The University of California, Santa Barbara Campus Building records span 40 linear feet and date from circa 1949 to 2017. The collection consists of three series: Project files, Photographs, and Architectural drawings. The Project Files series contain bound specification and project planning books from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as computer-generated print outs of built and un-built projects from the 2000s. The Photographs series contains images from the 1940s showing the abandoned Marine Air Base buildings and grounds that were to become the UCSB campus. This series also contains a small number of slides of more recent projects. The Architectural Drawings series comprises the bulk of the collection. This series contains drawings, renderings, presentation boards, and computer-generated images of campus buildings. Many of the buildings have mulitple images, including the original watercolor and full-color copies on photographic paper.

The University of California, Santa Barbara was founded on July 1, 1944 and located in Santa Barbara proper, where the University took over the facilities of Santa Barbara State College. It was not until 1954 that the University moved to a 406-acre tract of land about nine miles west of the city, where it stands today. A portion of the 406-acre site was a World War II Marine air base, the barracks and other structures and facilities were renovated and adapted for instructional and dormitory uses. After the Regents acquired the land, two permanent buildings were subsequently constructed, the library and the science building, designed in 1952 by Chester Carjola and Windsor Soule, respectively. A year later in 1953, the architectural firm of Pereira and Luckman of Los Angeles (later to become Charles Luckman and Associates in 1958) as well as landscape architect Eric Armstrong were chosen to create a master plan for the University. The construction of Santa Rosa Hall marked the establishment of a new architectural style, which consisted of patterned cinnamon colored concrete block (colored by volcanic ash) and flat tile roofs, intended to be a blending of modern and Spanish aesthetics. It was followed by the Arts Complex, Residence Halls, Dining Commons, Music Building, and Library additions. In 1968 the Faculty Club, which was designed by Moore and Turnbull, was completed. A year later in 1969, Storke Tower and Communications Plaza, designed by Clark and Morgan, were built. Over the history of the University there have been nine Campus and Master plans undertaken to guide its growth. Recent additions to the collection include computer-generated renderings of newly constructed buildings, preliminary renderings and correspondence pertaining to the design and construction of Henley Gate, and additional working drawings and master plans.

40.0 Linear feet (9 record storage boxes, 1 half record storage box, 11 flat file drawers, and 3 models)

Partially processed and growing collection, open for use by qualified researchers.