The Death Star at UCD

Many of the students at UC Davis are familiar with the building nick-named the "Death Star" for its futuristic angles and shapes that make it one heck of a maze to wander through.

It is, none the less, a very interesting design.
As someone who tried drawing it incorporating perspective, the building was more challenging than I had anticipated because it offers many design and art theories that change with any slight change of positioning within the buildings walkways and staircases.

The first and foremost aspect of the building that really makes it feel like a maze is the lack of change in color between the walls and the floor, and how the time of day and lighting makes one wall and floor look continuous while others have powerful shadows. The entire building is cement gray, and therefore, where a wall in the distance meets a foreground, the eye can easily get confused at the angles and the distance and even the surface they are perceiving. There is also a lack of symmetry, which does not always stand out at first but to which the eye must grow accustomed to. Because there is no symmetry, the focal points can be giant spaces where many walls and angles meet, but also allows for multiple focal points, such as a big window in a slanting wall, or a tree in the courtyard which makes a strong contrast with its organic shapes to the straight hard man made angles of the building.

I highly recommend taking the time to walk around the building and think about the angles you see, not the angles you assume are there. Look for as many design aspects, color, size, shape, texture, contrast, functionality, and aesthetics. The building is sure to get you turned around, so be adventurous as a first timer, or if you think you know your way around, try and find a new way in and a new way out, explore the idea of not having a grid pattern and still being able to get to the same spot by taking a different path. Get lost!
Have fun :)