This collection includes a variety of materials pertaining to
the life and work of architect Judith Chafee. The majority of the collection are project
files and architectural plans corresponding to Chafee's designs, but also includes
photographs, artwork, poetry, publications, office documents, and teaching files from
Chafee's time as an architecture professor.
Collection Number:
MS 606
Language:
Materials are in English.
Repository:
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu
Biographical Note
Judith Chafee was born in Chicago on August 18, 1932. Following her father's death and
her mother's remarriage, Chafee's family settled in Tucson when she was a small child.
Chafee loved this region for its intense light and heat, arroyos, cacti, wildlife, and
diverse cultures. When she was not in school, Chafee enjoyed playing in the surrounding
desert and getting her hands dirty. She helped make adobe bricks for the workmen who
built additions to her family's sprawling but functional and modern adobe home. After
spending her high school years in a private school in Chicago, Chafee attended
Bennington College in Vermont, where she majored in art and became a gifted designer.
One of her earlies works was a very modern-looking swivel chair, which she would patent
in the early 1960s. In 1956, she enrolled in the Yale School of Art and Architecture,
and was the only woman in her class. Competitive and talented, she held her own and was
recognized for her prize-winning work early on. Chafee graduated from Yale and worked
for several modernist architects on the East Coast, including Paul M. Rudolph, Eero
Saarinen, and Edward Larrabee Barnes. In 1966, she opened her own private firm and moved
back to Tucson three years later, settling in the El Presidio Historic District on the
northern edge of downtown. In 1973, she began teaching architecture at the University of
Arizona remaining there through the 1990s. Chafee designed very few public buildings
during her career. The homes that she designed—including Viewpoint, the Ramada house,
the Blackwell House, and the Rieveschl House, among others—were for homeowners who were
her private clients. Chafee, a heavy smoker, contracted emphysema by the 1990s and
eventually needed the assistance of an oxygen tank to breathe. She passed away on
November 5, 1998.
Scope and Content Note
This collection (1934-1997) is comprised of personal papers, documents relating to
Chafee's career as principal architect in her own firm, teaching files from her years as
a professor, personal and professional correspondence, and architectural plans and
drawings. The collection includes different formats including photographs, photo slides,
cassettes, and some objects such as awards and rug samples.
Use of original audio visual materials is restricted due to their fragile nature. Please
contact Special Collections for more information. Use of original audio visual materials
is restricted due to their fragile nature.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers,
employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he
or she is an owner of copyright.
Judith Chafee papers (MS 606). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.
Processing History
The Judith Chafee Papers were processed by Zazil Davis-Vazquez 2018. Updates completed
by Michelle Boyer-Kelly in 2018. Some processing was undertaken at the Arizona
Architectural Archives.
This series contains Chafee's personal materials including personal
correspondence, schoolwork produced in high school and at Bennington and Yale,
notebooks, and photographs.
box
folder
1
1
Notebooks (1 of 4), undated
1
2
Notebooks (2 of 4), undated
1
3
Notebooks (3 of 4), undated
1
4
Notebooks (4 of 4), undated
1
5
Telephone, Address and Notebooks, undated
1
6
Photographs, Personal (1 of 3), undated
1
7
Photographs, Personal (2 of 3), undated
1
8
Photographs, Personal (3 of 3), undated
1
9
Photographs, Unknown,
1
10
Travel, Mexico City, Christmas, 1978
1
11
Personal Slides, 1989-1992
1
12
Correspondence with Arthur Detmers, 1934-1952
1
13
Notes, personal correspondence, undated
1
14
Patents, undated
1
15
One Pipe Steam System, Chafee, circa 1950s
1
16
Student Work: Artwork, circa 1950s
1
17
Student Work: Artwork: A town House on Beacon Street, circa 1950-1954
1
18
Two poems in Bennington College "Silo", circa 1950s
Includes materials detailing Chafee's professional involvement as an architect
such as her early professional work, awards, juries and committees, lectures and
presentations.
Materials in this subseries are from Chafee's years as an architect before she
opened her own office. Includes design projects like the tilt chair and work
done with Edward Barnes.
This subseries contains drafts of talks, speeches, and presentations that
Chafee gave at different events. Box 3, folder 15 contains two audio cassettes
of Sustainable Design: A Plenetary Approach panel which contains a talk given
by Chafee.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original audio visual materials is restricted due to their fragile
nature.
Existence and Location of Copies
Both audio cassettes in box 3, folder 15 have been digitized for research
access. Please contact Special Collections for more information.
box
folder
3
4
Walter Wagner Education Forum. Chafee Lecture, undated
3
5
Speeches/Lectures, 1976-1986
3
6
Washington University in St. Louis. Chafee lecture, 1987
3
7
Lecture given at University of New Mexcio, 1988
3
8
Helsinki. International Conference on Architecture, Urban Planning
and Design (1 of 2), 1989-1991
3
9
Helsinki. International Conference on Architecture, Urban Planning
and Design (2 of 2), 1989
3
10
Versions of talk given at California Polytechnic, 1989
3
11
Critical Regionalism. Lecture given at California
Polytechnic, 1989
3
12
Southwest Center Presentation by Chafee, 1990
3
13
Designing for the Desert Presentation, 1990
3
14
New Faculty Orientation lecture given by Chafee, 1991
3
15
AIA National Convention. "Sustainable Design: A Planetary Approach"
lecture by Chafee, 1992 Folder contains Sustainable Design: A Plenetary Approach, 1992-06-21, 2
audio cassettes
Existence and Location of Copies
All of the audio cassettes have been digitized for research access. Please
contact Special Collections for more information.
3
16
University of New Mexico. Chafee presentation, 1993
Contains materials that Chafee amassed to aid her in her design and service
projects, such as reports done by the City of Tucson on urban renewal, information
about historical districts and architects, and articles on different building
types.
box
folder
3
17
Art, undated
3
18
Tucson Model Cities Historic Area (1 of 3), 1971-1973
3
19
Tucson Model Cities Historic Area (2 of 3), 1971-1976
3
20
Tucson Model Cities Historic Area (3 of 3), 1976-1989
box
folder
4
1
Tucson Model Cities Historic Area. Planning and Zoning, 1970-1972
4
2
Arizona Historical Society Membership Materials, undated
This series includes the documents produced by and for Chafee's architecture
office. Materials include proposals for different architecture projects,
prospective projects, correspondence with publishers and press, publications, and
administrative materials.
This subseries contains requests for proposals (RFPs) that Chafee collected and
responded to, and proposals that Chafee prepared to send to organizations
asking for designs.
box
folder
5
13
Request for Proposals (RFPs), 1980-1991
5
14
University of Arizona Laboratory Building Request for
Proposals, 1987
5
15
UA Residence Life Facility Request for Proposals, 1990
5
16
Carnegie Library Restoration Request for Proposals, 1990-1991
5
17
Public Jobs - Standard Form 254, 1979-1983
5
18
Justin Morrill College Proposal, 1970
5
19
Proposal to Sunnyside School District, 1977-1979
5
20
Proposal for Border Patrol Station, Yuma, Arizona, 1978
5
21
Proposals for Service, 1980-1990
5
22
Proposal for Pueblo High School, 1983
5
23
Proposal for Oro Valley Town Hall Complex, 1984
5
24
University of Arizona Fine Arts Complex proposal, includes
photos, 1987
box
folder
6
1
Proposal for University of Arizona College of Business (1 of
2), 1987
6
2
Proposal for University of Arizona College of Business (2 of
2), 1988
6
3
UA Press Materials (1 of 2), 1986-1987
6
4
UA Press Materials (2 of 2), 1986-1987
6
5
UA Press Materials. Originals, 1987
6
6
UA Press proposal studies, 1987
6
7
Proposal for Picture Rocks Community Center, 1989
6
8
Proposal for Spicer, Edward Ramada Fort Lowell, 1989
6
9
Proposal for University of Arizona Residence Life
Facility, 1990
6
10
Information for UA Residence Life Facility RFP (1 of 2), 1990
6
11
Information for UA Residence Life Facility RFP (2 of 2), 1990
Contains materials relating to the on-goings of the Chafee architectural office
including phone message books, catalogs, forms, office correspondence, and fan
mail.
box
folder
6
22
Office notes, 1975
6
23
Letters of Recommendation, 1985-1993
box
folder
7
1
FAIA Arizona Business, undated
7
2
Design catalogs, 1990
7
3
Forms, undated
7
4
Correspondence with Shreeve, Crump, and Low Inc., 1981-1982
7
5
Judith Chafee's stationery, undated
7
6
Office correspondence, 1982-1990
7
7
Articles of Incorporation for Blackwell House Conservancy,
Inc., 1993-1994
7
8
Office telephone messages, 1976-1996
7
9
American Institute of Architects, Fellowship materials, 1982-1983
7
10
Income Tax, 1974-1975
7
11
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Certification
Materials, 1970-1971
Consists of documents such as syllabi, reading materials, administrative
materials, and photographs from Chafee's years as an adjunct professor at the
University of Arizona and as a visiting professor at MIT, Arizona State
University, and Washington University.
box
folder
10
1
Sample Senior Thesis Programs. La Plata County Justice
Center, undated
10
2
School ideas, 1978-1979
10
3
Slide negatives of student work and models, undated
10
4
ARCH 220A. Reading materials, undated
10
5
ARCH 130A, Fall 1973. Projects: Student center, downtown adaptive
reuse, 1973
10
6
ARCH 130B, Spring 1974. Project: Theater, school, community
center, 1974
10
7
ARCH 130A, Fall 1974-1975. Projects: Arizona Museum, Corp.
headquarters, learning center, 1974-1975
10
8
ARCH 20B, Spring 1975. Projects: Summer homes, bank, 1975
10
9
ARCH 20A, Fall 1975. Projects: Electric charge station, retreat for
students, 1975
10
10
ARCH 130A/ARCH 32A, Fall 1977. Projects: Bank, sundial, visitor
center, 1977
10
11
ARCH 130B, Spring 1978. Concepts, adaptive reuse, 1978
10
12
ARCH 130A, Fall 1978. Sketch problem, book exchange, 1978
10
13
ARCH 130B, Spring 1979. Projects: Fire station, downtown core
remodeling, 1979
10
14
ARCH 330A, Fall 1979. Projects: Library, Florence, Barrio
Historico, 1979
10
15
Spring 1980. Sketch problems, 1980
10
16
Spring 1980. Design option, Project: Barrio Pascua Viejo
Housing, 1980
10
17
ARCH 220A, Fall 1980. Projects: Wilderness station, 1980
10
18
ARCH 220B, Spring 1981. Projects: Color study, architect's office,
restaurant, art shop, 1981
10
19
ARCH 301, Spring 1981. Project: Hotel on Fourth Avenue,
10
20
ARCH 402 and 451, Fall 1981. Topics in Architecture, 1981
10
21
ARCH 202, Spring 1982. Projects: 2530 N. Alvernon Way, Spring
House, 1982
10
22
ARCH 251, Fall 1982. Project: Casa de los Niños Crisis
Nursery, 1982
10
23
ARCH 251, Fall 1982. Project: Casa de los Niños, 1982
10
24
ARCH 202, Spring 1982. Project: Elderly Housing Project, 1982
10
25
ARCH 301, Spring 1983. Project: Hotel on Fourth Avenue, 1983
10
26
ARCH 302, Spring 1983. Project: Steinfeld Tucson Warehouse, 1983
10
27
ARCH 202, Spring 1984. Project: West University Home, 1984
10
28
ARCH 301, Fall 1988. Project: Student Residence, 1988
10
29
ARCH 302, Spring 1989. Project: Primavera Transitional
Housing, 1989
10
30
ARCH 402, Spring 1990. Project: Co-Housing with Sarah Harkness (1 of
3), 1990
10
31
ARCH 402, Spring 1990. Project: Co-Housing with Sarah Harkness (2 of
3), 1990
10
32
ARCH 402, Spring 1990. Project: Co-Housing with Sarah Harkness PHOTOS
(3 of 3), 1990
10
33
ARCH 402, Spring 1990. Project: Co-Housing Project, 1990
10
34
ARCH 451, Fall 1991. Project: Downtown Public Library, 1991
box
folder
11
1
Fall 1990. Project: Parking Garage, 1989-1990
11
2
ARCH 451, Fall 1990. Project: Multi-use Parking Garage, University of
Arizona, 1990
11
3
ARCH 451, Fall 1990. Parking Garage Resources (1 of 2), 1990
11
4
ARCH 451, Fall 1990. Parking Garage Resources (2 of 2), 1990
11
5
Spring 1991. Co-Housing Project, Airplane Repair School, 1991
11
6
Fall 1991. Program: Hebron Community Center, 1991
11
7
ARCH 451, Fall 1991. Project: Tucson Main Library (1 of 2), 1991
11
8
ARCH 451, Fall 1991. Project: Tucson Main Library (2 of 2), 1991
11
9
ARCH 302, Spring 1992. Project: Presidio Neighborhood
Infill, 1992
11
10
ARCH 201, Fall 1992, 1992
11
11
Summer 1992. Project: Fine Arts Plaza, 1992
11
12
ARCH 302, Spring 1992. Project: Water Company Property, 1992
11
13
ARCH 451, Fall 1992. Project: Rancho de los Amigos, 1992
11
14
ARCH 202, Spring 1993, 1993
11
15
Fall 1993.Project: Xanadu, 1993
11
16
ARCH 302, Spring 1994. Project: Health Center, 1994
11
17
ARCH 451, Fall 1994. Project: Rancho de los Amigos,
Revisited, 1994
11
18
ARCH 302, Spring 1995. Project: Sonoran Sea Aquarium, 1995
11
19
ARCH 451, Fall 1995. Project: Sonoita Creek Nature Trail, 1995
11
20
ARCH 451, Fall 1995. Project: Franklin Car Museum, 1995
11
21
ARCH 451, Fall 1995. Franklin Foundation Class Material, 1995
11
22
ARCH 220B, Spring 1995. Project: Color Studies, 1995
11
23
ARCH 402, Spring 1996. Project: Regional Information
Center, 1996
11
24
Arch 401/451, Fall 1996. Project: Co-Housing in Barrio San
Antonio, 1996
box
folder
12
1
University of Arizona School of Architecture. Employment Contracts (1
of 2), 1973-1997
12
2
University of Arizona School of Architecture. Employment Contracts (2
of 2), 1973-1988
12
3
Faculty Job Offers, 1985-1989
12
4
University of Arizona College of Architecture.
General/Administrative, undated
12
5
University of Arizona College of Architecture. General/Administrative
(1 of 3), 1973-1977
12
6
University of Arizona College of Architecture. General/Administrative
(2 of 3), 1978-1981
12
7
University of Arizona College of Architecture. General/Administrative
(3 of 3), 1982-1987
12
8
University of Arizona College of Architecture. Spring, 1988-1990
12
9
University of Arizona. General/Administrative, Fall 1990 (1 of
2), 1990
12
10
University of Arizona. General/Administrative, Fall 1990 (2 of
2), 1990
12
11
University of Arizona. General, Fall (1 of 2), 1991-1992
12
12
University of Arizona. General, Fall (2 of 2), 1991-1992
12
13
Student Evaluations of Chafee, 1991-1993
12
14
University of Arizona. Administrative materials. Fall , 1994
12
15
University of Arizona. College of Architecture. Teaching Materials,
Spring , 1996
12
16
University of Arizona. College of Architecture. Spring , 1997
12
17
Journal of Architectural Education, 1975
12
18
Visiting Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, 1987-1988
12
19
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Rancho de los Amigos. Original
Program, 1986
12
20
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Rancho de los Amigos. Water
Harvesting, 1986
12
21
Student Work at MIT. Rancho de los Amigos. Photo slides, 1986
12
22
MIT School of Architecture and Planning,1861-1961: A
Chronicle, 1963
12
23
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Cast in Place Concrete, 1986
12
24
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Adobe Construction, 1986
12
25
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Composting, Methane Generation,
Mechanical systems, Ecosystems, 1986
12
26
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1986. Rammed Earth Stabilized
Earth, 1986
12
27
MIT Visiting Professor. Fall, 1986
box
folder
13
1
MIT Visiting Professor. Spring , 1988
13
2
MIT Visiting Professor, Fall 1988. Hydeman House, 1988
13
3
MIT and Harvard. Fall 1986--Fall 1988 (1 of 2), 1986-1988
13
4
MIT and Harvard. Fall 1986--Fall 1988 (2 of 2), 1986-1988
13
5
Arizona State University. Community Center for the City of
Hebron, 1991
13
6
Arizona State University. Graduate Studio Review, 1991
Contains many of the photo slides from this collection. Slides depict some of
Chafee's childhood and early adulthood, different travels, and some architectural
models and built projects.
