ARCH News

Loyal Captain – Heliotrope Image by Notion Workshop   Mike Mora (MArch 1994), a partner in Seattle-based Heliotrope Architects, had a recently completed remodel and addition to a landmarked Seattle home featured in the New York Times on September 6. The article titled “A Ship Captain’s House in Seattle, via Norway, Finds New Life” applauds the contemporary yet sensitive addition to the traditional house. The Norwegians have an expression: “Wood is our living archive.” As early as A.D. 800, the…

    Associate Professor Tyler Sprague was one of five faculty from throughout North America recognized with a 2023 ACSA Timber Education Prize which honors courses that “seek to recognize effective and innovative curricula that create a stimulating and evidence-based environment for learning about timber.” The award was for Architecture 498: Mass Timber Architecture: Material, Structure, and Detail and includes funding for Tyler to further develop the curriculum over the next two years.  

MArch students Andrew Baltimore and Eric Luth were one of ten winning teams in the 2023 AIA/ACSA COTE Top Ten for Students Competition for their submission Watershed, completed in the Spring 2022 ARCH 508 Research studio with faculty Gundula Proksch and Chris Meek. “Watershed is an enthralling design with robust information, well executed graphics and clear data. Effectively utilizing the boards to show the quantitative data-driven measures, the project represents a system thinking approach to the design, which clearly shows…

Source: Pfeiffer Partners   The Department of Architecture is saddened to learn of the passing of one its most illustrious graduates, Norman Pfeiffer, FAIA. Norman was born in Seattle in 1940. His grandfather was a construction superintendent and Norman was interested in architecture at an early age. He enrolled in the five-year program at UW in 1959 and graduated with his B.Arch. Cum Laude in 1964. During his time at UW (on weekends and during the summers), he worked for…

Source: ARCHITECT, Photo: Doug Scott   The La Conner Swinomish Library by BuildingWork, a Seattle-based firm founded by Matt Aalfs, AIA (MArch 1999) is featured in ARCHITECT magazine online. As noted in the article, the project “represents a multitude of collaborations and innovations. First, the new building is constructed from cross-laminated timber, making it one of the first publicly funded buildings in the country to be built entirely from CLT, according to its architect. Second, and perhaps more important, the…

Source: ARCHITECT, Photo: Av Goodsell   Alumna Mona Johnston Zellers, AIA (MArch 2010), a partner with Johnston Architects, recently penned an OpEd in ARCHITECT magazine titled “Fostering a Supportive Community for Women Architects.” In this insightful article, Mona reflects on the relationship between a strong and supportive workplace culture and professional growth, particularly among women architects. We invite you to dive into Mona’s captivating OpEd HERE. We applaud Mona for this remarkable achievement and dedication to making our profession more…

We are thrilled to share that Sam Miller, FAIA (MArch 1992), a partner with Seattle-based LMN Architects, and Justin Schwartzhoff (MArch 2014), LMN’s Sustainability Lead, are featured in an online article in Architectural Record magazine titled “Continuing Education: Architects Zero in on Zero to Define Building Performance.” In this captivating article, Sam and Justin, along with other industry experts, share their thoughts on the complexities of defining and achieving “net-zero energy” buildings. We invite you to immerse yourself in this…

    The Neighborhood Design Build Studio invites you to the ribbon cutting celebration for this years project, the World Cultural Kitchen for the UW Farm, at the Center for Urban Horticulture. The students have designed and built a circular trellis topped by three roofed areas. The finished project will be used for cooking and farming demos by the UW Farm, celebrations that are hosted at the Center for Urban Horticulture, and as a unique meeting place for visitors to…

  The department of Architecture is proud to announce that two of our Master of Architecture students have been recognized as part of this year’s Husky 100! Please join us in congratulating Jacquelyn Crane and Dana Austin Bass!     Jacquelyn Crane 2023 Master of Architecture, Sustainable Systems and Design emphasis; Design Computing Graduate Certificate   Dana Austin Bass 2023 Master of Architecture; Graduate Certificate in Housing Studies; B.A. Architectural Design; B.S. Real Estate   Each year, the Husky 100…

A new apartment complex in Seattle will be the first of its kind. Its architect, Susan Jones, is one of the leading authorities on mass timber in the U.S. | Seattle Times

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UW Architecture connected to four of the sixteen 2023 National AIA Architecture Award winning projects and more!     The AIA Architecture Award is the highest recognition the U.S. architecture profession grants to a recently completed project. This year, as in most, Seattle-based firms won more than their share of awards. This includes two projects by Seattle’s LMN Architects (Scott Crawford, M.Arch 2008/MS Arch 2010, and Sam Miller, MArch 1992, Partners) which received awards for the Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal…

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Douglas Stewart Kelbaugh, former Chair and Professor in the Department of Architecture, on February 18, 2023, at the age of 78. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Kathleen Nolan, son, Casey, and daughter, Tess. Douglas S. Kelbaugh FAIA was born in Brooklyn NY on January 25, 1945, graduating from Memorial High School in Houston, Texas in 1963. He received his B.A. in architecture Magna Cum Laude from…

“One of the reasons we want mass timber to succeed is that we want higher-density housing, which could potentially tackle Seattle’s housing affordability crisis” says Department of Architecture Assistant Professor Tomás Méndez Echenagucia. Mass timber can cost less than the traditional steel and concrete, and its use in tall structures would create cheaper housing options.

Come and meet Environmental Artist and Activist Thomas Dambo to hear about the upcoming Northwest Nordic Troll project! Tuesday, February 7 @ 5:30 Gould Hall Court The Northwest Nordic Troll Hunt is a public art project that will feature tea series of giant hand-built trolls by internationally acclaimed environmental artist, Thomas Dambo from Denmark. The trolls will be built during the summer of 2023 on publicly accessible sites across the greater Puget Sound region. Fashioned entirely out of recycled materials,…

The Department of Architecture at the University of Washington is pleased to announce the return of the biannual Alumni Awards! After a hiatus in 2021 due to COVID restrictions, we are soliciting nominations for notable alumni who have made significant contributions in two distinct categories. The Distinguished Alumni Award honors an alumna or alumnus whose career achievements in the profession of architecture and the broader community have made a significant contribution to the built environment of the Puget Sound region…

Jack Travis established his namesake design studio in June 1985. To date the firm has completed projects for clients such as film director Spike Lee, actor Wesley Snipes, John Saunders of ABC sports and fashion retailer Giorgio Armani. Currently Travis is working on the flagship exhibition for the Museum of Black Civilization in Dakar, Senegal. Jack Travis encourages investigation into Black history and culture where appropriate in his work, and includes forms, motifs, materials and colors that reflect this heritage….

UW CBE Associate Professor of Architecture Rick Mohler has been awarded the AIA Seattle Gold Medal, the highest award that AIA Seattle can bestow on one of its members. It recognizes distinguished lifetime achievement in architecture, including design and professional practice and service to the profession, the community, education and the arts. Rick was recognized for his promotion of just, policy-driven cities, shaped by principled design, addressing all scales of urban experience through teaching, action research, professional practice, and community…

Governor Jay Inslee and his wife Trudi paid a surprise visit to the UW Rome Center on Tuesday, November 8th during a layover in Italy on their way to the Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. He met with faculty and students in our Architecture in Rome studio program, and engaged them in a lively conversation about the important role that architects will play in helping to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change in the…

Danele Alampay, architecture alumna and 2022 Equity in Historic Preservation Intern, writes about her interest in historic preservation and reflects on her internship project, providing data analysis and research support to the Beyond Integrity Initiative. | 4 Culture

Kathryn Rogers Merlino, associate professor of architecture, wrote the grant for design and seismic retrofitting that garnered nearly $500,000 for the preservation of the historic UW Shell House.

Associate professor Tyler Sprague and senior architecture student Sierra Miles discuss the Benjamin McAdoo Research Collective, which seeks to share and cultivate appreciation for the work of Benjamin F. McAdoo, the first registered Black architect in Washington. | Seattle Times

From August 20-21, architecture students from the University of Washington will be presenting their designs addressing housing diversity in Seattle. Their works will be on display from 10AM to 7PM in Lake Union Park. | The Urbanist

We had the opportunity to sit down with ZGF Sustainability Lead and UW alumni Marty Brennan to discuss his pathway into architecture and the innovative work emerging from the Applied Research Consortium.

Graduate students in Professor Rick Mohler’s design studio discuss ways to increase housing diversity in Seattle and their visions for the city’s future. | The Urbanist

Graduate students offer insight into affordable housing in Seattle, as well as ideas to address the middle housing gap. | KUOW

The UW Department of Architecture is pleased to announce that Master of Architecture student, Daquan Proctor, was awarded the WRNS Studio Foundation Scholarship in January 2022. The WRNS Studio Foundation scholarship and advisory program seeks to cultivate a thriving higher education scholarship program that will encourage more Black students to pursue careers in Architecture, by providing multi-year educational financial support and enhanced access to enduring professional relationships. Recipients will be assigned an advisor from WRNS Studio for the duration of…

Graduate students present their solutions to Seattle’s affordable housing problem, taking into consideration the different compromises and obstacles that may arise. | KUOW

The Seattle Street Sink Project by UW professors Elizabeth Golden and Rick Mohler has been selected as a winner of the AIA 2022 Small Project Awards. | AIA

Architecture Chair and Professor Kate Simonen was asked by Governor Inslee to host a substantive discussion as he continues to develop policies and charge working groups to achieve better carbon futures. In Gould Hall on December 6, Governor Jay Inslee met with approximately twenty building professionals, think tank leaders, and researchers. Professor Simonen framed the discussion on how we can achieve lower carbon in construction, including with building materials from lower emissions manufacturing.  The Governor also toured the campus with…

By the time Donald Currie was 11, he knew he wanted to be an architect. Now, after a career spanning more than 50 years, Donald and his husband, Daniel, want to empower a diverse new generation of students to follow their own dreams of entering architecture. Graduating from the UW in 1963, Donald learned the fundamentals of architecture and design, acquiring the skills he would later need in his career. After graduation, he moved on to study at Harvard University,…

We are saddened to share the news that Wang Chiu-hwa, one of Taiwan’s most prominent female architects, passed away on June 14 at the age of 96. Wang came to the University of Washington from China in 1946 and graduated with her BA in 1947. At that time, the UW did not yet offer a postgraduate degree in Architecture, so after graduating, Wang went on to earn her M.Arch at Columbia University.  She then practiced in the US until 1979,…

With great sadness, we share the news that UW Professor Emeritus Daniel M. Streissguth passed away on Saturday, November 20, at the age of 96. Prof. Streissguth made significant contributions not only to the University of Washington Architecture department but to our greater region as well. Starting as a student and rising to a professor and designer, Dan’s enthusiasm and passion never wavered. He was as committed to his craft as he was to his students. Dan’s kindness and friendship knew…

The AIA Seattle Honor Awards for Washington Architecture is a nationally-recognized program that provides an important opportunity for the design community to share and celebrate its achievements, both among practitioners and with the community-at-large. The 70th Annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture was held last week, and gave us all plenty to celebrate.  Their first-ever virtual live event revealed and celebrated 20 award winners and the greater design community.   Among the awardees were a sizable number of UW Architecture alumni,…

In its August 10 issue, the New York Times Style Magazine presented a special feature, 15 CREATIVE WOMEN FOR OUR TIME. “Whether in the realm of art or design, food or fashion, these talents have stayed true to themselves and, in doing so, have pushed the boundaries of their respective fields.”   One of our 2013 alumni, Mariam Kamara, was one of the women recognized. “Since completing her Master of Architecture at the University of Washington (and a thesis project on…

All_Thesis Posters_Spring 2020

Handwashing is a proven strategy for reducing transmission of the Coronavirus. However, not everyone has access to handwashing facilities, especially when cafes and restaurants are closed due to the pandemic. This is especially true for those experiencing homelessness. Seattle has responded by opening rest rooms in city parks and other locations and by contracting with private vendors to provide mobile handwashing stations across the city. However, these stations are subject to vandalism and are very expensive to maintain because they…

Keeping our Community Connected During COVID-19 via Social Networking: New ways to stay connected, build community, and share inspiration during the Spring 2020 Quarter  As COVID-19 continues to challenge the way we have been working, the Architecture department will utilize our social media accounts & website as a way to connect and showcase how our community is embracing the new changes. As the circumstances forces our community to be physically separated, it is important to utilize technology as a resource for…

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 With the announcement of the switch to online learning platforms at the University of Washington beginning Monday, March 9 2020, the Department of Architecture, like all units in the university, has had to make immediate adjustments to our teaching. While the options for most classes have been relatively simple, essentially moving all teaching to Zoom as well as using Panopto through our online Canvas platform, our design studios have presented some unique challenges. In addition, we…

Food, Water, & Energy: Finding the Nexus in Urban Food Systems University of Washington architecture professor Gundula Proksch launches the Circular City + Living Systems Lab By Gundula Proksch Updated June 18, 2020:  Read about the CCLS in TAD! As urban populations grow globally, twenty-first-century cities must address complex challenges, including ensuring food, water, and energy security, while reducing dependence on non-renewable resources. Climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequity exacerbate these problems and have increasingly far-reaching impacts. Many of…

Historically, Seattle has protected industrial lands from other forms of development seeking to preserve well paying blue collar jobs. The combination of the housing crisis and expanded light rail development through industrial areas has brought attention to the need to reconsider zoning practices.   During the Autumn 2019 quarter, an interdisciplinary group of Built Environments students participated in a studio boldly envisioning transit oriented development and the future use of Seattle’s industrial lands. Co-taught by Associate Professor Rick Mohler (Architecture) and…

Barry Onouye Endowed Studio: Structure and Dance  Last spring the Barry Onouye Endowed Studio explored the relationship between architecture, tensile structures, and dance. Assistant Professor Tyler Sprague and Endowed Chair Sigrid Adriaenssens from Princeton University co-taught the studio focusing on the use of nets to create a distinct space in the atrium of Gould Hall that became the environment for a performance by four professional dancers. In discussing the studio last spring Professor Sprague stated:  “This studio has addressed not…

Each year, the ACSA (Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture) gives Architectural Education Awards to recognize faculty for their excellence in architectural education and research. The Department of Architecture is pleased to announce that Professor Vikramditya Prakash has been awarded an ACSA Distinguished Professor Award, and the team of Barbara Rodriguez and Catherine De Wolf, led by Associate Professor Kathrina Simonen, has been awarded the Technology | Architecture+Design (TAD) Research Contribution Award for their work “Benchmarking the Embodied Carbon of…

  The Department of Architecture is pleased to share the news that several of our students and studio faculty were recognized at the 2019 AIA Northwest and Pacific Region Student Design Awards. Citation, Honor, and Merit awards were given to the following: Citation Award Mike Laurencelle for Design for Reassembly: A Flexible Response to the Demand for Housing Citation Award to Noor Awad Ingrid Pelletier Andrew Brown Kelsey Pierson Savek Butorac Kylie Poon Griffin Irving Hector Saldivar Weston Hambleton Kyle…

The Department of Architecture is honored to announce that M. Arch 2013 alumna Mariam Kamara has been selected as a laureate by the Awards Committee and the Board of the Prince Claus Fund. The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of the Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Fund has presented the international Prince Claus Awards annually since 1997 to honor individuals and organizations reflecting a…

The Hip Hop Architecture Camp® uses hip hop culture as a catalyst to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning and design.  Last week, the University of Washington was delighted to host to the camp here in Gould Hall for the very first time.  M. Arch student Kenneth Nti served as a camp volunteer, and he had this to say: This past week it has been an honor to volunteer with the Hip Hop architecture camp.  The diverse groups of…

Associate Prof. Kate Simonen recently appeared on an episode of the design and architecture podcast “99% Invisible”, hosted by radio producer Roman Mars. On the episode, Simonen discussed embodied carbon as well as sustainable materials and manufacturing. The Daily UW picked up the story, and Kate shared some helpful information and links for those wishing to learn more.  She also encourages young people to consider a career in climate science if they’re interested in making a difference and having opportunities for…

                      “Sharon Sutton is a trailblazer – the first African American woman to be promoted to full professor of architecture, the second to be elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and the first to be appointed president of the National Architectural Accrediting Board. In a fascinating long-form interview with Sarah Akigbogun, Sharon reflects on action and rebellion in the 1960s, the poisonous effects of income inequality, and…

The 2019 Neighborhood Design/Build project “The Toolbox” was designed and constructed for a program at Seattle’s Nathan Hale High School that teaches students how to grow plants, understand global food systems, and care for the native ecosystem. The high school students in the program pass their skills and knowledge back to the local community through regular plant sales, hands-on projects, and dedicated community service. Working alongside students, teachers, administrators, and the board for the horticulture program, the Spring 2019 Neighborhood…

Contributed by Alex Anderson When my longtime editor at Kinfolk moved to Harvard Design News and invited me to contribute there, I was happy to do it. I was even happier when one of my first tasks was to write about Brutalist architecture. Having spent more than 20 years working and teaching in Gould Hall, a very fine example of Brutalism, I had plenty to say. This short essay is partly about Jeanne Gang’s adaptive re-use studio at Harvard this…

The Department of Architecture is excited to congratulate atelierjones for being awarded two USDA/USFS grants as part of two collaborative teams relating to Mass Timber. These grants are the result of the firm’s multi-year design, research and teaching on the topic. The first grant is to assist a multi-disciplinary team with conducting fire testing in Sweden, in conjunction with the American Wood Council, to determine parameters around the degree of visibility and exposure of mass timber in buildings. The second…

  As we approach the final weeks of the Spring quarter, the work of our 2019 Barry Onouye Endowed Studio is coming into its final stage. As with previous Onouye studios, our work highlights the intersection of architecture and structural design.  With a central theme of PERFORMANCE, this year’s studio (offered with Endowed Chair Sigrid Adriaenssens from Princeton University), has focused on tension-based structures, ranging from hanging nets to tensioned membranes.  With a generous donation of nets and ropes from…

The Interior Designers of Idaho (IDI) have been hosting a furniture competition in Boise for 27 years.  The Furniture Studio in the UW Architecture department has a long history of participating and bringing home awards from this event. This year we showcased seven new pieces from the 2018 Spring and 2019 Winter undergraduate classes, as well as one in the Professional category.   Once again, we a had very strong showing and brought home 5 new awards in 2019. On the…

Nearly a month ago we hosted our second biennial Alumni Awards, celebrating the accomplishments of our Graduates of the Last Decade and our Distinguished Alumnus. Here’s a look back at the event!

Each year, the Husky 100 recognizes 100 UW undergraduate and graduate students from Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at the UW.  The Husky 100 actively connect what happens inside and outside of the classroom and apply what they learn to make a difference on campus, in their communities and for the future. Through their passion, leadership and commitment, these students inspire all of us to shape our own…

In a graduate materials and construction course taught by Senior Lecturer Jim Nicholls, students are challenged to rethink the relationship between the study of tectonics and the object itself. In a recent exercise, students have been exploring the potential of the concrete masonry unit (CMU). What are the potential applications of a cast object within a fixed dimension? Students have pursued this question through iterations of conceptual research, model explorations and finally, 1:1 construction prototypes. For a more complete explanation…

UW Alumni Designs Lab for Space Research The University of Washington Department of Architecture has a long list of notable alumni working on exciting projects that push the limits of the built environment. UW alumni  Masayuki Sono, founding partner of Clouds Architecture Office in New York City, continues this tradition by designing architecture for outer space. After winning a 2015 NASA sponsored competition to design habitats for Mars colonization, Clouds A.O. was asked to take this concept and apply it…