October is American Archives Month, an annual celebration promoting the use of archives and the preservation of historic records across the United States. In commemoration, the Ball State University Libraries, in collaboration with the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning, presents:
ReCAPping Possibility: Alternate Designs for the College of Architecture and Planning, 1967-1968
The R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning was established in 1965 by the Indiana General Assembly, with its first students admitted in 1966. Its creation was the product of collaboration among state institutions, professional organizations, and accrediting bodies that also supported the idea of selecting the building’s architect through a statewide design competition. Initiated in July of 1967, the two-stage competition received 40 submissions, representing over a quarter of Indiana’s active architects and/or firms at the time. Each design accommodated a 43,000-square-foot facility within a $1,300,000 budget, and featured specialized spaces such as studios, galleries, and a library, with room for future expansion. Five finalists were awarded $2,500 each and were invited to participate in a second three-month stage. In January of 1968, Melvin D. Birkey of South Bend was named the winner, with groundbreaking for the new building following in late 1969.
This exhibit rewinds the clock to the 1960s, the early days of the College, and the design competition that started it all, providing a glimpse of “what could have been” through unbuilt selections from the Andrew Seager Archives of the Built Environment.
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on display in the first-floor corridor of the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning through November 21, 2025.
Read more about the exhibit on the University Libraries blog, or for more information, contact the Andrew Seager Archives of the Built Environment at ASALIB@bsu.edu.