News releases

July 2, 2025

UW selects Studio Tsien as the architects for Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center

The University of Washington today announced the selection of Studio Tsien to design the Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center. The UW Architectural Commission made the recommendation in June.

The New York-based firm, led by Billie Tsien, Jennifer Dempsey and Alex Odom, was selected following a national search. Commission members were impressed by Studio Tsien’s distinguished experience designing public buildings, its creative approach and its leaders’ commitment to authentic collaboration. The firm’s work evokes deep sensory, emotional and transformative designs that reflect the values of the institution.

Principal architect Billie Tsien is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning designer who’s known for her visionary work of premier cultural and civic projects. Among her previous commissions, as a founding partner of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, along with Tod Williams, are the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, and numerous buildings on college and university campuses.

“For many students and families, the Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center will be the first place they visit on the UW campus. This is a place to start, a bridge that will symbolize the beginning of a journey to discover their passions, talents and potential,” said UW Provost Tricia Serio. “This partnership with a distinguished architectural firm offers an opportunity to create a space that reflects the UW’s vision, values and reputation.”

Named for the University of Washington’s outgoing president, the Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center will serve as a gateway for prospective and current students, families, alumni and the public. At a time when the number of high school graduates is projected to decline, the Center will help UW make connections with the future generations of Huskies. The building will be a central point on campus where people can learn about the University’s mission and the impact UW researchers and alumni are making in communities around our region, the state of Washington, the nation and the world. The Welcome Center also will include dynamic multi-use spaces to accommodate the University’s evolving needs.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this project which at its heart is about welcome. We all need to feel welcome in order to be curious and to learn,” Tsien said. “Together we will design a building that is a physical embodiment of UW’s vision: a place that inspires, connects and empowers generations to come.”

In the coming weeks and months, Studio Tsien will begin work with the UW by meeting with stakeholders, spending time on campus and beginning the process of designing a world-class building.

The UW Architectural Commission is comprised of leading experts in architecture and urban planning from across the country, including faculty from the UW College of Built Environments. Established in 1957, the Commission advises on campus design, planning and preservation by reviewing projects and ensuring the aesthetic, functional and environmental integrity of university spaces. The Commission works with a UW Project Slating Committee, comprised of university officials and construction partners, to develop a field of prospective architecture firms.

Construction of the $61 million project will be primarily funded through philanthropic support. Pacific Northwest-based Lease Crutcher Lewis was selected as the general contractor. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026 and be completed in 2028.

For more information, contact Victor Balta at balta@uw.edu or 206-543-2580.

Tag(s): Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center • Office of the University Architect

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