Historic Resource Survey Form : Johnson Hall
| dc.contributor.author | Johnson, Susan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Helwick, Sarah | |
| dc.contributor.author | Steverson, Erica | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-09-06T20:43:14Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-09-06T20:43:14Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2006 | |
| dc.description | 4 pages | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Johnson Hall houses the University's administrative offices, including the Office of the President and the Provost. Influenced by Beaux-arts and classical revival styles, this brick building, accented with terra cotta tiles, has a symmetrical design plan and a rectangular footprint. The north entry sidewalk features a center "O" topiary. From this side, the projecting center bay's two-story portico is supported by six concrete Ionic columns that are covered with terra cotta tiles. The entablature above the portico is decorated with dentil molding and other terra cotta tile decoration, such as the University of Oregon seal in the center. The terra cotta cornice and frieze continue along the entire perimeter of the building. The south entrance of Johnson Hall features a cast iron and glass awning described in Knighton's plans as "Marquise Metal." The east, west and south sides of Johnson Hall's windows are accented with green fabric awnings. These awnings are not original to the building and it is unknown if they were included in the original design intent, but they are evident in early photographs. Completed on November 8, 1915, the Administration Building, as it was originally known, was designed by William C. Knighton, Oregon’s State Architect. Costing over $100,000, it was campus’ most expensive building constructed at the time. In 1918 the Administration Building was renamed Johnson Hall after John Wesley Johnson, the first president of the University of Oregon. Ellis Lawrence is somewhat connected to this building. He advised Knighton on the design and President Campbell referred to him as "advisory architect." He also advised the University on various issues regarding this building including acoustical problems and maintaining the terra cotta "Administration Building" plaque when the building's name was changed. The placement of Johnson Hall between the Lawrence campus building projects (i.e., the Women’s Quad, Museum of Art, and Knight Library), and the Old Campus Quad, which contain the University’s first buildings, is symbolic because it stands as a transition between these two significant periods in University history. Johnson Hall’s presence, building technology, and sheer expense symbolized the University’s transition into a new era of progressive change as exemplified in the University's subsequent growth and ambitious building projects. Its applied terra cotta decoration, architectural form, and construction of reinforced concrete make this building unique to the campus at the time of its construction. Originally, Johnson Hall featured the Guild Theater and an impressive Povey Brothers stained glass skylight that covered the entire center of the second floor. The theatre was converted to office space and the glass skylights were removed when Robinson Theater was completed in 1949. The glass panels were dispersed around campus and can now be found in Johnson Hall Conference Room, Lawrence Hall, and Erb Memorial Union. Johnson Hall was the site of various student-led protests during the Vietnam Era. In fact, UO students took over Johnson Hall in 1970. Subsequently, sixty-one students were arrested. In 1984 the architectural firm of Brockmeyer McDonnell executed an exterior restoration of Johnson Hall. Among the projects included in this restoration were the removal and replacement of the roof, repair of terra cotta tiles, repointing of brickwork, resealing of windows, and patching of plasterwork. In 2004, the Project Management Group and UO Facility Services performed a historical improvements study and had several recommendations. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1794/28826 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | University of Oregon | en_US |
| dc.rights | Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-US | en_US |
| dc.subject | history | en_US |
| dc.subject | architecture | en_US |
| dc.subject | cultural resources survey | en_US |
| dc.title | Historic Resource Survey Form : Johnson Hall | en_US |
| dc.type | Other | en_US |