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Rowell Brokaw We practice architecture and urban design that makes human aspirations concrete and specific.

The University of Oregon campus is humming again with the first week of fall classes underway. We’d like to highlight a ...
10/02/2026

The University of Oregon campus is humming again with the first week of fall classes underway. We’d like to highlight a project completed in September of 2025 for the University’s Athletic Department: the Women’s Beach Volleyball Locker Room.

By remodeling and expanding vacant coaches’ offices and meeting space inside Matthew Knight Arena, the facility now features a welcoming entry, custom lockers, and a full restroom area. The design, inspired by coastal aesthetics, uses custom cabinetry and a felt baffle acoustic ceiling system to evoke sand dunes and driftwood. Scattered yellow tiles in the restroom suggest beach sand, while plush stools, soft seating, and carpeting complete the warm environment. The wrap-around wall mural in the entry blends tropical coastal themes with Pacific Northwest imagery and University of Oregon branding.

Hats off to the excellent team behind this project: Lease Crutcher Lewis, Advance Cabinet Designs, and Systems West Engineers. And a big thanks to the UO Women's Beach Volleyball players who posed for these pictures taken by Brian Davies.

The University of Oregon Women’s Beach Volleyball team officially opened their new home facility, Duck Dunes, by taking ...
09/25/2026

The University of Oregon Women’s Beach Volleyball team officially opened their new home facility, Duck Dunes, by taking their first serves in the sand. Named in tribute to Florence, Oregon—the source of much of its sand—the facility features three NCAA competition courts, a scoreboard, and a support building. Located within the new open space for the Hamilton Walton Transformation project, Duck Dunes increases the team's visibility on campus while remaining open for recreational use when not hosting Duck practices or matches.
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Mithun
Fortis Construction
KPFF Portland

RBA welcomes designer Francisco Toledo to the team! Fran’s connection to architecture began early in life. As a young ch...
09/18/2026

RBA welcomes designer Francisco Toledo to the team! Fran’s connection to architecture began early in life. As a young child, Fran’s parents worked as itinerant berry pickers throughout California. When his family eventually settled in Oregon, he experienced firsthand the stability, opportunity, and sense of belonging that a place can provide. That experience continues to inform his work and fuels his belief in architecture’s power to create lasting, positive change in people’s lives.

Fran’s work experience includes community centers, K–12 schools, university laboratory remodels, fire stations, office renovations, bus operator relief buildings, and Bus Rapid Transit projects. He is a LEED Green Associate. Fran earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon, with a minor in Planning, Public Policy, and Management. For the past four years as a volunteer STEM mentor with the Lane Arts Council, Fran has introduced students to design thinking through the creation of tiny-home projects.

To better understand the care with which Fran approaches every project, we are highlighting a home project he recently completed with his wife. Fran says, “Having your wife as a client is a humbling experience, but incredibly rewarding. Using my expertise to help someone I love bring her vision to life reminded me of why I do this work.” Below is a description from Fran of the design inspiration behind the project:

Haley’s morning routine begins with two simple pleasures, a good book and a cup of coffee. What started as a quiet moment of self-care has become a cherished daily ritual, a chance to slow down, settle in, and start the day with intention. At the heart of the design is the idea of “Book ’n’ Brew,” a dedicated little retreat where coffee, comfort, and a good story come together. The integrated sun motif adds another layer of meaning. Inspired by our time in Japan, it recalls those early mornings spent waking up to watch the sunrise—a quiet reminder that every day offers a fresh beginning. The colors and material are also connected to her favorite season, fall.
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University of Oregon College of Design
Arts Council

Sunshine on the floorOur name written in the lightGood morning, coffee.
09/11/2026

Sunshine on the floor
Our name written in the light
Good morning, coffee.

It’s official: two more residential halls at the University of Oregon have names: Cedar Hall and Maple Hall. “The names ...
09/03/2026

It’s official: two more residential halls at the University of Oregon have names: Cedar Hall and Maple Hall. “The names Cedar Hall and Maple Hall reflect a connection to the natural environment and the sense of growth, strength and community that our residential spaces foster,” Bryson Beck, director of University Housing promotions and student recruitment, said in a news release.

Previously known as the New Residential Hall, Cedar Hall opened in 2023. The 163,000-sf facility contains academic spaces, a service center, a package locker delivery center, and residences for more than 700 first-year students. Maple Hall is currently under construction and will open in fall 2027. This new, 219,700 sf, 7-story residence hall provides more than 850 beds for students and introduces new dining options on campus.

Photos of Cedar Hall: Christian Columbres. Renderings of Maple Hall: Rowell Brokaw, Mithūn, and Brick Visual.
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Mithun
Fortis Construction
KPFF Portland
KPFF Eugene
Glumac
JLR Design Group
Christian Columbres Photography
Brick Visual


Aerials, Cascade Middle School, Bethel School District, Eugene, OR. Photos: Brian Davies.Aerials show the two “wings” of...
08/21/2026

Aerials, Cascade Middle School, Bethel School District, Eugene, OR. Photos: Brian Davies.

Aerials show the two “wings” of the L-shaped Cascade Middle School that radiate from a central Commons. The classroom wing to the south conceals the building’s mechanical equipment between the higher shed roofs above the classrooms. Also on this flat roof, skylights bring light to the center of the building on both of its two floors. The PE/Athletics wing contains two gyms and support space. A 250kW array of solar panels covers the entire roof of this wing, providing on-site power generation and, during the summer, feeds back into the City’s electrical grid.

After construction of the new middle school was completed and the old school was demolished, the area to the SW was transformed into a large green open space. This area helps preserve many of the site’s beloved trees.
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Bethel School District
Todd Construction Inc.
Catena Consulting Engineers
PAE
ABD Engineering & Design, Inc.
Dougherty Landscape Architects
Mazzetti
JLR Design Group

Swinerton General Contractors and their roofing subcontractor Kenco remove the original roofing and prepare for a new ro...
08/07/2026

Swinerton General Contractors and their roofing subcontractor Kenco remove the original roofing and prepare for a new roof atop Willamette Hall at the University of Oregon. The failing original metal roofing, mounted directly to steel structural deck, is being replaced with a new roofing system over v***r barrier and new gypsum sheathing and will have a premium finish to preserve the original look of the building.

Built in 1989, Willamette Hall was designed by Moore Ruble Yudell, in association with Ratcliff Architects. It is a prime example of postmodernism in architecture. Charles Moore, one of the most famous practitioners of the movement, served as principal-in-charge on Willamette Hall.
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Swinerton

07/31/2026

We're excited the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA Veterans Project is coming together so nicely! When complete, the three-story, 36,000 sf facility will offer affordable housing for veterans in the Albany area.

Beautiful Bones, The Ava, Eugene, OR.Gerding Builders is topping out the framing on The Ava, a four-story, 158-unit, 135...
07/10/2026

Beautiful Bones, The Ava, Eugene, OR.

Gerding Builders is topping out the framing on The Ava, a four-story, 158-unit, 135,000-sf affordable housing project on Garden Way. We’re proud to be part of the team bringing more affordable housing to the area!
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Community Development Partners
Cornerstone Community Housing
Gerding Builders
Holmes
KPFF Eugene

Courtney Ch*****ne has joined RBA as an interior designer. She excels at translating complex programmatic puzzles into i...
07/02/2026

Courtney Ch*****ne has joined RBA as an interior designer. She excels at translating complex programmatic puzzles into intuitive, functional, and memorable spaces. With a fascination for how light, color, and materials shape human experience, she strives to create environments that enrich daily life. Her portfolio spans diverse sectors, including medical, hospitality, and commercial design. Courtney brings a multidisciplinary approach, rooted in her architectural training and a background in the arts. She holds an M.Arch and an M.IArch from the University of Oregon and a B.A. in Media and Theater Arts from Montana State University. Below is a brief Q&A with Courtney:

If you weren't an architect, what might you have done instead? I would be a gardener! I love plants, trees, and all the bugs that make their homes in our yard. I love tending to the flowers and seeing them mature. Whenever the kids call out for me, they usually find me in some corner of the yard pulling weeds or watching our resident longhorn bees.

Favorite building in Eugene? I grew up in Anchorage, AK, and have fond memories of attending performances at our Performing Arts Center, which was designed by the same firm that designed the Hult Center—Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. The vibrant lobby carpet and ornate concert halls are definitely core design memories. Walking into the Hult as an adult, with its equally vibrant carpet, brings me back to those childhood experiences and the excitement of going to performances.

Favorite board game? Can't go wrong with Monopoly. It's a bit of a love/hate relationship as those games went on for days in our house and were full of a lot of emotion! My son is now carrying the tradition forward and is proving to be just as passionate.

Address

1203 Willamette, Ste 210
Eugene, OR
97401

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+15414851003

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