The Litoff Building Earns Design Awards

Dec. 03, 2009

Marci Janas ’91

Editor’s Note - Effective April 22, 2010: Since this article originally appeared, the Litoff Building has been renamed. Oberlin's new home for jazz studies, music history, and music theory is now the Bertram and Judith Kohl Building.

The engines of construction still churn, clang, hiss, and beep, but amidst the hubbub the Litoff Building is looking more and more like a building. And even though it will not be completed and officially dedicated until May 2010, Oberlin’s innovative home for its acclaimed Department of Jazz Studies and its highly respected academic programs in music history and music theory is already being recognized by chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for its design excellence and sustainability. The design of the Litoff Building by Westlake Reed Leskosky is being honored with the AIA Western Mountain Region 2009 Honor Award for Unbuilt Work. In conjunction with an overall master plan for the future growth of the conservatory, the project has also been cited with awards of merit in the 2007 AIA Ohio Design Awards and AIA Cleveland Design Awards in the unbuilt categories.