UW Mary Gates Hall
mary gates hall, university of washington
Seattle, Washington
Client
University of Washington
size
185,000 sf
year
2000
Awards
2003, AIA Washington DC, Merit Award in Historic Resources
2001, Architectural Woodwork Institute, Award of Excellence
2001, Excellence in Masonry, Honorable Mention
2001, Mason Contractors Association of America, Honorable Mention
2000, Masonry Institute of Washington, Honor Award
Mary Gates Hall houses over 40 classrooms that support the University of Washington’s teaching faculty and fosters interactive student learning. The project consists of a 55,000-square-foot addition joined to the 1928 and 1948 Collegiate Gothic building, organized around a new central commons. The building was originally designed by John Graham, and features a concrete structure and masonry exterior.
Mary Gates Hall integrates a range of student programs and services that engage undergraduates in experiential learning through service, research, and leadership. Classrooms vary in function and size to include breakout rooms, larger classrooms, and lecture halls. These technologically-intensive environments enable faculty to teach large groups of students and collaborate with groups outside the University. The commons is the architectural and symbolic heart; inviting students to exchange ideas. This space provides room for receptions, registration, concerts, and meetings.
The original building had multiple additions, damaging much of the original historic fabric. Historic wings were preserved, and the more recent additions were removed. To create a holistic architectural gesture in the center of the historic campus, new construction was designed as a seamless addition to the original collegiate Gothic structure. The original building windows were replaced and the masonry was cleaned and re-pointed. Details for the addition were made from molds taken from the original cast stone details.
