The University House is a residence and venue for official events on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. Designed by the architect Albert Pissis and completed in 1911, it was formerly named President's House while it served as the home of the president of the University of California, starting with Benjamin Ide Wheeler and ending with Robert Gordon Sproul. Since 1965, it has been the home of the Chancellor of the Berkeley campus.
Design
thumb|left|Western and southern facades, featuring topiary clock
The exterior of the building is designed as a classical Mediterranean villa; the front fascia faces south onto the main campus axis, which runs east into the Berkeley Hills from the Crescent Lawn on Oxford Street. The formal gardens lie east of the structure.
The front door opens onto a reception hall with a stairway to the second floor; a living room lies to the west and drawing and dining rooms lie to the east. Bénard had won a competition to design the entire University of California campus sponsored by wealthy benefactor Phoebe Apperson Hearst in September 1899 with his entry entitled ROMA. However, he declined an appointment as the campus's supervising architect
The commission for what would become President's House was let separately to Albert Pissis, who created a design in a classical Mediterranean style. Construction began on the building with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 16, 1901, presided over by Mrs. Hearst; a budget of had been appropriated, which proved to be inadequate and work stopped after September 1902. The building was completed in 1907.
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler moved there with his wife Amey (nee Webb) and their son, Benjamin Webb, just before Charter Day (March 23) 1911, inaugurating its use as the official residence. According to Ida Sproul, the Wheelers lived at 1820 Scenic because they could not afford to furnish the house. After moving in, one of the east-facing rooms was furnished by the Regents of the University of California as a guest bedroom. Amey Wheeler had a garden installed on the grounds to provide cut flowers for the House. The first chancellor to live there was Roger W. Heyns, who moved into University House in 1965, followed by Albert H. Bowker in 1971.
Rosebud Denovo was shot and killed by an Oakland Police Department officer after breaking into University House in the early morning of August 25, 1992. She was protesting the construction of sand volleyball courts at People's Park.
thumb|left|University House and fence (2023)
In 2009, protestors threw flower pots and a lit torch at the mansion, prompting round-the-clock police protection; No charges were filed. A security fence was added in 2015 to exclude unauthorized people and police presence was planned to be decreased, but the fenceline also would close a popular route used by students to reach their classes; the fence was relocated closer to University House to avoid this. Protesters hopped over the incomplete fence that fall and demonstrated on the steps for workers' rights. Records showed the completed security fence cost nearly US$700,000, 2 times the original planned budget. When Carol T. Christ became chancellor in 2017, she chose to live in her private home near campus instead of University House.
Residents
;As "President's House" for the President of the University of California:
- 1911–1919: Benjamin Ide Wheeler
- 1919–1923: David Prescott Barrows
- 1923–1930: William Wallace Campbell
- 1930–1958: Robert Gordon Sproul
;As "University House" for the Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley:
- 1965–1971: Roger W. Heyns
- 1971–1980: Albert H. Bowker
- 1980–1990: Ira Michael Heyman
- 1990–1997: Chang-Lin Tien
- 1997–2004: Robert M. Berdahl
- 2004–2013: Robert J. Birgeneau
- 2013–2017: Nicholas B. Dirks
- 2024–Present: Rich Lyons