Clay Neal
Clay Neal is an Assistant Teaching Professor focused on housing design and the Associate Head of the Department of Architecture. Clay came to architecture (M.Arch from UO in 2018) after nearly a decade working in public policy in Portland. Through that work, he came to view urban housing as an issue that touches on climate change, urban affordability, equity, and public safety, not to mention livability and the joy of cities. Taking a break from the public sector in 2014, Clay relied on the skills that his father taught him and took a job as a frame-to-finish carpenter in a design-build firm while exploring how to channel his interest in design and buildings with his passion for social good and urban development. Architecture seemed to be the answer, and he knew that the University of Oregon hosts one of the best programs focused on sustainability and a nationally renowned housing program.
During Clay's graduate program, the West Coast housing crisis really hit us. Eugene was #2 in the nation (behind Seattle) as the most unaffordable city when comparing income to housing costs. To explore the overlap between architecture and housing policy and development, Clay sought and secured a Fellowship to study Missing Middle Housing in Eugene as a potential design response to this affordability crisis. This research opportunity also focused his design efforts as he began to specialize in housing design and lead conversations in this community with neighborhood organizations, nonprofits, and elected officials around solutions to the housing crisis.
Following his M.Arch degree, Clay worked locally as an architect on projects that fulfill this vision of marrying design and building with social good. His teaching continues to reflect this commitment and is primarily focused on housing design, development, and construction with particular emphasis on sustainable and affordable construction methods. His courses range from detailing seminars to comprehensive design studios with the aim of addressing key community goals of sustainability, affordability, and vibrancy through housing design. As a career faculty, his teaching is primarily based in the practice of architecture using a research-informed and community-engaged pedagogy. His students typically work with professionals and community partners directly, leading to robust professional engagement on real world topics facing the discipline of architecture. Clay also serves as the Undergraduate Studies Director and the Director of OregonBILDS - the department's residential design-build program.
Clay has historically led an Architecture student-faculty intramural soccer team, represented the Department in the Native American and Indigenous Strategies work group, and encouraged student participation in LGBTQ community outlets like Queer Choir and FrontRunners - the LGBTQ running club. Clay earned his BA from Boston University in International Economic and Environmental Policy. He is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a registered Architect in Oregon.
You can find out more about OregonBILDS at https://oregonbilds.uoregon.edu/