EUGENE, Ore. -- (Nov. 19, 2010) - The University of Oregon is planning for the future of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. The UO campus has seen a $845-million building and renovation boom over the past 13 years, and planning for a new home for tomorrow's architects, designers, artists and planners is now a priority.
A team of design firms led by Bruce Mau Design of Toronto and Chicago, in collaboration with Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design and the international engineering firm Arup, has been hired to develop a strategic vision plan for the school.
The project includes research about current academic programs, in-person and online information gathering, and a review of trends that will be needed for higher education in the 21st century. The team will look at how to design environments for new modes of learning and research, and what curricula, programs and organizations that deliver learning should look like.
"The School of Architecture and Allied Arts needs a new facility, and I'm pleased that we're beginning the process with a thoughtful vision plan led by an excellent team," said Frances Bronet, dean of AAA. "The team's collective, recognized knowledge in sustainability, international engagement, discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary education were essential in moving the selection committee forward to consensus."
The UO issued a public request for proposals in September and received 24 submissions from a global pool of qualified firms. A selection team was convened that included AAA department heads and program directors, and representatives from Campus Planning and Real Estate. Each unit in the school has an opportunity for input.
"The UO campus has gone through an exciting transformation in recent years and it will continue with current projects and a future project for the School of Architecture and Allied Arts," said Chris Ramey, associate vice president, Campus Planning and Real Estate. "Thoughtful planning and strategic visioning fit well with the master plan for campus as we manage moderate growth and identify new ways to educate students."
The UO has established a fund to be used for planning of campus projects. AAA is the first unit on campus to use the program, which requires repayment so that the investment funds can be made available for other planning projects.
The AAA vision plan will become the framework for planning specifics such as space needs and facility design at the school. The university recently completed a reuse study of MacArthur Court using AAA as an example for consideration.
According to Bronet, future consideration for this site or other locations will be determined later in the process.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 63 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu; Karen Johnson, A&AA external relations and communications, 541-346-3603, karenjj@uoregon.edu
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