UW News

College of Built Environments


November 19, 2018

UW’s Marina Alberti to lead new NSF-funded research network to study impact of cities on Earth’s evolutionary dynamics

The cycle of eco-evolutionary feedback -- the topic of a new research coordination network funded by the National Science Foundation.

Here in what is called the Anthropocene era, humans and our urban environments appear to be driving accelerated evolutionary change in plants, animals, fungi, viruses and more — changes that could affect key ecosystem functions and thus human well-being. These interactions between evolution and ecology are called “eco-evolutionary feedback.” The National Science Foundation has awarded…


October 25, 2018

Valuing older buildings: Architecture professor’s book argues for reuse rather than wrecking ball

In her new book, Kathryn Rogers Merlino, UW associate professor of architecture, argues for the environmental benefit of reusing buildings rather than tearing them down and building anew.


August 2, 2018

UW books in brief: Urban diaries, battling Jim Crow on campus and more

collage of book covers

Recent notable books by University of Washington authors tell of the struggle to break free of racism in higher education, taking an “urban diary” approach to documenting city life and more.


May 24, 2018

Remaking a reef: UW landscape architecture students to present design for new artificial reef at Redondo dive site

A UW landscape architecture student's illustration of part of an artificial reef to be built at Washington's Redondo Beach dive area. UW students are working with the state, the dive community and others to design a new reef to provide a healthy habitat for marine life.

What makes a good artificial reef, for divers, and for marine life? University of Washington landscape architecture students have done designs for a state-funded project to replace the artificial reef at the Redondo Beach dive site. They will present and discuss their work in a public meeting May 30, in Des Moines. The landscape architecture…


April 19, 2018

Vikram Prakash’s ‘ArchitectureTalk’ podcast explores topics ‘at the edge of the known’

Vikram Prakash, professor of architecture and creator of the ArchitectureTalk Podcast.

Vikram Prakash says his weekly “ArchitectureTalk” podcast got its start, as many things do, from a student’s idea.


April 3, 2018

Real estate department named in honor of Jon and Judy Runstad

head shot

The College of Built Environments Department of Real Estate, formerly the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies, has been named in honor of Jon and Judy Runstad.


March 13, 2018

Renée Cheng named dean of the College of Built Environments

mug shot

Renée Cheng has been named dean of the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments, President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Gerald J. “Jerry” Baldasty announced today. Her appointment, set to begin Jan. 1, 2019, is subject to approval by the UW Board of Regents.


January 4, 2018

New book ‘City Unsilenced’ explores protest and public space

"City Unsilenced: Urban Resistance and Public Space in the Age of Shrinking Democracy," edited by the UW's Jeff Hou, with Sabine Knierbein, was published by Routledge

Jeff Hou, UW professor of landscape architecture, discusses the new book he co-edited with Sabine Knierbein, “City Unsilenced: Urban Resistance and Public Space in the Age of Shrinking Democracy.”


September 6, 2017

Earth as hybrid planet: New classification scheme places Anthropocene era in astrobiological context

A team of researchers including the UW’s Marina Alberti has devised a new classification scheme for the evolutionary stages of worlds based on “non-equilibrium thermodynamics” — a planet’s energy flow being out of synch, as the presence of life could cause.


July 20, 2017

Birds versus buildings: Rural structures pose greater relative threat than urban ones

Large buildings in rural areas pose a greater threat to birds than if those same-sized buildings were located in an urban area, according to new research to which three University of Washington researchers contributed.


May 18, 2017

Washington state house prices up 12.1 percent compared to the first quarter of last year

Washington state’s housing market showed the continuing effects of high demand in the first quarter of 2017, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.


May 3, 2017

University of Washington, City of Tacoma announce Livable City Year partnership for 2017-2018

City of Tacoma

The UW’s Livable City Year program has selected the City of Tacoma as the program’s community partner for the 2017-2018 academic year.


April 20, 2017

Toward greener construction: UW professor leads group setting benchmarks for carbon across life of buildings

A UW-led research group has taken an important step toward measuring — and ultimately reducing — the global carbon footprint of building construction and long-term maintenance.


January 3, 2017

University of Washington-led study shows new global evidence of the role of humans, urbanization in rapid evolution

A new multi-institution study led by the UW shows more clearly than ever that urbanization is affecting the genetic makeup of species that are crucial to ecosystem health and success.


November 14, 2016

State’s housing market strong in third quarter of 2016

Washington state’s housing market remained strong in the third quarter of 2016, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.


October 12, 2016

Cars vs. health: UW’s Moudon, Dannenberg contribute to Lancet series on urban planning, public health

Automobiles — and the planning and infrastructure to support them — are making our cities sick, says an international group of researchers now publishing a three-part series in the British medical journal The Lancet.


October 4, 2016

First Livable City Year projects underway; kickoff event Oct. 6

walking across red square

The Livable City Year program will formally celebrate the start of its first year at 10 a.m. Oct. 6 at wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House on the UW’s campus in a kickoff event open to all. Professors leading Livable City Year courses this fall will talk about their projects, followed by time for Q&A.


August 30, 2016

UW student partners with WSECU for temporary art exhibit in the University District

People standing in the vacant lot

Most landscape architecture projects conjure up an image of a permanent structure meant to be experienced indefinitely. But for Britton Shepard, a 2016 graduate of the University of Washington’s landscape architecture master’s program, it means exploring the temporary nature of urban terrains. Earlier this year, Shepard brought life back to a vacant and demolished lot…


University of Washington and City of Auburn launch first Livable City Year partnership

photo of downtown auburn

The University of Washington has begun a yearlong partnership with the City of Auburn, under the new Livable City Year program. UW students and professors will work with the City of Auburn to advance the city’s goals for livability and sustainability throughout the upcoming academic year.


August 19, 2016

UW will host 2017 summer institute on teaching urban environmental issues

Faculty members from the UW College of Built Environments, Jackson School of International Studies and departments of French and Italian studies and history will team up in 2017 to give a new, three-week course for university and college instructors on urban environmental humanities.


August 9, 2016

New book ‘Cities that Think Like Planets’ imagines urban regions resilient to change

Marina Alberti's book "Cities that Think Like Planets: Complexity, Resilience, and Innovation in Hybrid Ecosystems" was published in July by University of Washington Press. Photo is the cover illustration of the book.

What does it mean for a city to “think like a planet”? Marina Alberti of the UW College of Built Environments discusses her new book, “Cities that Think Like Planets,” published by UW Press.


August 8, 2016

Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies names new permanent director

Simon Stevenson is the new director of the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the UW College of Built Environments.

Simon Stevenson of the United Kingdom’s University of Reading will be the next director of the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies, in the College of Built Environments.


July 28, 2016

Runstad Center report: Addressing condo construction defect liability may help promote affordable housing in Seattle

A new study from the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies suggests that Seattle and Washington state could invite development of more affordable housing by easing the legal risk — or the appearance of risk — in condominium development, construction, liability and insurance.


May 12, 2016

Washington home prices up 8.1 percent over last year in first quarter of 2016

A home with a for-sale sign in front. Story says: Washington state's housing market remained strong in the second quarter of 2016.

Washington state’s housing market showed the continuing effects of low supply in the first quarter of 2016, with sales limited and most markets less affordable, according to the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.


May 4, 2016

Urban planning symposium May 5 addresses ‘The Future City’

What possible future scenarios lie ahead for urban design, and how will big data and new technologies affect science and decision-making? The UW Graduate School’s Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Urban Design and Planning will tackle such questions in a daylong symposium May 5.


April 29, 2016

Architecture professor Jeffrey Ochsner featured in young filmmaker’s Gum Wall documentary screening May 1

A still from Celia Jensen's film "The Secret Life of a Gum Wall," in which Jeffrey Ochsner, UW professor of architecture, appears.

When 8-year-old filmmaker Celia Jensen and her dad decided to make a film about Seattle’s Gum Wall, Jeffrey Ochsner, professor of architecture and associate dean for academic affairs in the UW College of Built Environments, was happy to help.


March 29, 2016

UW to create new real estate minor with gift from Windermere Real Estate founder John Jacobi

The University of Washington will create an undergraduate minor in real estate studies thanks to a $5.4 million gift from retired Windermere Real Estate founder John Jacobi and his wife, Rosalind. The Jacobis’ gift will also support two new endowed faculty chairs at the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the UW’s College of Built Environments.


December 1, 2015

Washington state home prices up, sales down in third quarter of 2015

Home sale prices increased but sales themselves were fewer in Washington state in the third quarter of 2015, according to the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the UW’s College of Built Environments.


May 8, 2015

New book celebrates work, legacy of UW landscape architect Richard Haag

Thaisa Way's book on landscape architect Richard Haag was published by University of Washington Press.

Thaisa Way, associate professor of landscape architecture in the UW College of Built Environments, discusses her book, “The Landscape Architecture of Richard Haag: From Modern Space to Urban Ecological Design.”


February 25, 2015

Arts Roundup: Music, drama — and Mark Morris Dance Group

As February ends and March begins, the arts present a variety of events. In drama, the Undergraduate Theater Society’s production of “Cabaret” continues and the School of Drama opens the slapstick satire, “The Hostage.” In music, Piano Professor Robin McCabe gears up for her faculty recital. Meanwhile, students in the Dance Program prepare for the Dance Majors Concert.


February 18, 2015

Fearless birds and shrinking salmon: Is urbanization pushing Earth’s evolution to a tipping point?

We’ve long known that humans and our cities affect the ecosystem and even drive some evolutionary change. What’s new is that these evolutionary changes are happening more quickly than previously thought, and have potential impacts not in the distant future — but now.


February 11, 2015

Statewide home prices leveling off, but affordability woes linger

A house for sale.

Home sale prices were down in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to the third quarter but up compared with the previous year, and the rate of home sales also dropped, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.


January 9, 2015

Gould Pavilion: New look, educational space, exhibition gallery

Gould Pavilion rendering

The UW College of Built Environments has rebooted the east end of its Gould Hall home, creating an expanded area for collaboration and a new gallery to exhibit work from national and international sources as well as the college’s student, faculty and alumni.


January 7, 2015

Arts Roundup: Lectures, ArtBreak – and the Takács Quartet

Melia Watras

Welcome back to a new year and new quarter! Henry Art Gallery kicks off the first Arts Roundup of the year with an assortment of events related to the exhibit “Ann Hamilton: the common S E N S E,” including a lecture presented by Seattle Arts and Lectures and an unusual exhibition tour with ArtVenture.


December 19, 2014

UW architecture students to design, build public pavilion on Seattle’s waterfront

A drawing of the proposed Hotspot Pavilion on Seattle's waterfront, to be designed and built by UW architecture students. THe south end, to the right, will have a performance stage.

UW architecture students will design and build a new temporary event pavilion and Internet hub for the Seattle waterfront.


November 14, 2014

Home prices up, sales down in third quarter of 2014

A house for sale.

In the third quarter of 2014, home sale prices increased, but sales themselves were fewer in Washington state. The statewide median sales price for a single family home stood at $277,100 according to the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. This is an increase of 2.3 percent from…


November 4, 2014

‘Future proofing’: Present protections against challenges to come

You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for it — that’s the thinking behind architect (and architecture graduate student and UW staff member) Brian Rich and his principles of “future proofing” existing and historical buildings.


July 23, 2014

Historical guide ‘Shaping Seattle Architecture’ returns in second edition

The second edition of "Shaping Seattle Architecture" is out from University of Washington Press.

Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, UW professor of architecture, discusses the second edition of “Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects.” Ochsner edited both editions, working with a five-person editorial board.


June 11, 2014

Memorial June 15 for UW photographer, lecturer John Stamets

  John Stamets, longtime University of Washington photographer and lecturer in the Department of Architecture, died last weekend. He was 64. He is remembered as a talented photographer and a dedicated teacher and mentor to students. There will be a public celebration of Stamets’ life and work from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 15,…


February 11, 2014

Washington housing market uneven in fourth quarter 2013

A home with a for-sale sign in front. Story says: Washington state's housing market remained strong in the second quarter of 2016.

Washington state’s housing market softened in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the quarter before, but remained stronger than a year ago, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.



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