This session included tenure-track faculty members who are new arrivals to the school this fall term and those who have been in the school for three years or less. Participants met with Kristina Ljubanovic. Conversation ranged from the challenge of finding one’s way around the current building to shared excitement for the present moment as the school builds on the strengths of collaboration, production and fabrication, technology and traditional teaching methods, and broad cross disciplinary richness. There was desire to see a future building respond to the people in the school rather than the people responding to the building. A large loading dock with easy connection to workshops, collaborative spaces, and to core classrooms was a suggestion and a metaphor for an active space in a future building. One captured the ideas as “a building that is smart, supple, and responding to us would be our goal.”

Edited Transcript

This session included one professor of Architecture and one administrator from the Portland campus who joined us via videoconference. The Bruce Mau interviewer was Christina Bagatavicius. Some of the emerging themes included the healthy nature of the tension that exists between different disciplines and their various cultures; the importance of maintaining communication between Portland and Eugene; the visibility that a Portland presence gives A&AA; the opportunities and challenges of technology; and structural and spatial issues in promoting interdisciplinary work.

Edited Transcript

This session included two professors from Art History and one from Arts and Administration. The Bruce Mau interviewer was Laura Stein. Some of the emerging themes included the mix of programs in A&AA and the tension it creates between the diverse cultures, in particular between the between humanistic and pragmatic goals of different programs; how the name of the school represents/misrepresents what A&AA actually is; the unique space needs of different programs; And the challenges of interdisciplinary in a very diverse college. The conversation elaborated on the challenges of meeting the needs of all departments.

Edited Transcript

This session included tenured and tenure-tract faculty members from the Department of Art. Interest in cross-disciplinary work is high, especially from students, but the basic logistics of supporting accreditation needs and complex schedules have made this more of a ‘pipe dream.’ There is a willingness to co-teach with other disciplines and perhaps that approach will convey more cross-disciplinary work.

Edited Notes

This session included several long-time serving administrators for the school. Each represented the knowledge of the school as seen from their vantage point of service, of contacts with students and faculty members, and with the external community.

Edited Notes

This session included six members of the A&AA staff. The Bruce Mau interviewer was Christina Bagatavicius. Some of the emerging themes included the unwelcoming nature of Lawrence Hall and the poor way it represents the great work that goes on in A&AA; the importance of allowing for upgradeability in the new building; the way that facilities issues shape the school; the need for more space, flexibility, and greater access to workspace for students 24/7; and the barriers of space, resources, and oversight that limit flexibility.

Edited Transcript

This session was held with the elected faculty representatives from the school’s Faculty Advisory Committee. It included tenured and tenure-track faculty members from four programs. Members included those who have been involved with A&AA for over 25 years to those with less than 6 years of involvement. Discussion focused on the spirit of the school and the shared values that hold A&AA together. Need to connect across Oregon, and not only locally, was desired. Integrating the programs of the school and remaining focused on disciplines building on quality. The Northwest aesthetic should be reflected in the building as well as sustainability goals.

Edited Transcript

This session included one professor of Art History. The Bruce Mau interviewer was Kristina Ljubanovic. Some of the emerging themes included the lack of equity between programs; the dangers of the increasingly vocational nature of higher education and how it may exacerbate the class divide; The need for a higher quantity and quality of workspace for faculty and students; And, how to incentivize interdisciplinary work.

Edited Transcript

On the morning of November 16, Dean Frances Bronet and Facilities Director Michael Smith led the Bruce Mau Design team of Kristina Ljubanovic, Laura Stein and Christina Bagatavicius on a tour of A&AA’s facilities. The long and comprehensive tour covered most of Lawrence Hall, Northsite, Hendricks Hall, and the Knight Library. Some specific sites of interest included the videoconference classrooms in the Knight Library where they witnessed a Design for Use class that included students videoconferencing in from Portland, The Materials Research Lab, the Frazier Hearth in Hendricks Hall, and studios used by Architecture, Interior Architecture, Art, and Product Design.

Summery

A&AA dean, department heads and program directors met with BMD team on Monday evening for a kick off dinner. Twelve representatives of the school’s academic programs shared views on the connection of the UO to the community, the relationship between community engagement at the local level and the expectations and practice of engagement at the international level. Points of achievement such as the Vasi exhibition as well as new courses and activities were shared as part of informing a group from BMD on the vitality and interests of the school and its programs. Importance of more collaborative, shared interactivity spaces balanced with department/program centers or homes was expressed.

Edited Transcript