my best, in thanking all who were in any way responsible for its development — particularly Brother Bill, without whose enthusiasm and generosity, we would all now be standing on asphalt. Who knows what this building will mean to the students of the future? But right now, it means a place to eat lunch with friends, new architectural elements to look at during long assemblies, and tangible proof that De La Salle is a place of education, growth and pride. Jake Stewart College Captain