University Of Oregon, Chapman Hall Historic Rehabilitation

Chapman Hall is a historic campus landmark—built in 1939 as one of the first four “sister” buildings on the University of Oregon Memorial Quad. Throughout more than seven decades, Chapman has housed the bookstore, the home economics department, communications offices, the graduate school, and the (current) Clark Honors College. Leading up to 2017, the unique and historical building was in dire need of renovation due to disjointed physical space causing serious problems with functionality, seismic instability, narrow doorways not up to accessibility code, a lack of electrical outlets, limited natural lighting, and no interior stair to connect the first and second floors. The Challenge: deliver a fully renovated facility providing a prominent new entrance for the Clark Honors College, a cohesive interior, and a seismic upgrade…all while preserving the building’s historic character and blending it with modern elements.
The Results: an Award for Excellence in Preservation, thanks to the exceptional detail paid to maintaining and restoring historic elements while also modernizing a building that was constructed in the 1930s.