Department of Architecture

January 16, 2026

ArtSci Roundup: February

Come curious. Leave inspired. While February might be just 28 days, the UW offers an exciting lineup of more than 40 in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. And you don’t have to wait until February—take a look at everything still happening this January. In addition, sign up to receive a monthly notice when the ArtSci Roundup…

June 7, 2023

Video: UW Architecture’s bench project turns an idea into an experience

In UW Architecture’s Making and Meaning class, students built benches to learn about design and construction, and to create community.

April 14, 2023

ArtSci RoundUp: Learn Korean through K-Pop, Discussions on Public University Prospects, Poetry Lecture and more

This week, explore the idea of reconstructed public universities with Christopher Newfield, engage with leaders from the Makah Nation in Washington State on exercising sovereignty, discover the singer in you by learning Korean through K-Pop, and more. April 18, 5:30 PM | HU Tai-Li Memorial Lecture and Film Screening with Scott Simon, Burke Museum The UW Taiwan Studies Arts & Culture Program is honored to host a memorial film screening and lecture honoring Dr. HU Tai-Li. In memory of Dr….

May 24, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Vikram Prakash: “One Continuous Line: Art, Architecture and Urbanism of Aditya Prakash,” Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity Annual Conference: Quarantining While Black, and More

During this time of uncertainty and isolation, find solace in digital opportunities to connect, share, and engage. Each week, we will share upcoming events that bring the UW, and the greater community, together online. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom Pro via UW-IT. Spring Concert: Percussion Ensemble and UW Steel Band June 4, 7:30 PM | Online via YouTube The UW Percussion Ensemble (Bonnie Whiting, Chair of Percussion Studies and…

September 2, 2020

UW Books: Climate change meets restoration science in ‘Anticipating Future Environments’; ‘Building Reuse’ in paperback — and Anu Taranath’s ‘Beyond Guilt Trips’ named a Washington State Book Award finalist

Recent news about UW-authored books includes a UW Press book on salmon habitat restoration amid climate change and a paperback edition of a book on building reuse. Also, Anu Taranath’s “Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World” is a Washington State Book Award finalist.

July 16, 2020

Faculty/staff honors: ‘Architect’ magazine award, national society president-elect, library research honor — and runner-up for a national award for young scientists

A photo from the video installation "The Age of the Kampuchea Picture" at UW Libraries. 2017.

Recent honors to University of Washington faculty and staff have come from Architect magazine, the Center for Research Libraries, member states of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the American Society of Human Genetics.

March 17, 2020

‘It’s a good test’: UW faculty, students adjust to an online end to the quarter, prepare for spring

This wasn’t how LaShawnDa Pittman expected to give her final exam review: At her kitchen table, laptop open, coffee cup at the ready, her 12-year-old Chihuahua named Espresso by her side. But as the first week of the University of Washington’s shift to online classes drew to a close, Pittman, an assistant professor of American Ethnic Studies, was talking with her students over the conferencing platform Zoom, first to answer logistical questions about the upcoming exam, then to provide a…

March 10, 2020

UW faculty join radio debate on climate change solutions

KUOW’s That’s Debatable on Wednesday will feature two University of Washington faculty members: Dan Schwartz, professor of chemical engineering and director of the Clean Energy Institute, and Kate Simonen, upcoming chair of the Department of Architecture and director of the Carbon Leadership Forum.

March 9, 2020

Book notes: UW architectural historian Tyler Sprague explores the work of Kingdome designer Jack Christiansen

Tyler Sprague is an assistant professor of architecture who studies and teaches structural design and architectural history. A former structural engineer himself, Sprague is the author of "Sculpture on a Grand Scale: Jack Christiansen's Thin Shell Modernism."

A talk with UW architecture professor Tyler Sprague about his book “Sculpture on a Grand Scale: Jack Christiansen’s Thin Shell Modernism.” Plus books from Rick Bonus and Yong-Chool Ha.

February 18, 2020

Campus podcasts: UW Tacoma, architecture, science papers explained

It’s the year 2020, and where two or more are gathered, it seems, there is a podcast. Given the level of creativity among University of Washington faculty and staff, it’s no surprise that many high-quality podcasts are now being produced on campus. Here’s a look at three podcasts being created by UW departments or people, including a couple that have been underway for quite a while. UW Notebook will occasionally report on campus podcasts and ask a few questions of…

December 19, 2019

Mindful travel, Silicon Valley’s evolution, Schumann on viola, Seattle history — UW-authored books, music for the Husky on your list

A list of several UW-authored books and cds that might make good holiday gifts.

A teacher discusses respectful world travel, a historian explores Silicon Valley’s evolution, a professor and violist plays the music of Robert Schumann and a late English faculty member’s meditation on Seattle returns … Here’s a quick look at some gift-worthy books and music created by UW faculty in the last year — and a reminder of some recent favorites. O’Mara’s ‘Code’: History professor Margaret O’Mara provides a sweeping history of California’s computer industry titans in her book “The Code:…

April 9, 2019

ArtsUW Roundup: The Hip Hop Architect, Anne Focke Leadership Award, Basara 婆娑羅 and the Medieval Origins of Japanese Maximalism, and more!

This week in the arts, celebrate 100 years of influence of the iconic choreographer Merce Cunningham; attend an East African Retro Pop concert with Alsarah and the Nubatrones, attend a graduation exhibition opening the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, and more. The Hip Hop Architect: Michael Ford April 10, 6:30 pm | Kane Hall, Room 130 The College of Built Environments is proud to host an evening with Michael Ford, a featured architect with BRANDNU Design. Ford is the Co-Founder of The…

December 13, 2018

Hark! UW talents — on page and disc — for the good Dawgs on your holiday shopping list

As the year comes to a close and festivities abound, some UW faculty creations can make great gifts for the thinking Dawg on your giving list.

December 3, 2018

‘Carbon accountability’: UW architecture professor Kate Simonen sees progress in work to reduce embodied carbon in construction materials

Kate Simonen, UW professor of architecture and head of the Carbon Leadership Forum

Kate Simonen, architect, engineer and UW associate professor of architecture, discusses recent work by her and the Carbon Leadership Forum toward reducing embodied carbon in construction materials.

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.

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 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.

January 9, 2015

Gould Pavilion: New look, educational space, exhibition gallery

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.

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 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.

September 22, 2014

New degree programs aplenty starting with school year

The University of Washington is offering a number of new degree programs with the start of fall quarter 2014.

Through new degree programs starting this fall, students will learn architecture from a liberal arts perspective, complete social sciences degrees online, become expert in the teaching of science, and much more.

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, in the courtyard on the main floor of Gould Hall. Stamets joined the UW faculty in 1992 and ran the Architecture Photo Lab in the…

April 23, 2013

A greener concrete? UW-led coalition seeks to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint

Concrete is used to build streets, bridges, buildings, dams and driveways — and it lasts a very long time — but what if concrete could be made with a 50 percent smaller carbon footprint?

January 17, 2013

UW students envision designs for a school for girls in Afghanistan — with slide show

Illustration of a school for girls in Afghanistan

The classroom challenge: Design a school for girls in Afghanistan that’s pleasant and safe, using available materials.