THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

Condon Hall

Architect: Lawrence and Holford. Chief Designer: Ellis F. Lawrence. Contractors: Trancell & Parelius (Portland); Alaska Plumbing & Heating Co.; Rushlight, Hastorf, Lord (Plumbing); Morrison Electric Co. (wiring).

• Original Structure (1925). Completed in August 1925, the "Science" building was named for Oregon geologist Thomas Condon. It was also the home of the UO co-op until the UO Bookstore was created.
• Renovations (1954).
• South Addition (1967) . Architect: Stanton, Boles, Maguire, and Church. The architects were contemporaneously involved with the design of Prince Lucien Campbell Hall.
• West Fire Escape (replacement) (1975)

History

From the Ellis Lawrence Building Survey:
"Condon Hall was named for Oregon geolosit Thomas Condon, noted for his discoveries at John Day and for his specimen collection.It originally housed geology, geography, psychology, and temporarily the UO Library. Geography still occupies its original departmental office. Condon was intended to be the north wing of a larger building housing the sciences, but this plan was abandoned in the 1940s. The 1968 south addition was not built where Lawrence had provided a brick knock-out panel, and its character is at odds with the original building, but Condon otherwise maintains most of its original exterior character. Its greatest significance is its contribution to the ensemble of six Lawrence-designed buildings on his quadrangle. This is the major built ensemble of Lawrence's career. Condon's architectural style derives from his earlier unbuilt designs for Whitman College and from his wings of Gilbert Hall. Fourteen years later he copied it for Chapman Hall".

Bibliography

Books and Parts of Books

• "Condon Hall," Ellis Lawrence Building Survey. v.2 (Eugene). Compiled by the Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture and Allied Arts, University of Oregon ; project directors, Michael Shellenbarger, Kimberly Lakin. [Salem, Or.] : State Historic Preservation Office, [1989].
  
• Sheldon, Henry D. History of University of Oregon (Binford & Mort, 1940), 201.

Journal Articles

• "Dedication of Condon Hall." Old Oregon 8 no.5 (Feb. 1926): 8-9, 31.
• "Geology Moves a Little." Old Oregon 5 no.3 (December 1922): 31.
  Content: Condon Museum is now a recitation hall and mineralogy is housed in "Burleson", a wooden building in back of Johnson Hall.

Newspaper Articles (arranged by date)

• 1920s
  • "Science unit to be built," Daily Emerald, 03/09/1924, 1
  • "New Science building under way," Daily Emerald, 10/01/1924, 1
  • "New Science bldg, contents," Daily Emerald, 10/04/1924, 1
  • "Science building dedication pays tribute to name of Dr. Condon," Daily Emerald, 02/09/1926, 1
• 1930s
  • "Lewis gives summary of campus work. Projects nearly finished on Condon, Music, Art Buildings", Daily Emerald, 02/28/1935, 4
• 1950s
  • "Condon renovation nears completioin," Daily Emerald, 05/05/1954, 8
  • "Ready for winter. Condon Hall improvements rapidly nearing finish," Daily Emerald, 10/22/1954, 8
• 1960s
  • "Three contracts awarded for Campbell, Condon Halls," Daily Emerald, 09/30/1966, 3
• 1970s
  • "Departments playing musical buildings," Daily Emerald, 05/08/1975, 6
• 2004
  • "Faculty, Students, Staff Inspire $2.5 Million Gift.' Inside Oregon [online]. 11 Oct. 2004.
    Dave and Nancy Petrone gift will support Condon Hall addition which will house map and aerial photo collections among other uses