University of Virginia School of Architecture

The School of Architecture at the University of Virginia is a national leader in architectural education, conferring degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Architectural History, and Urban and Environmental Planning. Additionally, the school participates offers a Ph.D in History of Art, a certificate in Historic Preservation, and is one of only a few schools that offers the Doctor of Architecture degree.

History

The School of Architecture was a cornerstone of founder Thomas Jefferson's concept for the University. Jefferson intended to use the architecture of the Academical Village as a didactic instrument for students. Evidence suggests that Jefferson planned to instruct architecture students himself, but he died in 1826 before his vision could be realized.

It would take more than 100 years after Jefferson's death for the School of Architecture to be formed. In 1919, a School of Fine Arts was established under the direction of Sidney Fiske Kimball, for whom the University's Fine Arts Library is named. In 1954 the University dissolved the School of Fine Arts, merging the art faculty into the College of Arts and Sciences, and creating a new School of Architecture. In the nine decades since its founding, the school has grown from an initial enrollment of eleven students to some 350 undergraduate and 175 graduate students, with 54 full-time faculty members and an extensive staff.

Campus and Facilities

The School is located in Campbell Hall, and includes studio space, lecture halls, classrooms, a café, and the Arts & Architecture Store (colloquially known as the A&A) cite web |url=http://www.arch.virginia.edu/theschool/campbellhall/ |title=Campbell Hall |work=UVa School of Architecture |accessdate=2008-05-30] .

A series of expansions have taken place during the last three years, which are part of a larger program of redevelopment at the University. These expansions will add some 13,000 square feet (1,200 m²) to accommodate the school's growth over the last two decades. The South Addition, by faculty member Bill Sherman, will provide office space along the south side of the building. A series of landscape interventions will accompany the South Addition. The East Tower, by faculty member W. G. Clark, will provide additional space for reviews and exhibits. A groundbreaking ceremony was held September 29, 2005; however, as of the summer of 2008, the construction of both additions is still ongoing.

National Rankings

The School of Architecture is consistently ranked as one of the top US Architecture Schools in an annual survey by Design Intelligence [cite web |url=http://www.di.net/archschools/schools.html |title=Design Intelligence |work=America's Best Architecture & Design Schools |accessdate=2008-07-29] . The survey, titled "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools," ranked the school's graduate program as 7th in the nation in 2005; 3rd in the nation in 2006, and 5th in the nation in 2007 [cite web |url=http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=26 |title=University of Virginia School of Architecture Receives High Rankings in Design Futures Council Survey |accessdate=2008-07-29] . The survey also ranked the school's Landscape Architecture graduate program as 5th in the nation in 2006, and 6th in the nation in 2007 (tied with Rhode Island School of Design). Additionally, the School of Architecture was ranked 1st in the nation in the new 2007 category of Sustainable Design Practices [cite web |url=http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=1814 |title=U.Va. School of Architecture Ranked No. 1 in Sustainable Design Practices and Principles in 2007 Design Futures Council Survey |accessdate=2008-07-29] .

External links

* [http://www.arch.virginia.edu/ School of Architecture website]
* [http://www.arch.virginia.edu/theschool/addition/ Current status of School of Architecture renovations]
* [http://www.lib.virginia.edu/fine-arts/ Fiske Kimball Fine Arts Library]

References