INTO OSU

Oregon State University’s international student program, INTO OSU, was rapidly expanding. Holst’s renovation created a bright, modern space for international students to learn, gather, and connect.

Project Details

Location

Corvallis, OR

Client

Oregon State University

Year Completed

2015

Project Size

16,000 sq. ft.

Land Recognition

We have a responsibility to not only acknowledge but also elevate Native communities and their needs. This project is located within the traditional homelands of the Marys River or Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya, who were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon in the 1850s. Today, descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Educating ourselves is an important action. We encourage you to explore the stories of these communities through Native-led resources like Oregon State University Professor David G. Lewis, PhD’s The Quartux Journal.

A New Home for International Students in Corvallis

To accommodate INTO OSU’s expanding program, Oregon State University needed a quick redesign of an existing warehouse building on its Corvallis Campus into a welcoming space for international students. Due to the urgent need for more space, the timeline was extremely accelerated. All phases, from design through completed construction, had to be finished in less than one year to accommodate the start of the following academic year.

Bright, Modern Learning Spaces

INTO’s new student center includes 12 classrooms, as well as several teacher offices and conference spaces. Daylighting was a large focus of the project, achieved through six skylights in the central student lounge and clerestory windows in the classrooms. A simple palette of veneer plywood and exposed concrete with pops of color supports a welcoming learning environment.