Bauer Wurster Hall

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Located here: College of Environmental Design, Center for Environmental Design Research, Institute for Urban and Regional Development, Ramona's Café, Environmental Design Archives, Environmental Design Library, Visual Resources Center

History

Although home to Berkeley's architecture department, Wurster is often voted Berkeley's ugliest building for its Brutalist, bare concrete appearance. But some of the "ugliness" is a result of functionality, like the concrete sunshades over windows to minimize energy costs. It was named for William Wurster, dean of the School of Architecture and its successor, the College of Environmental Design (1950-62), and his wife, lecturer Catherine Bauer Wurster.