Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open to the public.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Barbara Woodward Architectural Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University .

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Barbara Woodward Architectural Collection, Ms2003-016 - Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Acquisition Information

The Barbara Woodward Architectural Collection was donated to the Special Collections at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by the creator in September 2003.

Biographical/Historical Information

Barbara Woodward took classes in architecture as an undergraduate at the University of California at Berkeley. She graduated in 1949, after which time she occupied various positions in the architectural field. One of her early positions was in a San Francisco construction firm that built a naval hospital on Guam. Later she worked as a Junior Architect and then as a Senior Architect at Kaisers Engineers during the building of an aluminum plant in Chalmette, Louisiana. After taking time off to start and raise a family, Woodward returned to the architectural field and worked on residential working drawings at the firm of two former classmates. At this point, she began a career in residential remodeling design, which proceeded to span from 1966 to 1991. As a residential remodeling designer, Woodward's projects included kitchen and bath remodels, interior and exterior renovations, as well as room and second story additions. Her clients were initially comprised of her neighbors, and eventually came to include those who were referred by other clients and contractors. Woodward eventually ceased her work as a residential remodeling designer in 1991.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of drawings, sketches, photographs, specifications, materials lists, correspondence, memoranda, and notes. The collection relates to Woodward's design activities on various residential remodeling projects in Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco, California during the time period from 1966 to 1992.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into one series of Project Records and two subseries of Files and Drawings.

I. Project Records, 1966-1992. The series consists of records created by Woodward during the course of her work on various projects as a residential designer. Projects primarily include designs for residential remodeling, as well as designs for renovations, alterations, and additions to residences. Other projects include designs for seismic retrofitting and area use planning. The records include drawings, sketches, specifications, notes, material lists, photographs, memoranda, and correspondence. The series is arranged into two subseries, Subseries A. Files and Subseries B. Drawings. Subseries are arranged chronologically by client.