Oregon Daily Emerald Video: The New Straub Hall

Project Architect, Chris Andrejko is featured in this Oregon Daily Emerald video featuring the newly renovated Straub Hall that recently opened after being closed for nearly two years for a major renovation. The first major upgrade to the building since the 1970s, the renovation includes major seismic upgrades, classroom expansions, and a revamping of the psychology and linguistics departments which are both based in the building.

Straub Hall was originally built as a dormitory. In the 70's it was re-purposed to be the home of the Psychology Department and the Linguistics Department. The goal of this project is to transform the building into effective, efficient, academic spaces with functioning modern services for faculty and students.

Its central location on campus allows it to be a hub that serves the entire university. The design re-establishes the historic entry from the west porch of Straub Hall directly into the truss-roofed Gable Commons, the former dining hall of the original men’s residence. A new north-south path through to the daylit stair improves circulation to the EMU and 15th Ave. The commons and stair together form a two-story heart where students and faculty can interact outside class.

The classroom expansion project includes approximately 1,000 total classroom seats in a two story building totaling over 58,000 sf. Classrooms include 500- and 150-seat lecture halls and smaller learning spaces of various sizes organized around central circulation and gathering spaces. Located between an academic building, Straub Hall, and a residential building, the new expansion space provides a new connection between campus open spaces. 

The entire project provides high quality academic space within a historic context and meets a critical need for new classroom space at the University of Oregon.