University of Oregon Hamilton Walton Transformation Project

Location: Eugene

Cost: $168 million

Completion: October 2023

Owner/Developer: University of Oregon

Architects: Rowell Brokaw Architects, Mithun Architecture

Interior Designer: Mithun Architecture

Engineers: Glumac, KPFF

General Contractor: Fortis Construction

Submitting Company: Rowell Brokaw Architects

Subcontractors: Alliant, Cosco Fire Protection, Harvey and Price, ISEC, J&S Masonry, Kraft Masonry, L&M Industrial Fabrication, OEG, Pence Kelly, Rexius, Skyline Sheet Metal, Smith Sheet Metal, Snyder Roofing, Twin Rivers Plumbing, Umpqua Roofing, Wood Mechanix, WPI



The Hamilton Walton Transformation project, spanning a 10-acre site in the heart of the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, encompasses 500,000 square feet. Anchored by a new flagship dining hall, the PNW Market, the project weaves together academic spaces and residential living.

The PNW Market, featuring nine different venues, is positioned to create a hub of student life across from Hayward Field, while new campus paths traverse well-defined outdoor spaces that provide useful areas for residents. The overall project organization positions social hubs along linked open spaces running from Erb Memorial Union, at the heart of campus, to Matthew Knight Arena.

The entire transformation project included 1,800 student beds across three buildings. DeNorval Unthank Jr. Hall named after the university’s first African-American architecture graduate was built in the first phase and includes the new dining hall and a new prospective student and parent welcome center with model rooms. The second phase included two unnamed halls: the new residence hall, which contains academic spaces, a service center, a package locker delivery center and residences, and the new upper division apartments, featuring micro studios and quad unit layouts with private bathrooms and kitchens.

Biophilic design was at the forefront of this project, with the aim of nurturing students’ connection to the natural world. The landscape was transformed with a “Landscape Stumpery,” where repurposed felled trees create natural borders and gathering spaces. Large awnings at the north and south entries to the building feature a network of “O” shaped skylights and openings in the roof that mimic dappled lighting conditions found while walking under a dense tree canopy.

The quad features a “Fun Forest” designed for activities like slacklining and music festivals. The “Stumpery” flows seamlessly onto patios and interior spaces. Each building is designed with shared lounges and common spaces, encouraging social connection and community building.

The project was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and meets the Oregon model for Sustainable Development, a campus policy that requires it to outperform the requirements of the Oregon Energy Code by a minimum of 25 percent.

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