Geographic Coordinates: 46.726415, -117.01234
Location: Line Street, N.W. of Administration Building. 951 Campus Dr
Building Overview
Date: 1904-
Standing: Yes
Name History: Gymnasium, Women's Gymnasium, Art and Architecture South
Architect: J.E. Tourtellotte (Boise)
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Description: Granite foundation, red brick facing, basement and two floors, gable roof; 64' x 129'
Use History: Originally constructed as the university's second gymnasium and armory; became the Women's gym when Memorial Gym was completed in 1928. Remodeled for art and architecture studios and classrooms in 1976. Listed on National Register of Historic Places
Cost: $26,000
Sources: UG 44, Morton, Petersen
History
The building now known as Art and Architecture South is the second-oldest surviving structure on campus. It was completed in 1904, commissioned during the tenure of the university’s fourth president, James A. MacLean, and designed by prominent Idaho architect J.E. Tourtellotte.
Originally constructed to replace its rickety wooden predecessor, the building first served as the University Gymnasium and housed the ROTC Armory. Following the construction of Memorial Gymnasium in 1928, it was repurposed as the Women’s Gymnasium, a role it maintained until the early 1970s and the implementation of Title IX. Afterward, the building was remodeled to accommodate studios and offices for the College of Art and Architecture. It was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.1
Design
Idaho architect J.E. Tourtellotte designed the building in an intricately detailed, eclectic Romanesque Revival style that shaped much of the campus’s architectural identity. The main east façade rises above a wide flight of stairs and features a masonry semi-circular barrel-arch with cast-stone details.
In keeping with its Romanesque Revival style, these masonry and cast-stone elements are repeated throughout the buildings exterior, complimenting the red brick walls. It has a medium sloped hip roof made up of gabled and hipped dormers. The original cupola–designed for ventilation and functionality–was replaced in 2010 with a replica.2
Physical Description
Art and Architecture South is a sturdy rectangular structure featuring two stories above a basement. It has red brick walls enhanced by white brick and cast stone detailing, emphasizing arches and window sills. The prominent east façade is marked by a broad stairway leading to a recessed arched entry.
The building features a hipped roof with centered, gabled dormers on each side and a distinctive cupola. The foundation is made of local basalt, one of just a few basalt foundations on campus. (Others include Morrill Hall and Ridenbaugh Hall.) Timber-reinforced masonry and wooden roof trusses comprise the internal structure of the building. In a 1976 renovation, Art and Architecture South was connected to its neighbor–Art and Architecture North –via a catwalk. 3
Notes
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Nathan J. Moody, “National Register of Historic Places—Registration Form: The University of Idaho Historic District,” initial submission to Idaho SHPO, unpublished, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, May 7, 2025, 12, 13. ↩
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Nathan J. Moody, National Register of Historic Places—Registration Form: The University of Idaho Historic District, 12–13. ↩
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Ibid. ↩
Images of Art and Architecture South