OregonBILDS (Building Integrated Livable Designs Sustainably) is a design-build studio program at the University of Oregon that partners with Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane. OregonBILDS draws on the interdisciplinary skills of both students and faculty at the University of Oregon as well as Habitat’s 30 years of experience building affordable housing in our community to offer exceptional design-build and community engagement opportunities. Working as a cohesive team, the program guides students in the design and construction of integrated, sustainable, and affordable housing.

OregonBILDS was originally developed through generous grants from the UO Meyer Fund for a Sustainable Environment and the Pacific Northwest construction firm, Lease Crutcher Lewis. In 2023, UO kicked off a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane County, strengthening our commitment to providing design value and innovation for affordable housing in our community. Academically based in the Department of Architecture, this program is open for enrollment by students from architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture. It is a dynamic collaboration of classroom instruction and practical, real-world application of design, construction, and community involvement.

Participating students collaboratively design and build one to two residences per year in collaboration with Habitat. Each project explores the nature of sustainable architecture in relation to affordable residential design. Students engage the fundamentals of residential design and construction as they conscientiously develop an appropriate design solution for the current residential site.

OregonBILDS connects design students to each other and to building professionals, material vendors, city officials, public utilities, and community service agencies. For a list of our working partnerships, see our Contributors page.

OregonBILDS projects are laboratories for student learning; they provide exploratory opportunities to understand the application of energy efficient design, the integration of building technology, and the relationship between interior spaces and the landscape.

Vision and Goals

OregonBILDS has the vision to become a leading and internationally influential collegiate residential design-build program, particularly in our relationship with Habitat for Humanity. Having established a record of success as an independent developer, OregonBILDS now plans to design innovation and sustainable technologies to our work with Habitat as a developer and Habitat home owners. Through this process, OregonBILDS is cultivating a growing network of empowered students committed to housing innovation, community affordability, and the power of design-build.

Our goals are:

  • To teach students best practices in sustainable design, construction, and development
  • To provide exemplary affordable homes here in the Eugene community particularly in site and residential design, material exploration, and energy efficiency
  • To become a national leader in collegiate residential design build

Awards

$250,000 Lane County Housing Improvement Plan (HIP) grant with Homes For Good, 2019

Oregon Opportunity Network Golden Key Award for most innovative home ownership project, 2016

AIA/ACSA Housing Design Education Award (with M. Fifield and P. Keyes), 2016