| The problem for this study is to explore placemaking in a large public organization. My purpose is to discover issues that influence the design, development, and function of a new and renovated academic library at the University of Oregon, and to understand what placemaking means to its stakeholders.; The research process employed a "grounded theory" approach to inquiry, a case study approach based on a single case, and multiple methods of data collection including observation, interviews, and analysis of documents, photographs, and architectural drawings.; The University of Oregon has a unique planning process developed by Christopher Alexander et al. and documented in The Oregon Experiment. Alexander's principles of "user participation" and "pattern language" are the cornerstone for placemaking activities on campus and served as guidelines for the library expansion.; The planning, designing, and building process for the library expansion began in 1986 and ended in 1994. Three major ongoing issues dominated the process: (a) design challenges and contradictions of place, (b) design and function of the library workplace, and (c) aesthetics of creating, interpreting, and evaluating place.; First, the effort to apply the Oregon Experiment on a large scale, working with diverse users with varying needs, and reaching consensus on design solutions posed challenges and contradictions. The scale of the project and the symbolic centrality of the library to university life made the project important to campus stakeholders.; Second, workplace issues of design and function, and the participation of library staff in the design process created expectations that could not be fully realized. A hierarchy of space, representing both organizational status and the demands of specific functions impacted design. Moreover, the potential impacts of information technology became more apparent as the design process progressed.; Third, issues of aesthetics, as they applied to creating, interpreting, and maintaining the library's symbolic presence on campus, were central to the design process. The Oregon legislative mandate that public buildings designate one percent of costs for art challenged the use of public aesthetic preferences to select public art; and users responded, perceived, and interpreted the library; and participated in the design process, using aesthetic thinking. |
