University of Washington Life Sciences Building

University of Washington Life Sciences Building

The new Life Sciences Building is located between the Burke-Gilman Trail and Stevens Way on the UW campus. The Biology Department’s curriculum hinges on the highly distinctive prehistoric plant palette housed within the building’s new greenhouses. Working with the greenhouse and biology staff, GGN is selecting species for the exterior palette that continue the story of ancient botany from interior to exterior: from Bryophytes to vascular Pteridophytes to Gymnosperms to the radiation of early flowering plants, Angiosperms.

In addition to the unique plant palette that surrounds the Life Sciences Building, the landscape design includes intimate seating areas and larger public gathering spaces, pathways, porous paving, and habitat walls. To enhance campus habitat value and user access to this tremendous campus resource, GGN utilizes these habitat walls to navigate over fifteen feet of grade change and to uniquely capture and pool water to support insects, frogs, and birds.

Details

Location: Seattle, WA
Size: 2.3 acres
Client: University of Washington Biology Department
Completion Date: 2018

Project Team

Perkins + Will, Architect
GGN, Landscape Architect
Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Engineers
Skanska, GCCM

Services Provided

Conceptual Design -
Construction Documentation

Certifications

LEED Gold