Designed by Hennebery Eddy Architects, the structure is adjacent to Gatke Hall and across state street from the Oregon State Capitol.
Ford was the first new academic hall on campus since 1996 when the Olin Science Center was completed.
School officials hoped to use the project to draw more students to that section of the campus, which was previously underutilized, as well as to incorporate many environmentally friendly features into the new building.

These green amenities included using brick, copper, stone, and other building materials that have a long lifespan.
Brick is used for the exterior and copper for the roof.
Other items include a displacement ventilation HVAC system, solar panels, use of recycled materials in the construction, and maximizing the use of natural light throughout the structure.
Overall, the energy consumption is 58 percent less than for a similar building built to code.
LEED Gold status was awarded on December 10, 2009, by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Ford Hall houses a mixture of programs from across departments within the college of liberal arts.
The four-story, 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m²) brick-faced building houses programs from rhetoric, computer science, film studies, mathematics, and digital art, among others.
This includes recording studios, a film viewing room, and a space for performances in the below-ground level.
The first floor of the three above-ground levels includes an art studio and art gallery, while the other two floors contain laboratories, classrooms, and offices for staff.
These upper floors also contain what the school labels as hearths, in which each department in the building has one, and which they are designed to encourage collaboration between students as well as between the faculty and students.
Designed by Hennebery Eddy Architects, the structure is adjacent to Gatke Hall and across state street from the Oregon State Capitol. Ford was the first new academic hall on campus since 1996 when the Olin Science Center was completed. School officials hoped to use the project to draw more students to that section of the campus, which was previously underutilized, as well as to incorporate many environmentally friendly features into the new building.
These green amenities included using brick, copper, stone, and other building materials that have a long lifespan. Brick is used for the exterior and copper for the roof. Other items include a displacement ventilation HVAC system, solar panels, use of recycled materials in the construction, and maximizing the use of natural light throughout the structure. Overall, the energy consumption is 58 percent less than for a similar building built to code. LEED Gold status was awarded on December 10, 2009, by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Ford Hall houses a mixture of programs from across departments within the college of liberal arts. The four-story, 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m²) brick-faced building houses programs from rhetoric, computer science, film studies, mathematics, and digital art, among others. This includes recording studios, a film viewing room, and a space for performances in the below-ground level. The first floor of the three above-ground levels includes an art studio and art gallery, while the other two floors contain laboratories, classrooms, and offices for staff. These upper floors also contain what the school labels as hearths, in which each department in the building has one, and which they are designed to encourage collaboration between students as well as between the faculty and students.
Ford Hall (Willamette University)