Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet: V

 

North-facing view of Villard Hall, University of Oregon. The current renovation project is due for completion by the end of this year. (all photos by me unless otherwise noted)

This is the next in my Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet series of blog posts, the focus of each being a landmark building here in Eugene. Many of these will be familiar to most who live here but there are likely to be a few buildings that are less so. My selection criteria for each will be threefold:
 

1. The building must be of architectural interest, local importance, or historically significant.

1. The building must be extant so you or I can visit it in person.

1. Each building’s name will begin with a particular letter of the alphabet, and I must select one (and only one) for each of the twenty-six letters. This is easier said than done for some letters, whereas for other characters there is a surfeit of worthy candidates (so I’ll be discriminating and explain my choice in those instances).

This entry’s selection begins with the letter V, for which my choice is Villard Hall, the second oldest building on the campus of the University of Oregon. I gleaned much of the information that follows from the University of Oregon’s insightful Villard Hall Preliminary Historic Assessment.
 
Villard Hall
Villard Hall anchors the northwest corner of the University of Oregon’s Old Campus Quadrangle. Portland architect Warren H. Williams designed the building, and local designer–builder Lord Nelson Roney with contractor W. H. Abrams completed its construction in 1886. Railroad magnate Henry Villard provided funding, rescuing the university from financial ruin; unsurprisingly, his name came to grace the structure. Initially housing classrooms and offices, Villard Hall now serves Cinema Studies, Comparative Literature, and Theatre Arts.
 
Villard Hall is a rare example of the Second Empire style here in the Pacific Northwest, featuring a steep mansard roof, dormer windows, bracketed eaves, and iron cresting. Its stuccoed brick exterior, with quoins and pilasters, projects verticality and academic purpose. Large double-hung windows with wood frames flooded the original high-ceilinged interiors with light. Williams balanced ambition with practicality, adapting French-inspired elegance to Oregon’s limited 1880s resources. Compared to University Hall (formerly Deady Hall), Villard’s ornate cresting adds subtle distinction while preserving harmony. Its dignified restraint and functional interiors establish it as a regional architectural gem, anchoring the campus with timeless appeal. The National Register of Historic Places listed both buildings in 1972 (Reference nos. 72001083 and 72001082), and both attained National Historic Landmark status in 1977 for their architectural and historical value.
 
In 1949, the Portland firm of Annand & Kennedy added a 400-seat theater on the south side. The university initially dubbed the addition as University Theatre, later renaming it the Robinson Theatre in honor of Drama instructor Horace Robinson. James & Yost Contractors constructed the International-style wing, its flat roof and plain surfaces clashing with Villard’s ornate core—a jarring contrast that disrupted the building’s original unity. More recently, the Robinson Theatre became part of the 2008 Miller Theatre Complex (designed by Hacker Architects), which added the Hope Theatre and an expanded lobby.

Gutted top floor of Villard Hall (photo by Nic Walcott, University of Oregon Communications).

 
The current $93 million Heritage Renovation Project is transforming both Villard Hall and University Hall. Hennebery Eddy Architects leads the design effort, and Fortis Construction is overseeing the construction work. The project adheres to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, preserving the historic stucco façade, windows, and iron cresting to meet National Historic Landmark criteria, while concealing the new seismic upgrades (concrete shear walls and steel bracing) within the unreinforced brick structures. New HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire safety, elevators, and ADA-compliant features replace outdated systems.
 
The high cost of the Heritage Renovation Project is primarily attributable to the complexities associated with the seismic upgrades to the unreinforced brick structures, plus the restoration of the historic facades. Significant inflation has driven costs up since the 2021 estimate of $64.35 million; undoubtedly, the final sum will be no small amount of change.

Villard Hall, east facade.

Detail view.

When Villard Hall reopens in late 2025, it will offer a new screening lab, Pocket Playhouse acting lab, movement studio, modern offices, faculty commons, gathering spaces, and a new exterior courtyard, merging modern arts education with its historic shell.
 
I never entered Villard Hall while a UO student back in the early 1980s, nor have I crossed its threshold since. Lamentably, I missed an AIA Eugene tour last year of the Heritage Renovation Project that showcased the many improvements. That missed opportunity fuels my eagerness to explore Villard Hall’s finished interior when it reopens, keen to see how this historic building supports today’s Cinema Studies, Comparative Literature, and Theatre Arts programs.