Social capital is the social and psychological well-being and sense of belonging people feel when they are part of a community. “It’s the glue that holds communities together,” according to the book Envisioning Better Cities: A Global Tour of Good Ideas.
Written by UW communication professor emerita Nancy K. Rivenburgh and Patricia Chase, founder of a Seattle-based sustainable development firm, the book explores what makes cities more livable – ideas that could easily apply to the University.
“The key ingredients of social capital,” the authors note, “are norms of trust, reciprocity, collaboration, and information exchange. When these are present, and strong, people are willing to do things for each other; they are willing to pursue common goals.”
A brief history
Designed by UW architecture alumni Paul Hayden Kirk and Victor Steinbrueck, who also was on the faculty, the Faculty Club – later named the UW Club – opened in 1960. The building is a regional adaptation of the principles of Modern architecture and the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, according to the book Shaping Seattle Architecture edited by UW faculty member Jeffrey Karl Ochsner.
Located on the east side of campus, across the street from the HUB, the club is perched on the original site of the Hoo-Hoo House, a clubhouse for the fraternal organization International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, whose members socialized there during the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Following the exposition, the Hoo-Hoo House was given to the University and served as the Faculty Club until 1959 when it was torn down to make way for the current UW Club.
The UW Club, constructed of brick, stucco, glass and steel, is cantilevered over the hillside with an expansive wall of windows that open up the view across Lake Washington to the Cascades. Several areas of the UW Club feature repurposed wood from the Hoo-Hoo House.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 and designated as a Seattle landmark in 2021, the club has been the site of many job interviews, onboarding lunches, weddings, lectures, retirement send-offs, unit meetings, holiday celebrations and happy hours. For a time, the UW Farm even distributed its weekly vegetable baskets from the UW Club. And during the pandemic, thousands of participants in the Seattle Flu Study took Covid tests at the UW Club.
Learn more
- Memories of the UW Club
- Architect Paul Hayden Kirk
- Architect Victor Steinbruek
- UW Club Seattle landmark application
- Shaping Seattle Architecture: Historical Guide to the Architects edited by UW faculty member Jeffrey Karl Ochsner.
These norms are cultivated in communication-rich environments that promote social connection, are open to all types of people, and are places or spaces that are tied to a particular neighborhood or geographic community.
For nearly 60 years, the University of Washington Club was one of those places on the Seattle campus. First for faculty and later expanded to staff and retirees until it closed in 2020. And now, the UW Club is beginning a new chapter as a gathering place for faculty, staff, retirees and alumni.
Under the leadership of Paul Rucker, vice president for Alumni and Stakeholder Engagement, and in partnership with the UW Alumni and Retirement Associations (UWAA and UWRA, respectively), the club is reactivating as a venue for events, meetings, co-working, salons and performances.
After hearing from many faculty about this rich history and the sense of community the UW Club built, I commissioned a feasibility analysis of the building in order to develop financial projections for future renovation and use. Admittedly, the building has its challenges, including significant deferred maintenance and outdated systems. Even so, the building is suitable now for limited use for events and meetings, and the decommissioned kitchen is being recertified as a catering facility where outside food can be warmed and served.
Each Thursday the building comes alive at 8:30 a.m. starting with free coffee sponsored by the UW Retirement Association. Spaces for co-working and bring-your-own lunches are available throughout the day until 5 p.m.
I’m particularly excited about the salons presented on select Thursdays in partnership with the College of Arts & Sciences. The Space for Practice, Art, Reflection and Kinship (SPARK) Salons, organized by Ted Poor, associate director in the School of Music and a member of the Provost’s Academy, are in-person, multi-disciplinary arts gatherings designed to bring the UW community together.
The salons will highlight campus artists in a casual atmosphere through engaging performances and conversations. It’s an opportunity to learn about the artistic process and the work and experiences of others, as Ted explains. Each salon will be different. The club will be the constant.
The first salon is 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20 with a performance by Rachael Lincoln, associate professor, Dance; Michael Swaine, associate professor, 3D4M: ceramics + glass + sculpture; and Jonathan Rodriguez,who graduated with a doctor of musical arts degree in 2022. A happy hour cash bar will be open throughout the event and until 6:30 p.m.
Future SPARK Salons are set for Thursday, Jan. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 19. For details check back here, or contact Ted at tedpoor@uw.edu.
More than ever, our community needs a physical space to gather for conversation and connections. With the UW Club, the possibilities are endless. Student-led workshops. Lectures. Book clubs. Trivia nights. Music. Pop-up classes. Knitting circles! If you have ideas or feedback, feel free to reach out to Paul, vpase@uw.edu.
For now, I invite you to consider hosting your next meeting or event there or drop by on a Thursday. I hope to see you there.
As we explore and plan for its future, we are reinforcing our commitment to optimizing and leveraging the club’s current benefits and impact. I am grateful to the leadership of the UWAA and UWRA for their financial support of these community building initiatives during this period of financial challenges, just as they have supported staff and faculty for generations.
While the building itself is a treasure, what’s most significant is what happens within its walls — the connections, memories, conversations, exchange of ideas, and broadening of perspectives. I appreciate the many faculty, staff, retirees and alumni who are a part of the history — and the future — of this space, and I look forward to your partnership and ongoing support in envisioning the next phase of the UW Club.