[edit] About the College

The College of Architecture is the visible manifestation of an architectural tradition that has served Nebraska for a hundred years. From the first identified architectural program in 1894 to the establishment of the Department of Architecture in 1930, to the creation of the School of Architecture in 1964, to the founding of the School of Environmental Development in 1970, to the formation of the College of Architecture in 1974, and to the establishment of the Professional Program in Architecture in 1994, the College’s programs in architecture, interior design, and community planning, have a proud tradition of excellence in education, research, and service to the State of Nebraska.

Architecture Hall, the symbolic and sentimental home of architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, stands as a monument not only to an historic style of architecture, but also to the progress of a University and the thousands of students who ascended the famous wooden staircase to design studios. A student of 1894 would feel at home today in Architecture Hall, its exterior facade and basic layout little changed from its earliest days as a proud new library building. Only the nature of the architectural programs has changed with time. There has been a long, steady progression towards excellence in architectural education and development of programs appropriate to the needs of society.

Today, the College of Architecture is a busy and exciting place. Some 600 students are enrolled in classes, learning with a faculty of 30 to explore the past, present, and future of our communities. From gallery displays and provocative seminars, to the quiet of the Architecture Library, the bustle of the design studio, and the excitement of a community town hall meeting, the College of Architecture is at work. It is the epitome of our land-grant university commitment to education, research, and service in the State of Nebraska and the Great Plains Region.

Nebraska has only one College of Architecture. Its services are unique to this state and to several other states in this region that lack adequate courses of study and services. Lewis Mumford once noted that the quality of a society is marked by the nature of its cities. Nebraska is proud of its “good life” and a great measure of that goodness is reflected in its architecture. A quick look at the documents and pamphlets used to describe this state, and at the photographs visitors take away, reveal content richly endowed in pleasing architecture, efficient community design, and attractive park systems.

The College of Architecture, through its programs in architecture planning, landscape architecture, and interior design offers a broad educational research base for the study of the directions of a changing world. Even though the architecture and related programs address the classical heritage of our culture, they must also deal with the problem of tomorrow as it begins to emerge. Students and faculty of the College of Architecture seek the best of the past to carry through today into the uncertainty of tomorrow. This is the challenge for education.

Architects, planners, landscape architects and interior designers are professionals with responsibilities to help communities anticipate and deal with change, thus ensuring that desirable change is achieved. Students today strive to identify and design preferred futures, rather than react to probable events. Education at the College of Architecture is characterized by a quest for the means of improving the quality of life for all people on “the spaceship earth” but especially for the residents of the Great Plains of the United States.

Students pursue studies on an interdisciplinary basis through the professional staff within the College and also through organized, coordinated study programs involving professional, scientific, and academic staff from many departments within the University.

Interdisciplinary research and community service are important in the College of Architecture. Emphasis is placed on the generation of new knowledge and the application of concepts and quantitative methods from the behavioral and social sciences to the current practical problems of communities and the environment. Funded projects sponsored by local, state, and federal governments, as well as segments of the design and construction industries, provide students, especially in the advanced professional programs, with opportunities for practical laboratory experiences. The same community design planning and research projects provide faculty members with opportunities for continuing professional development.

The College is co-participant in the administration of the nationally recognized Nebraska Community Improvement Program (NCIP). The NCIP is a community recognition program involving some 200 Nebraska communities and neighborhoods a year. The College provides educational programs, technical assistance, and assists communities in identifying their needs, developing strategies, and carrying out community economic development. Through this program, University faculty have had opportunities to work with hundreds of Nebraska communities in assisting them in solving problems.

The College of Architecture is a member of the Architectural Research Centers Consortium. The Consortium seeks to strengthen the contributions of architecture to the solution of critical national problems by undertaking large-scale research projects. Established by the American Institute of Architects Research Corporation and leading university-based research centers, the Architectural Research Centers Consortium provides a significant research dimension to the College of Architecture.

The College of Architecture is also a co-participant in the Associated Design Professions, working with the American Institute of Architects, American Planning Association, American Institute of Certified Planners, American Society of Interior Designers, American Society of Landscape Architects and International Institute Interor Desginer Association to bring continuing professional education programs to the Midwest region.

The College of Architecture’s interdependent programs of education, research, and public service are intensive, relevant, dynamic, and rewarding. The College is dedicated to the continued development and improvement of programs that enhance the ability of the architect and the planner to create a better world environment.

[edit] Facilities

The College is headquartered in Architecture Hall. All facilities of this unique and historic complex are located within the southwestern “fine arts” quadrant of the campus, with convenient access to the Lincoln central business district for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. College lecture classrooms; design and planning studios; computer, media, and shop facilities; the professional library; exhibit spaces; and other ancillary facilities are arranged and equipped for student convenience. This 91,000-square-foot complex provides students and faculty with one of the finest facilities in the nation for the study of architecture and planning.

[edit] Architecture Library.

Located in Architecture Hall and operated as a branch facility of the University Libraries, the Architecture Library maintains collections pertinent to the fields of architecture, planning, urban design, interior design, landscape architecture, community development, and building technology. In addition to a collection of approximately 45,000 volumes, the library receives 310 national and international magazines and journals in its subject areas. Available construction documents, indexes, and other materials provide technical reference resources to both the student and the practicing professional.

[edit] Computer Facility.

The computer facility in the College of Architecture is used by students and faculty for educational, research, and public service activities. The facility includes graphics and printer terminals, as well as a number of microcomputers. Several makes of microcomputers are linked to digitizers, graphics tablets, and plotters for use in computer-aided design work, as well as production of maps and charts. Extensive software is available for student and faculty use. The terminals are linked into the University Computing Resource Center for expanded mainframe capabilities. Micromodems are used to link the College of Architecture computer systems to external sources of data and computing programs. The College also has several computer-aided design systems, as well as a digital design laboratory featuring Computer Numeric Control (CNC), a laser cutter and 3D printing. The College of Architecture offers a number of courses in computer applications for design and planning.

[edit] Architecture Gallery.

A vital part of architecture is communication to the public. An architectural educational institution is in an excellent position to communicate (through exhibits and shows) the purpose and services of the environmental design professions. To this end seminars and displays of general interest to the public are featured in the gallery area of Architecture Hall. The gallery also provides a space for formal and informal student, faculty, and public programs.

[edit] Hyde Program of Visiting Professionals.

This memorial program was established in 1979 in grateful recognition of Mr. A. Leicester Hyde, AIA, 1902-1976. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in architectural engineering in 1925 and Columbia University in 1928. From 1960 to 1972 he was president and chairman of the board of Midwest Life Nebraska. Mr. Hyde served as a charter member of the College’s professional advisory council.

This annual program brings architecture and planning students into direct contact with nationally and internationally known professionals who are acknowledged to be at the leading edge of their fields. Visitors and guest critics coming to campus are involved in public presentations and work with the students and faculty of the College in the classroom and studio. The program also provides advanced students with the opportunity to engage in intensive off-campus design charrettes within the offices of leading professional firms.

[edit] Hyde Chair of Excellence.

Established in 1986, the Hyde Chair of Excellence allows the College of Architecture to attract visiting faculty of national and international distinction. Through this endowment, renowned scholars and practitioners will be invited to spend a semester or more in residence at the College, working with and teaching architecture and planning students in studios, in seminars, and in an informal mentor role as well.

The Hyde Chair of Excellence was made possible by the generosity of Mrs. Flora Hyde in honor of the memory of her late husband, A. Leicester Hyde. Recipients have included Joseph Esherick, Peter Cook, Christine Hawley, Wolf Prix, Ralph Rapson, Tobias Faber, David Lewis, Tsukasa Yamashita, Ken DeMay, Larry Young, Tom Wang, Charles Redmon, Terry Rankine, David Gosling, Michael Sorkin, Philip Thiel, Anthony Ames, Jeffrey Day, Diene Lewis, Jullien Border, Martin Hougue, Johan Granberg, Paul Preissner, and Doug Jackson.