Cloistered courtyard with an arcade replaces tennis courts at Columbia

Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur will dedicate the Vernon S. Broyles Jr. Leadership Center on March 7. I'm hoping to be there so I can see it in person.

It's named "Columbia" because it was IN Columbia South Carolina for 97 years until 1927 when the Presbyterian Church moved it to Decatur. I wonder what Columbia Drive was before the seminary moved there. Most Atlantan's have never heard of Columbia Seminary; fewer still have seen it.

So I want to show you the new arcade.

The arcade frames and highlights this 80+ year old arch.


The Simons-Law's Building's historic arch is a walkway to the Oldenburg Quadrangle.

It illustrates Columbia's "Collegiate Gothic" style shared with Oglethorpe and Georgia Tech.


You don't mess with this. Who could afford this today? It's out of style anyway.

Lord Aeck & Sargent architects preserved the old while adding the new.


That beautiful Georgia red clay mound is where the tennis courts were. The Simons-Law arch is under the gable above the "A" in "SHUMATE." They did a big renovation of the Simons-Law building in the process. It was originally a dorm.


What would the medieval master builders have thought?


I pretty much understood the building except for the tall, narrow part.

What can you do in a room like that?


The curvy stuff in the rafters must be meant to show.


Today it was time to have a look.


Aha.


I'm getting it.

I need to try this on foot.