GAS (Graduate Art Studio) House
Building Information
Geographic Coordinates: 46.724589, -117.010309
Location: South of Home Economics Building 670 Nez Perce Drive
Building Overview
Date: 1918-
Standing: Yes
Name History: Also known as Engineering Annex; Engineering Shop Building; later (ca. 1971) Graduate Art Studio (GAS House)
Architect: Unknown
Architectural Style: Early-20th-Century Industrial Vernacular
Description: Reinforced concrete with brick veneer, basement and two floors, 60' x 108'. Annex is wood frame siding and shingles, gable roof; 11,505 sq. ft.
Use History: Engineering shop and testing, later studios for graduate art students
Sources: Cards, UG 44, Morton
History
The Graduate Art Studio has served a range of university functions since its construction in 1918. Originally built as an engineering test laboratory, it was also the site of the first broadcasts of KUOI, the university’s student-run radio station. In more recent decades, it has provided dedicated studio space for graduate students in the visual arts, offering a place for creative exploration, practice, and development within the MFA program.1
Design
The building reflects early 20th-century industrial vernacular design, with a rectangular footprint and utilitarian form typical of the factory and warehouse buildings of its era in Idaho.2
Physical Description
It is constructed of reinforced concrete with a brick veneer, includes partial wood framing, and features a basement, two floors, and a raised loft. A clerestory runs the length of the roof, flanked by shed-roofed wings.3