The Douglas Kelbaugh papers are a selection of materials documenting the work of architect and professor of architecture Douglas Kelbaugh over the course of his career. The majority of the materials in this collection are architectural drawings of various buildings designed by Kelbaugh. Other materials include photographs, charrettes from his work at the University of Washington's Department of Architecture, articles, and a talk given by Kelbaugh summarizing his career and detailing his work in urban design and planning. The materials in this collection were part of an exhibition at U-M's A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning.
Douglas Stewart Kelbaugh was born January 25, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Princeton University, where he received his BA in 1968 and his MA in Architecture in 1972. After receiving his MA, Kelbaugh began work as an architect for the City of Trenton, New Jersey. In 1975, while still working for the City, Kelbaugh purchased a small lot in Princeton, NJ. On this lot he built a passive solar house - a house that collects and retains heat from the sun through south-facing windows. The Kelbaugh House, as the house became known, was the first structure outside of France to utilize a Trombe Wall design, named after French engineer Félix Trombe. The house was featured in over 100 books and magazines around the world, earning Kelbaugh international renown as a pioneer in the passive solar and new urbanism architectural movements.
Kelbaugh continued to work for the City of Trenton until 1978, when he and colleague Sang Lee established architectural firm Kelbaugh and Lee. Between 1978 and 1985, the firm designed a variety of projects, always focusing on energy-efficiency and good design. The firm won multiple awards, including four HUD Passive Solar Awards (one of which was for the Dehkan House in 1978) and first place in the contest to design the Monroeville Civic Center in 1982.
Kelbaugh was also a special lecturer at the New Jersey Institute of Technology School of Architecture from 1978 to 1985. In 1985, Kelbaugh was appointed chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington (UW). While at UW, he was instrumental in developing UW's academic design charrette. In 1998, Kelbaugh accepted a position as dean of College of Architecture and Urban Planning (as of 1999, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning).
Kelbaugh started the U-M Master of Urban Design degree program and the Real Estate Certificate program and oversaw the growth of the College of Architecture + Urban Planning by over 40 new faculty members. He served on a variety of university, state, and national boards.
In 2008, Kelbaugh took a two-year leave from U-M to be the executive director of design and planning for Limitless LLC in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2010, he returned to U-M to resume his role as professor. Kelbaugh stayed at the university (excluding a brief sabbatical in 2016 to Cambridge University, where he wrote The Urban Fix until his retirement in 2019.
Kelbaugh has published six books, written twelve book chapters, won over 20 design awards and competitions. He has also received numerous awards, including the Topaz Medallion from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).
