• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Thank you to all who joined us for the 2025 Architecture Alumni Awards. It was a joy to come together and celebrate the remarkable impact of our alumni community.

We were proud to honor four outstanding graduates in two award categories for their leadership, innovation and service to the field:

Distinguished Alumni Award
Leon Bridges, FAIA, NOMAC (retired), BArch 1960
Ed Weinstein, FAIA, BArch 1971

Graduates of the Last Decade Award
Stephanie Farrell, AIA, MArch 2016
Araceli Lopez, RA, BA Arch Design/BS CM 2015

A special thank you to our jury — Margaret Knight, Jeff Reibman, Scott Wolf, and Gladys Ly-Au Young — for their thoughtful evaluation and leadership.

We’re also deeply grateful to LMN Architects for hosting us in their inspiring shop space and helping create such a memorable setting for the evening.

To each of you who joined us this special evening, thank you. We are grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with our community and celebrate the impact of both our established and emerging professional colleagues.

Make a gift
If you are interested in supporting the Department of Architecture, we invite you to make a gift to the Friends of Architecture Fund or another fund of your choosing.

In times of change and uncertainty, the strength of our community—and our shared investment in higher education—matters more than ever. Your support helps ensure that future architects have the resources, inspiration and access they need to thrive.

To explore additional giving opportunities or to discuss your philanthropic goals, please contact Savannah Ledgerwood at ledges@uw.edu.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

 
AIA Large Firm Roundtable Deans’ Forum
October 16th, 2024
AIA New York | Center for Architecture

This past October, I was invited to the AIA Large Firm Roundtable Deans’ Forum in New York City as the student representative of UW’s Department of Architecture. This event was attended by CEOs and leaders of the top 60 firms in the nation, Deans of architecture programs from universities across the country, and their chosen student representatives. It was an amazing dialogue between the professional world, the academic world, and the students who bridge the gap.

During the forum at the Center for Architecture, there were a number of events for the attendees to discuss current topics in the built environments. I sat at a table with two CEOs, three Deans, and two other students. We discussed expectations for entering the profession, how to accommodate students with jobs, and upcoming changes to architectural standards. There were also several amazing panels on alternate pathways to licensure, how academia can support the profession and vice versa, and the current issues being addressed at universities.

We also had the opportunity to organize a student-led panel discussion. We student representatives met beforehand to pick the panelists and the topics we wanted to speak on. I was elected as one of the five panelists to speak on the frustrating lack of diversity in curricula and the concurrent lack of effort from professors to learn and teach about architecture from different cultures. We also spoke on the inadequate support network for students of color, disadvantages international students face when seeking jobs, uncertainty around the future role of AI, post-COVID studio culture, and the stagnant job market for emerging professionals. Though we were heavily critiquing the system created by these leading professionals sitting in the audience, we received overwhelming support and pride for speaking our truths.

A group of us students were also able to explore Manhattan the first night, walking around past midnight and getting to know each other. Oftentimes, architectural communities are such insulated bubbles that we don’t know whether our struggles are personal or universal. This forum was a fantastic event that helped pop that bubble for not only me and the other students, but hopefully for the Deans and CEOs that are leading this profession.

Joy Munoz
Master of Architecture – 2025

Congratulations to Trevin Thompson (M Arch 2025 candidate) and to the three other CBE students, Braedyn Reed, Kort Maeda, and Lela Cooper, on their recognition to the 2025 Husky 100. This prestigious recognition honors 100 students from across the University of Washington for their exceptional leadership and meaningful contributions to both campus life and their communities.

Read More

Read More

Anthony Costa Heywood, known affectionately as Tony, passed away on November 18, 2024. He was the husband of renowned architect and University of Washington professor Astra Zarina, the founder of the UW Rome Center. A distinguished architect and one of the last permanent residents of Civita di Bagnoregio, he leaves behind a profound legacy in the preservation and revitalization of this historic Italian town.

Born on July 19, 1936, in Athens, Georgia, he was a man of many talents. A former college football player, passionate lover of opera, an exceptional cook, gardener and a cat lover with a great gift for conversation, he generously shared his knowledge and hospitality with students, families, and residents alike. He arrived in Italy in the 1960s and married Astra in 1971. After Astra found the Palazzo Pio and established the UW Rome Center, Tony played an active role in the design and renovation of its facilities in the early 1980s.

Tony and Astra began spending time in Civita di Bagnoregio in the early 1960s and eventually purchased and restored a home there in the 1970s. Civita was a place unlike any other—perched atop a fragile plateau of volcanic tuff and accessible only by a pedestrian bridge. Isolated from modernization, it had only a dozen full-time inhabitants at the time. Devastated by an earthquake in 1695 and bombed during World War II, the ancient town faced constant geological threats due to the erosion of its clay foundation. Yet Tony and Astra were captivated by its architecture, history, and community.

By 1976, Astra had formally established a summer UW architecture study-abroad program in Civita, deepening both of their ties to the town, and Civita became both a retreat and a center for academic and preservation efforts. Tony was also active in the International Laboratory of Architecture and Urban Design (ILAUD) for 18 years, serving as its president, reflecting his commitment to advancing architectural discourse on an international scale. Concurrently, Tony dedicated part of his career in the preservation of their expanding property in Civita, one that led him to become a pivotal figure in the restoration of historic Italian hill towns.

In 1981, Tony and Astra co-founded the Northwest Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in Italy (NIAUSI), now known as the Civita Institute. This organization fosters interdisciplinary understanding of Italian hill towns, promoting historic preservation, education, and cultural exchange. Their dedication ensured that future generations could learn from and appreciate these unique environments. Following Astra’s death in 2008, Tony acted on their plan and generously donated their estate to the Civita Institute. Unfortunately, in the years before his death Tony experienced increasing tension with the organization, due to his concerns that it was drifting away from its members’ wishes and their original shared vision. Yet, even amidst these challenging times, he remained steadfast in his dedication until his final days, fighting to uphold the shared vision he and Astra had for Civita’s cultural and architectural heritage – and one that lives on with those working to carry on its legacy.

Tony was also a man of deep passion and generosity, who had deep bonds within the Civita community. The mayor of Bagnoregio, Luca Profili, honored his legacy, stating:

“His passing is a great loss. Tony was an extraordinary figure and a pillar of our small community—one of the last historic inhabitants of Civita. His passion for our town and his tireless efforts to preserve its beauty will remain in our hearts. He always found time to help others, to listen, and to push forward initiatives that made our town better.”

Tony and Astra transformed Civita into both their refuge and the center of their work centered in architectural and cultural heritage. Their efforts helped shift Civita from a dying town to a thriving cultural destination, now attracting thousands of visitors each day. Tony’s legacy lives on in his many friends, former students, visitors, and residents whose lives he touched deeply, and in the enduring beauty of the place he so deeply loved.

Written by Kathryn Rogers Merlino, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Scan Design Foundation Endowed Chair in Built Environments, Director, Center for Preservation and Adaptive Reuse, Department of Architecture, College of Built Environments, University of Washington

Jim Donnette passed away on November 10, 2024, after a life marked by optimism, adventure, and dedication to teaching. Jim was an alumnus of the UW Master of Architecture program (1969) and a member of the UW Architecture faculty for 30 years.

Raised in Torrance, California, Jim earned an AA in Aeronautical Engineering from El Camino Community College. He pursued architecture at UC Berkeley, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture and he later added a Master’s from the University of Washington.

Jim found his real calling as an Assistant Professor in the Architecture Department at the University of Washington. Jim proved to be a natural teacher, particularly in the area of architectural drawing and graphic representation. His empathic nature and sincere desire to help students understand conceptual relationships was always foremost in his teaching.

While teaching, Jim continued his own studies, focusing on graphics as a critical tool of communication. In 1969 he became a tenured member of the UW Architecture faculty and was promoted to Associate Professor. In the same year, he also received his Washington State License to practice Architecture. As a faculty member, Jim founded the Graphics Laboratory, teaching critical thinking through graphics to several thousand students in architecture, interior design, urban, planning and construction management.

Jim also had an uncompromising integrity and sense of fairness that made him a natural selection for administrative roles within the College of Architecture & Urban Planning (now College of the Built Environment) as he was able to work well with all of the departments. When then Dean Gordon Varey established an All-College Undergraduate Degree program, he appointed Jim as Program Director. Jim also served for a time as Chair of the Department of Building Construction (now Construction Management Department).

A Celebration of Life will be held on May 4, 2025, at the Seattle Elks Lodge, 6411 Seaview Ave, from 1 to 3 pm. where friends and family will gather to share stories and remember Jim’s lasting impact.

ARCADE NW is a non-profit community publishing house focused on projects related to art, design, and architecture.

info@arcadenw.org
arcadenw.org
@arcade_nw

Congratulations to Best Practice (Ian Butcher, MArch 1999 and Kailin Gregga, BAAD 2002) whose Aspen Leaf Ranch design was published in The New York Times’ Living Small column. We caught up with Ian and Kailin to chat about Best Practice to learn more about the project, and what makes their firm tick.

Best Practice was founded with the goal of fostering a place where people are encouraged to evolve and develop ideas based on the specifics of each project. “We’re known for leaning into eccentric conditions, and we aim to embrace the challenges that come from treating what seem like constraints as design opportunities,” notes Kailin. Ian adds, “We wanted to make a studio that was a great place to work, and to work with the extended and talented building community in Seattle. We are so lucky to work with talented fabricators, craftspeople and artists on our projects and seek out those collaborations. They are what lend a unique measure and feel to our projects and showcase a different way of being local.”

Read the complete article HERE.

(Another Best Practice project of theirs, Cloud Ranch, was featured in the NYT “on Location” in 2021. Check it out HERE.)

Daniel Simons (MArch 1998) and his fellow Principals at Bay Area-based David Baker Architects published an article in this month’s ARCHITECT magazine on the Nine Ways to Make Affordable Housing for People.

Professor Mehlika Inanici has been awarded the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) 2023 Leon Gaster Award. The Leon Gaster award is presented for the best paper included in the SLL Lighting Research & Technology Journal concerned with lighting applications, and recognizes the role that Leon Gaster made as the founder of the Illuminating Engineering Society in 1909. The award was first made in 1929 and one award is given annually. Inanici will receive the award at the SLL Annual General Meeting, Awards and Presidential Address on May 14 2024 in Leeds, England.

This year, 98 architects in the U.S. and beyond were elevated to the AIA College of Fellows, including Professors Ann Marie Borys and Kate Simonen. Nine of the department’s permanent and affiliate faculty are now AIA Fellows. In addition, three UW Architecture alumni were also elevated to Fellowship: Samuel Batchelor, designLab Architects in Boston (M.Arch, 2004); Douglas Ito, SMR Architects (BA Architecture, 1992); and Robert Misel, The Miller Hull Partnership LLP (BA Architecture, 1989). Doug Ito is also the recipient of the 2024 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award, which recognizes an architect or organization that champions a range of social issues. UW Architecture will host a reception/celebration for alumni and friends at the AIA Conference in Washington, D.C. on June 5 at ZGF Architects. Register here to attend.

The 2024 design exCHANGE exhibit is an annual exhibition of unbuilt projects by local Seattle architecture firms. The projects showcased are located in the Pacific Northwest region and all around the world.

This exhibit is free and open to the public.

Exhibition April 26 – May 9, 2024
Gould Court

Opening Reception: Friday, April 26, 2024 5:30PM
This event is not open to the general public.

The 2024 design exCHANGE opening reception is an invitation only event to celebrate the opening of the annual design exCHANGE exhibit. The opening reception is open to members of the UW College of Built Environments and invited members of the Seattle design community. Please register to attend.

We are proud to announce that four members of the UW Architecture community have been recognized with an AIA Seattle Award this year!

“Each year, AIA Seattle celebrates leadership and achievement in design and the built environment through its member awards program, which recognizes individual leadership and achievement in design and the built environment at the local and national levels. Honorees are nominated by their peers and selected by the Fellows & Honors Committee each year to acknowledge excellence and strengthen ties between architects and the many professions that partner with them to make a difference through design.” – AIA Seattle

Gold Medal: Susan Jones, FAIA, atelierjones, Affiliate Associate Professor

College of Fellows: Bill LaPatra FAIA, LEED AP

Community Service Award: Emilia Cabeza de Baca, AIA – 2019 M Arch alum

Allied Organization Award: NOMAS UW – student organization

For more information about each award and to purchase tickets to attend the awards ceremony on January 23, visit the AIA Seattle event website.

AIA Seattle Parti
Tuesday, January 23 6-8:30pm @ The Forum at Town Hall Seattle

Previous imageNext image

Overseas, the exhibition “The Wright Imperial Hotel at 100: Frank Lloyd Wright and the World” curated by Professor Ken Tadashi Oshima at the Toyota Museum of Art (Aichi, Japan) attracted a record 35,000+ visitors while on view October-December 2023. This year it travels to Tokyo to the Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art (January 11 – March 10) and the Aomori Museum of Art (March 20 – May 12, 2024).

Here in the United States, an exhibit will open in June 2024. Mona Ghandi, Assistant Teaching Professor, is a recent winner and finalist of the DATMA (Massachusetts Design Art & Technology Institute) public art Installation peer reviewed national competition. Her interactive piece entitled “Mood-Vironment” is a full-scale interactive installation that interacts with the visitors’ emotions and changes itself accordingly. The piece will be built in New Bedford MA and will be on display until October 2024.

Previous imageNext image

Professor Ken Tadashi Oshima curated/authored The Wright Imperial Hotel at 100: Frank Lloyd Wright and the World, a major exhibition and fully-illustrated book currently at the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. Five years in the making, this exhibition builds on the 2017 MoMA exhibition, Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive, for which Professor Oshima was a co-curator, to celebrate the centennial of the 1923 opening of Wright’s Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

In bringing together works from Columbia University’s Avery Library, MoMA, the Library of Congress and Japanese collections, this exhibition reexamines Wright as one of the first global architects pursuing this decade-long project at the nexus of his vast career spanning art, architecture, and design to writing, landscape, education, construction and urbanism. Highlights of the exhibition include film footage of the construction of Wright’s Fallingwater (1936-), a full-scale Usonian House installation and contemporary color animated film of Broadacre City (1929-35). The reexamination of Wright also considers his designs in the context of his travels and passions connecting different landscapes and cultures around the world, and pursuit of high-rises including his 528-story Mile-High Illinois skyscraper (1956). Today, a further evolution of Wright’s vision can be seen in the design of the new high-rise Imperial Hotel (2021-2036) by Tsuyoshi Tane (1979-) that bridges past/present/future.

Professor Oshima will also present this work on-line in collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy and Foundation for the lecture series “Unpacking the Imperial Hotel at 100: Frank Lloyd Wright and the World”

Thursday, November 9, 2023
7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PST

2024 Exhibition Dates

The exhibition continues in 2024 at the Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art (Minato-ku, Tokyo) January 11 – March 10, 2024 and Aomori Museum of Art (Aomori City, Aomori) March 20 – May 12, 2024.