LAWRENCE, Kan. — The University of Kansas community is mourning the loss of Warren Corman, the last surviving architect of Allen Fieldhouse and a longtime supporter of Jayhawk athletics. Corman passed away Thursday in Lawrence at the age of 99, KU Athletics confirmed.
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Corman was the youngest of seven architects — alongside James Canole, Frank Johnson, Charles Marshall, Robert Jokish, Robert Schober, and Thornton Beck — who designed Allen Fieldhouse, the historic arena that has become one of the most revered venues in college basketball.
A 1950 graduate of KU with a degree in architectural engineering, Corman’s ties to the university extended far beyond his design work. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, later returning to KU as the director of facilities, a role he held for more than three decades. For over 60 years, he also maintained season tickets to Jayhawks men’s basketball, underscoring his lifelong devotion to the program.
Tributes poured in following news of his passing. KU Athletics Director Travis Goff remembered Corman as “a treasure,” while head coach Bill Self praised the architect’s enduring influence on Kansas basketball and his unwavering passion for the university.
Corman’s death marks the closing of a remarkable chapter in KU history, but his legacy will live on through the arena that still defines the spirit of Kansas basketball and the generations of Jayhawks who gather there.