It’s no secret that construction is happening at the University of Oregon. There are cranes, construction sites and designs promising a renovated campus in years to come.
Now is the perfect time to step back and look at the beauty of campus before it is transformed.
The Emerald asked six professors from the architecture department to choose the most architecturally significant buildings on campus.
The buildings were judged on historical and cultural value, efficient and innovative usage of energy and as well as locations among other buildings.
Here is the list of top five buildings that hold up those requirements better than others:
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Designed by Ellis F. Lawrence the founder of School of Architecture & Allied Arts, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art stands at number one on this list.
The museum holds significant historical value, because it has belonged to the university since 1933. It is also home to local and worldwide professional arts. The JSMA is one of six museums in the state of Oregon – and is the only academic museum accredited by the American Association of Museums.
The original building of the museum, built with intricate brickwork, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Knight Library
Standing at number two is JSMA’s neighbor. The Knight Library was also designed by Ellis Lawrence and was listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1990 for its outstanding and rich architectural significance.
The Knight Library has the opportunity to fully express its presence thanks to its location next to JSMA. The two buildings, with similarity in texture but difference in presentations, stands in a perfect geometric shape that is able to frame a beautiful outdoor space.
As the main facility of the UO library systems, the Knight Library is the core of learning and researching for UO student population, as well as a depository for the Federal Depository Library Program.
Ford Alumni Center
Jumping to another classification of buildings on campus, the Cheryl Ramberg Ford & Allyn Ford Alumni Center is one of the recently built structures on campus with a more contemporary touch.
The Ford Alumni Center is located along Franklin Boulevard between Agate Street and East 13th Avenue and serves as the welcome center for visitors and potential students in the east side of campus.
The lobby of Ford Alumni Center offers high technology, collected pieces of artwork and is a highly interactive space for members working in the building to encounter during their busy workday. The alumni center was designed with sustainability in mind and has earned the LEED Gold certification.
John E. Jaqua Center
What can make one university’s campus outstanding? It is the harmony between the past and the present. The John E. Jaqua Center for Student Athletes stands at the entrance of the university. “The Cube,” is a daily hub that’s open seven days a week for student athletes.
Athletes gather here as a community and focuses on learning and studying. The concept of the building is a glass building on top of a “water table” representing the Northwest nature and the connectivity between the building and it’s surroundings.
The Robert and Beverly Lewis Integrative Sciences Building
Last but not least is the Robert and Beverly Lewis Integrative Science Building. The high-performances hub for science students and researchers opened in 2012. The building is a part of the UO’s Lorry I. Lokey Science Complex and houses laboratories of UO biology, chemistry, psychology and other fields.
Much like other new buildings on campus, the newly-opened science building focuses on sustainable features and gains the Platinum LEED certificate. The building is designed for the purpose of integrative science, to pull down walls between researchers and open up for more scientific discussion with fewer private offices.
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