UO History 101: College of Design
The University of Oregon College of Design was founded over a century ago, and since then, this hub for innovation has cultivated a diverse academic environment.
In 1914, former UO President Prince Lucien Campbell and Founding Dean Ellis F. Lawrence spearheaded the establishment of the School of Architecture and Fine Arts, which underwent a few naming changes until the College of Design was officially adopted in 2017.
This was the 1914 Architecture building, the first for the College of Design. It was designed by architect William C. Knighton.
Much like its name, the college has seen several facility transitions, making its home in a variety of buildings across campus over the years. In 1901, it was housed in three different buildings, including Mechanical Hall, home to engineering courses before they were absorbed into Oregon State University’s program. It also inhabited a gymnasium that burnt down in 1922.
In 1923, Lawrence designed a building to replace the gymnasium, which included a courtyard and an arts wing. Described in Harmony in Diversity: The Architecture and Teaching of Ellis F. Lawrence as a “modest masterpiece that set the character for the [College of Design]” based on unity and collaboration, his building continues to house the college today.
In the 1950s, enrollment at the college had tripled, and Lawrence’s wing needed renovations. The decision to move forward with the project was tied 14-14 in a faculty vote, but Fred Cuthbert, the head of the building committee and professor of landscape architecture, broke the tie in favor of the new building. Thus, the Lawrence wing was updated with a courtyard, a fountain, public art, a new wing, and other remodels of the older structure. Afterward, the remodeled building was dedicated to Lawrence, and named Lawrence Hall to honor the former dean’s many contributions to the design college and the university. In the 1970s and 1990s, two other expansion projects took place to accommodate for the growing student population. As of fall 2022, 1,779 students were enrolled in the College of Design.
The new Lawrence building included special dedications to W.R.B. Willcox, Lawrence's colleague and a member of the UO staff from 1922 to 1947. He was recognized alongside Lawrence in the 1958 dedication speech, and a basalt monolith of his head was sculpted.
The modern-day College of Design has come a long way. It’s home to the School of Architecture & Environment, the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, and the School of Art + Design. Today, the college offers eleven undergraduate and sixteen graduate programs, including sports product design, nonprofit management, historic prevention, and many more.
The design college also offers collaborative and experimental opportunities for their students, such as the PNW Just Futures Institute, a partnership with the College of Arts and Science. Currently, the Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) is kicking off its fourteenth year, partnering with the City of Salem for 2023–24. The goal of this program is to transform Oregon communities by solving problems using sustainable solutions. The SCYP is built on the effort of students participating in projects such as urban renewal, passive heating, and engagement with marginalized communities.
The College of Design is committed to innovative research on initiatives such as disaster resiliency and transpecies design—an effort to prevent mass species extinction due to human activity with sustainable environments.
Looking ahead, the College of Design seeks to continue to implement momentous change, both locally, throughout Oregon, and across the world.
Visit the College of Design website for more information.
—By Olivia Arciniega, class of 2026 (business administration), UO Alumni Association student writer