Marvin Hall, University of Kansas

Dedicated February 25, 1910, Marvin Hall is home to the University of Kansas’s School of Architecture and Design. Marvin Hall housed KU’s School of Engineering until their move to Learned Hall in 1963. After the School of Engineering’s departure, a 1967 remodel outfitted Marvin Hall for the study of architecture. A 2014 renovation added the Marvin Hall Forum, an addition which blends the School of Architecture and Design’s innovation with the building’s Collegiate Gothic aesthetic.

At the turn-of-the-century, the University of Kansas needed new facilities to meet the demand for classes and spaces to conduct research. Chancellor Frank Strong recognized the University's need for space and petitioned the state legislature for funding. The 1904 legislature refused funds for an engineering building, but relented two years later, providing nearly $400,000 for the construction of an engineering building, mineralogy building (old Haworth), and other campus projects like a new power plant.

Construction on Marvin Hall began in fall 1907 and was completed in 1908, but the building went unused for a year as the power plant was not yet able to provide heat for the new building. Classes were held in Marvin in the fall of 1909 and the hall was dedicated the next year on February 25, 1910. The structure was named after Frank O. Marvin, the University’s first dean of Engineering and son of James Marvin, KU’s third chancellor.

The department of architecture in the School of Engineering was created in 1913. Reflecting the growth of architecture programs, the school was renamed the School of Engineering & Architecture in 1927. After the exodus of Engineering faculty to Learned Hall in 1963, Architecture faculty remained in Marvin and became the School of Architecture & Urban Design in 1968. A $2.8 million dollar renovation of Marvin Hall was made during the mid-1970s to better suit the needs of the architecture program. The building was re-dedicated on April 17, 1982 and at that time renamed in honor of both Frank O. Marvin and James Marvin.

The Summer of 2014 saw the completion of the Marvin Hall Forum. First conceived of in 2004 by John Gaunt, then dean of the School of Architecture and Design, the Forum is an addition to Marvin Hall that consists of a lecture hall, common room, and various private presentation spaces. The Forum was designed by Studio 804, KU’s student architecture group, and was funded by private entities. Studio 804 applied complex architectural design in their project, an example being the Forum’s passive energy saving. The walls are made of two separated glass sheets, and within the two walls are sensors which monitor outside heat and airflow. If the sensors determine it to be beneficial, fresh air replaces air conditioning within the building. The Marvin Hall Forum is a testament to the excellence and innovation within the students and faculty of KU’s School of Architecture and Design.

"Marvin Hall", Historic Mount Oread, http://www.jayhawks.com/hmof/landmarks/marvin.shtml

“The Forum at Marvin Hall 2014.” n.d. Studio 804. Accessed July 17, 2023. https://studio804.com/the-forum-at-marvin-hall/.

“Marvin Hall.” KU Directory of Places, https://places.ku.edu/buildings/marvin-hall

“The Forum / Studio 804.” 2016. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/780224/the-forum-studio804?ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all.

McCool, John H. n.d. “"The Place Where Kansas Makes Engineers" | KU Memorial Union.” KU Memorial Union. Accessed July 17, 2023.