David J. Neuman : An Oral History
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- David Neuman, Associate Vice Provost for Planning and University Architect at Stanford from 1989 to 2004, reflects on his career in campus architecture and planning. Neuman describes the origins of his interest in architecture and how a job working at Bowling Green State University shaped his subsequent professional path. He recalls some of the projects he completed at UC Irvine, Stanford, and the University of Virginia and shares memories of the many architects and administrators with whom he worked. He also provides a sense of the day-to-day work of a campus architect and reflects on the importance of context, collaboration, and landscape to doing the job successfully. Stanford topics include the establishment of the University Architect’s Office and its eventual merger with the Planning Office; the damage caused by the Loma Prieta earthquake, especially at Green Library, the Stanford Museum, and Hanna House; the restoration and seismic strengthening work performed on buildings in the main quad; and working with Gerhard Casper to implement design competitions. He also describes the design process for the James H. Clark Center in conjunction with Bio-X faculty, Foster and Partners, and MBT Architecture, and he speaks about efforts to return to aspects of Frederic Law Olmsted’s original plan for the university, including the revitalization of Palm Drive and the conversion of Serra Street into Jane Stanford Way. Speaking of his time at the University of Virginia, he shares memories of developing the Grounds Plan, the restoration of the Rotunda, the establishment of the Foster Family site, and more.
- Summary
- Family background and parents’ commitment to having children go to college • Father’s job with General Electric and move of family to Ohio • Catholic upbringing in Bucyrus, Ohio • Decision to pursue architecture at brother’s suggestion • Studying history, philosophy, and English at Notre Dame • Graduate education in architecture at Michigan • Job working in the architect’s office at Bowling Green State University • Upgrading Lillian Gish Theater at BGSU • Design process at BGSU • Licensing exam and boards for architecture • Decision to pursue a career in campus architecture and move to California • Working relationship with Daniel Aldrich and William Pereira at UC Irvine • Projects at Irvine with Frank Gehry, Charles Moore, Eric Owen Moss, Arthur Erickson, James Stirling, and Michael Wilford • Unique features of UC Irvine’s campus, including circular design, distinctively designed “neighborhoods,” and the Irvine Campus Housing Authority • Public-private partnerships and university property management • Working with the UC administrators • Work with Venturi Scott Brown at Irvine and Stanford • Stanford Design Conference • First impressions of Stanford’s campus • Olmsted’s integration of landscape and architecture at Stanford • Interview for university architect position with the Board of Trustees members Mel Lane and Tom Ford • Arrival at Stanford • Maintaining the legacy of the Olmsted and Stanfords’ plans • Loma Prieta earthquake • Damage to Green Library • Earthquake damage to the Stanford Museum and other campus structures • Damage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna House • Negotiations with FEMA over Loma Prieta repairs • Historic preservation and seismic strengthening; sandstone columns • Restoration work on Inner Quad buildings, including Building 30 • Lessons learned from Loma Prieta • Maintaining the character-defining traits of the library and museum • Damage to Old Chemistry Building and Memorial Church • Finding funding to rebuild and restore • Working with Stanford’s Development Office • Engagement of Bob Bass, John Arrillaga, and Tom Ford in building projects • President Gerhard Casper’s interest in architecture • Design competitions • Stanford Infrastructure Program • Repairing the Claw fountain • Stanford’s decision to create university architect position; history of the planning office • Negative reaction of the Littlefield Center siting • Setting up the University Architect’s Office • Formalizing the process for siting campus buildings • Need for a university architect • Application and interview process for Stanford position • Picking architects based on personal chemistry and viewing the work as a collaboration • Initial structure of University Architect’s Office as parallel to the Planning Office • John Carl Warnecke • Warnecke’s vision for a library quad • Palm Drive renewal project and return to Olmsted’s original design; drainage grates • Design of Jane Stanford Way (formerly Serra Mall), including elimination of parking and placement of fountains and roundabouts • Merging of the University Architect’s Office and the Planning Office • Description of the work of a university architect • University space standards • Memories of Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard • Architect selection and review process for buildings • Sustainability standards • Stanford’s General Use Permit • Importance of context and collaboration • Urban planning challenges of Stanford and the surrounding areas • Sand Hill Road project • Origins of Bio-X as a faculty initiative • Designing the Clark Center and inspiration from the Center for Clinical Sciences Research (CCSR) building • Bridging the Medical School and the main campus • Terman Engineering Center’s timber construction and demolition • Decision to move to University of Virginia (UVA) • Thomas Jefferson’s role as campus planner at UVA • Challenges facing UVA’s campus • Creating a Grounds Plan and work on landscapes • Jeffersonian architecture and historic preservation • Need for tradespersons skilled in historic restoration on facilities staff at UVA • Restoration work on UVA’s Rotunda • Previous restoration work on the Rotunda • Legacy of enslaved people at UVA • Work with Walter Hood and Cheryl Barton on the Foster Family site, an African American cemetery and house • Decision to return to California • Consulting work • Impact of technology on pedagogy and education • Adapting campuses for technology • Thoughts on the future of the LEED process, the Living Building Challenge, and the need for post- occupancy evaluations of buildings • Reflections on career in campus architecture and planning
Description
| Type of resource | moving image, sound recording-nonmusical, text |
|---|---|
| Extent | 2 video files; 3 audio files; 1 text file; 1 photograph |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | September 2, 2019 - 2019-11-15 |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Neuman, David J. | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Neuman, David J. | |
| Interviewer | Hartwig, Daniel | |
| Interviewer | Marine-Street, Natalie | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Neuman, David J. |
|---|---|
| Subject | Stanford University. Planning Office |
| Subject | College campuses |
| Subject | Architects |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | David Neuman is the Founding Principal of Neu Campus Planning, a planning and programming consultancy, which utilizes a unique ‘360 degree’ perspective and collaborative approach developed from experiences as both an internal administrator and an external consultant. His current clients range from prominent research universities to leading preparatory schools to significant non-governmental organizations. In addition, the firm has a strategic alliance with the Architectural Resources Group (ARG), with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland. He brings more than forty years of managerial and design experience in higher education and campus planning. Formerly, he served as the Chief Planning Official and Architect for the University of Virginia; Associate Vice Provost for Planning and University Architect at Stanford University; Associate Vice Chancellor for Planning and Campus Architect at the University of California, Irvine; and Consulting Campus Architect for the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of Nebraska System and the University of Hawai’i, West O’ahu. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects; is the recipient of the California Council AIA Corporate Architect Award; and has accepted major awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Governor’s Office. He has served on national and international design award juries; and successfully managed twenty design competitions. Projects and plans involving his direct oversight and collaboration have received more than one hundred local, regional and national awards of excellence, as well as more than seventy LEED certifications, including three at the Platinum level. In addition to numerous conference presentations and journal articles, his publications include: Critical Architecture and Contemporary Culture (Oxford Press, 1994), The Campus Guide: Stanford University (Princeton Architectural Press, 1999 & 2006), Building Type Basics for College and University Facilities (Wiley and Sons, 2003 & 2013 English & 2005 Mandarin), and The Campus Guide: University of Virginia (Princeton Architectural Press, 2012). |
|---|---|
| Transcript |
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| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/sm402xb3003 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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