situated about 140 miles south of chicago, 120 miles west of indianapolis, and 170 miles northeast of st. louis the university of illinois is located on 1,454 acres in 252 major buildings in the twin cities of champaign and urbana and the surrounding area.
chartered in 1867 as the illinois industrial university the uiuc became a world leader in research, teaching, and public engagement, distinguished by the breadth of its programs, broad academic excellence, and internationally renowned faculty.

the temple hoyne buell hall building is part of the south quad of the uiuc. with its massive brick facades it is integrated in the style of the other university buildings, even if it shows elements of modern architecture.
the two main volumes define a corner to the public quad, a circulation axis leads into the building between them. the center of the thbh is a big hall , that is seperated from the quad by the studios of the students and is open to a little court at the south west side under the professors offices. different functions like the architecture library, the undergraduate studios and some administration offices of the school of architecture are seperated all over the campus and should now become a unique place with a new identity for the school.

the composition of the three volumes is integrated in the traditional campus.
almost every building has to be built with brick material in order to continue the identity of the university buildings.
the thbh annex has to be seen as a implantation in a existing structure.
every new volume is built with the material glas, not for breaking a tradition, but to deal with it and develop it in the new century.
the material glas has no visible surface, it is reflection of light, reflection of the surrounding and so reflection of the material brick in the facades of the neighbor buildings.
the new annex buildings have to be seen as a statement of respect to the history of the university as well as a sign for the forward looking spirit of the students, the staff and the administration of the university of illinois.

the master plan idea of the thbh annex was to give every major function an own volume at a certain place, with its own atmosphere, with own proportions and with own internal organisation. every volume is designed for a different function in the urban planning.

the ricker library is situated in the representative middle of the public south quad as an abstract volume.
in this position, the library continues the university main axis of the illini union and the plymer auditorium to the south.

the student wing definates the west side of the new architects campus. the long and narrow proportion and the open ground floor makes it a transitional building between the thbh and the old education building.

the administration tower is the new identity for the school of architecture. with its height it is a long-range point of orientation and offers a wonderful view over the whole campus in the student cafeteria in the upper floors.