The McMurtry Building is the new home of the Art History Department and the Art and Architecture Library on Stanford’s campus. The 96,000 SF academic building, constructed on an occupied campus, allows students from various art disciplines to work side-by-side for the first time, and provides space for the university to grow and expand its programs. The facility supports programs in art practice, design, art history, film and media studies, and documentary film and video. Program spaces include:

The building is made up of two interlocked wings with an opening for the central courtyard underneath the facility’s library and a roof garden, and 70% of the roof surfaces are occupiable space. The design is also environmentally sensitive, incorporating natural lighting, natural ventilation and exterior circulation spaces. There is also artwork in the form of 15-by-24-foot synthetic grass slab imprinted with 5.05, which was the 2015 admission rate for the school.

The facility also includes Oshman Hall, which is a 1,800 SF lecture hall and presentation space for performances. The 125-seat space is equipped with a large glass folding garage door that allows for indoor and outdoor performances. It also features retracting shades, blackout curtain, extensive audiovisual systems and retractable seating.