The College of Built Environments community has much to celebrate as we say farewell to the 2025-26 academic year. As spring comes to an end, we’re looking back at and celebrating all the exciting events and news from the quarter. In this news recap, we congratulate the Class of 2026, welcome new leadership in the Department of Landscape Architecture, highlight innovative research and partnerships and recap exhibitions and events from spring quarter.
Explore the latest news, accomplishments and stories from across the College of Built Environments.
Featured news
Congratulations, Class of 2026!
Last week, graduates from across the College crossed the stage in Gould Court and Architecture Hall from Thursday, June 11 to Saturday, June 13, marking the culmination of years of learning, collaboration, creativity and perseverance.
As Dean Ken Yocom shared in his commencement remarks, the work ahead calls for confidence in what we know, humility in what we still have to learn and responsibility for the communities our work touches. These graduates leave CBE prepared to shape more equitable, sustainable and resilient futures through the built environment.
This milestone also reflects the dedication of the faculty and staff who have mentored, challenged and supported students throughout their academic journeys. During commencement ceremonies, several faculty and staff members were recognized for their outstanding contributions to our community.
View photos from graduation and the 2026 student, staff and faculty awards.
Recent Updates
Catherine De Almeida announced new Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture
The College of Built Environments announces the appointment of Catherine De Almeida as Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture. A nationally recognized scholar and designer, De Almeida will lead the department’s teaching, research and community engagement efforts beginning this June.
Housing Futures Center invited to join the new Eviction Data Response Network (EDRN)
The Housing Futures Center (HFC) has been selected by New America’s Future of Land & Housing (FLH) program to join the Eviction Data Response Network (EDRN) along with 10 other state-level teams to help build data infrastructure and turn eviction data into eviction prevention.
Keeping watch on a one-of-a-kind bridge
CEE Assistant Professor Travis Thonstad and Professor Michael Motley, partnering with UW Mobility Innovation Center Director Bart Treece and Construction Management Professor Carrie Sturts Dossick, created a digital twin of the I-90 Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge to monitor the world’s first floating light rail crossing.
Learn more about the I-90 digital twin
Events and exhibitions recap
CITY ERASED connects Seattle’s past to its future
CITY ERASED: Mapping Seattle’s Highway Cut reconstructs the neighborhoods and communities displaced by the construction of I-5 through archival research, mapping and digital storytelling. The exhibition was recently featured in The Seattle Times’ Pacific NW Magazine.
Read more about CITY ERASED
View photos from exhibition below.
Showcasing research and creativity at the 2026 CBE Mentor Program Spring Celebration
The College of Built Environments celebrated the conclusion of the 2025-26 CBE Mentor Program with a spring event in Gould Hall alongside FrameWorks: UNITED, UNBOUND, UNSEEN, an AIAS UW exhibition highlighting student projects, research and creative work from across the academic year.
Read more about the celebration
View photos from event below.
CBE research showcase honors Anne Vernez Moudon’s legacy
“From Ideas to Impact,” a combined research showcase and PhD symposium at UW, honored Anne Vernez Moudon’s legacy while highlighting student and faculty research across the built environment. Their research explored key themes in her research, such as urban morphology and design, transportation and mobility, and active living and public health.
Read more about the research showcase
View photos from symposium below.
Designing, crafting and building community: 30 years of design/build in landscape architecture
The Department of Landscape Architecture celebrated 30 years of its Design/Build program through a multimedia exhibition in Gould Gallery. Featuring voices from past and present participants, the exhibition reflected on three decades of community-centered learning, hands-on construction and the lasting impact of projects that address social justice, sustainability and environmental stewardship through design.
Read more about Designing, crafting and building community
View photos from exhibition below.
‘Designing, Crafting, and Building Community’ at Gould Gallery
In the media
Steven Bourassa from the Runstad Department of Real Estate shares insight into what a recent increase in housing inventory could mean for buyers and sellers across the Puget Sound region. | King 5
Professor of Urban Design and Planning Marina Alberti discusses her new research exploring how evolutionary change can affect the long-term performance of nature-based solutions in a recent Q&A. | UW News
A project by architecture professors Ken Oshima and Rob Hutchison was featured in an article exploring various DADUs (detached accessory dwelling units) in Seattle — colloquially known as ‘backyard cottages’ — to highlight these new micro homes and share what they signal about the future of domestic space. | The Seattle Times
BLA alumna and PhD candidate Lisa Beyeler-Yvarra at Yale Architecture was awarded the Tsao Family Rome Prize for her work “New Dispensations: Catholic Property, Global Capital, and the Making of the Transpacific.” | Yale Architecture
Keep up-to-date with the latest news from CBE by visiting our news and events page.
More photos from spring quarter
This year, our CBE Mentor Program Spring Celebration was held in conjunction with FrameWorks, an exhibition shwcasing student creativity and research.
FrameWorks, presented by AIAS UW, brought together a wide variety of student projects and research across all disciplines of the built envrionments.
Alligator made from salvaged material as part of a project for ARCH 200.
President Jones viewing CITY ERASED exhibit during his visit to Gould Hall this spring.
Students present their sketches during an urban sketching workshop with Mario Linhares.
This year's UDP/BE PhD Symposium was dedicated to the late Professor Anne Vernez Moudon, focusing on themes around urban morphology and design, transportation and mobility, and active living and public health
Graduating seniors in CM 412: Construction Practice met for their final session to hear from industry professionals and receive their hard hats for graduation.
Families and friends joined us in Gould and Architecture Hall this June to celebrate the graduating Class of 2026.
Congratulations, Class of 2026!