She had said she was driving him down south to visit her aunt, but the moment they had pulled up to the building he knew. In many ways, he had known for some time. The fact that she didn’t have an aunt was a big tip-off. He looked out the window, at the grey concrete block that seemed to extend indefinitely into the horizon.

They’ll understand you here. Maybe it’ll help. There’s just no other option. Here, at least, there will be others like you.

Inside, exposed plumbing and naked wall studs set the tone. Pale men and women walked by him quickly, pre-occupied by something happening in the near distance somewhere behind him. He turned back but saw nothing of particular interest.

There were many hallways, but no doors, and not too many windows. Cloudy stains on the ceiling, and matching stains on the floor. A strange sense of simultaneous excitement and boredom seemed to fill the air trapped in an ever-present cloud of dust and chemical fumes. There were large open spaces used for open conversation and rumination. Girls with thick black glasses and blunt-cut hair talked in low monotone voices, while men skittishly jumped from one group of discussion to another. A brunette walked by carrying an object that seemed to be both frighteningly sharp and alarmingly fuzzy. She winked at him and nodded towards the wood shop. On the walls were strange lines and curves, boxes and blobs. Within him awoke a sense of familiarity, as if he had been here before, but he knew he never had.

And here we have the allotted personal spaces. The best thing to do here is to behave as if privacy is wanted, but actually not needed. Every person is given a table and a book shelf. Books commonly go anywhere but on the shelves, and I would advise you to use the table sparingly. Also a bed. But, of course, that is hardly ever used here. And, no, those are not bars on the windows.

While in the lecture room it is always good form to appear disinterested, but be sure to shake your head and nod vigorously at sporadic intervals throughout. If you must leave to use the bathroom be sure to stand up violently, preferably scraping the floor with your chair and stomping out of the room as if in an outrage brought on by whatever is being presented. We do encourage passionate disagreement, and discourage standing ovations of any kind.

You will also notice the graphic displays in the hallways. Please take a moment to stop and look at them. The proper stance is usually the head cocked to the side, a hand resting at the chin, while the eyes squint as if looking at something bright in the fog. Muttering under your breath is always appreciated.

You will notice that our location allows for a curious confusion between day and night, this allows for maximal work efficiency. A growing discomfort with the outside is an inevitable side-effect. Those who venture too far beyond these walls commonly complain of sunburns and chest pains.

We have no particular dress-code, but a precarious balance between ironic formal-wear and delightful eccentricity is recommended. And remember, black is always the new black.

In the late hours of the night you may also hear strange things, amongst which may or may not be included: whispered Freudian theories about materiality, dark ghost-stories referring to both Blondel and Perrault, and the occasional muffled cry of ‘OOO’. Please do not be alarmed by any of these things; sooner rather than later I do believe you’ll find yourself rather intrigued by these oddities. When you believe the time is right, feel free to participate.

We will never force revolution, nor will we demand a minimum or establish a maximum. There are many questions, and even more answers. Draw at your own risk, fold and cut with care, and understand that your decisions have
a consequence.