In the early teens, architecture as a professional degree was offered at WSC. In 1916, the Washington state legislature passed a law which distributed professional programs between UW and WSC, and architecture became under the purview of UW. Non-degree courses in architecture were still offered, and by 1957, the College of Engineering had a degree program called Architectural Engineering, which allowed graduates the same route to architectural licensure as an accredited Architecture degree in Washington State alone.
In 1963, the Washington State Legislature passed a law (senate bill 285) that permitted Washington State University to offer degrees in both Architectural Engineering or Architecture. By 1975, the Department offered three degrees: Bachelor of Architecture, Architectural Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Building Theory and Practice. The NAAB accredited five-year B. Architecture degree was replaced with a one-year M. Architecture degree that directly followed the four-year unaccredited Bachelor of Architecture degree. A two, and later three, year accredited Master of Architecture followed.
A merged joint College of Engineering and Architecture was formed in 1984.
This collection is comprised of documents related to the WSU Architecture School from the 1950s-1987. Series one begins with Philosophy and Goals, developed by committee for approval by the department and students. Following are plans and accomplishments for the department from 1979-1984. Next are the records of Robert Patton from 1980-1984 and J. William Rudd from 1984-1987, each being the architecture department chair or director in the 80s. Memos regarding department operations (ex TA pay, faculty potlucks, student access to classes, guest lecturers, etc.) mostly to or from J. William Rudd. Included in series one is documentation related to the departmental Architecture Library in Carpenter Hall. Series one also contains administrative data, budgets, faculty search, curriculum committee items, and documentation about the Architecture and Interior Design School merger.
Series two contains correspondence with accrediting and professional organizations, the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). It also holds routine NAAB accreditation records, and records of WSU faculty reviewing the accreditation of architecture programs at other universities.
Series three contains documents relating to the formation of a graduate architecture program at WSU; obtaining the legal status to have such a program, the proposed development of the program, approval from the university, responses to review of preliminary proposal before presented to college and grad school committees, and obtaining accreditation from NAAB.
Series one is arranged alphabetically subject matter, and then chronologically within those. Series two and three are both arranged chronologically.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
[Item description]
Washington State University Department of Architecture Records, 1958-1987 (Archives 415)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
This material was transferred to WSU Libraries' MASC by Sharon Ledeman of the Architecture School on March 30, 1988 and retained as UA1988-17.
Architecture graduate student Jean Baker processed this collection in summer 2024.
Washington State University Department of Architectural Engineering Records, 1957-1975
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Records, 1961-1997
State College of Washington School of Architectural Engineering Records, 1923-1981
Washington State University Department of Architecture Scrapbooks, 1963-1967
State College of Washington Department of Architectural Engineering Lantern Slides, 1927-1941
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1956-2000
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1964-1987
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1960-1987
Other architecture departmental materials can be found in WSU Pubs 29.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.