the building

"We make our buildings and thereafter they make us."

Winston Churchill

The Peter B. Lewis Building, which opened in 2002, was designed by Frank O. Gehry. It contains some of the most unique teaching spaces anywhere in the world. An oval classroom is designed so that students face one another rather than an authority. Another classroom was designed to facilitate quick shifts from lecturing to break-out groups and back again. A newly-designed atrium space facilitates student and faculty networking and a design studio allows students to manage and display ongoing projects.

university circle

University Circle, with its 550 acres of culture and green space, represents the densest concentration of cultural institutions between New York and Chicago. Severance Hall,home of the Cleveland Orchestra, the recently expanded Cleveland Museum of Art,the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Cleveland Botanical Garden are among dozens of world-class organizations that make their homes within walking distance of the School. The Cleveland Institute of Art and Cleveland Institute of Music offer programs that are open to our students and provide numerous opportunities to see and hear emerging artists at work.

cleveland ohio

In a 2005 survey by the Economist, Cleveland was ranked as one of the two most livable cities in the United States. In addition to the cultural institutions of University Circle, it houses a large theatre district, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and major league sports teams. Several economic development initiatives are underway, including one to establish a District of Design.