University of Oregon, William W. Knight Law Center

The Law Center has been designed to incorporate both the traditions and innovations of legal pedagogy. Organized along a curving gallery, the building addresses its primary goal—to increase the sense of community among the building’s users—by creating comfortable, multi-use spaces and an indoor/outdoor environment. The gallery integrates all the building’s functions, providing access to multi-media classrooms, faculty offices, administrative areas, a bookstore and law library.
The design places student uses including the law journals, student offices and student lounge just off a central open space—the Great Hall. The Great Hall serves as the school’s living room, providing a central meeting and study space. An open staircase, bridges and balconies define the Great Hall, adding to the dynamic and creating varying levels of intimacy for working and socializing.
The three-level law library clusters reserve, reference and librarians in a central location and provides adjacent group workrooms. A reading room captures the qualities of historic precedents with vaulted ceilings and dramatic windows to the south.
Teaching spaces range in size from 45- to 100-desk seats and incorporate flexible technology by providing power and data connections to every workstation.

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