Swig Courtyard: April 10, 2026 (Taken in early evening)

Located in the center of three major dorms: Swig, Dunne, and McWalsh, the Swig courtyard includes a large flat lawn, picnic tables, and a beach volleyball court. Swig has ten floors, Dunne has 5 floors, and McWalsh has three floors, making it a major hub for student housing and activity. Directly facing the lawn are the front entrances for both Swig and McWalsh, making this the primary entrance. Outside of Swig, there is a bike rack. During my observation, I saw three students in the courtyard, one on a bench and two sitting at the picnic table. One picnic table is brown, and the other is white, with red umbrellas opened above them.To the left of the courtyard is a walkway and the dining hall, Benson. The walkway connects to a crosswalk leading to off-campus housing, serving as the primary entrance for upperclassmen to walk to class. In the early afternoon, the sun’s placement is to the west, illuminating the majority of the green, flat space with minimal shadow obstruction. The lawn is lined with trees spaced a couple of feet apart.

There are some red flowers closer to Dunne and lining McWalsh, but they are minimal. The combination of the largely open space, placed in the center of underclassmen student activity, with hundreds of windows faced towards the lawn, next to a major class walkway, and the dining hall gives this space yang energy. The lack of yin energy, like shade and quiet, contributes to the courtyard feeling vulnerable, fosters a feeling of being “watched.” While the picnic tables, flat lawn, and beach volleyball court signify that the space’s intended design was for leisure, the feng shui discourages students from using it for its designed purpose.

Campus Sketch- Geomancy and Gardens