History of Gould Gallery

Members of our CBE community came together to augment our space on campus by creating the Gould Pavilion, an addition to Gould Hall comprised of both exhibition and educational space in the form of three galleries and a multifunctional studio/classroom. The creation of the gallery and studio space has allowed us to showcase and enhance all of our disciplines through exhibition, contribute valuable flexible educational space for seminars and studios, and foster a culture of cross-disciplinary ideas and research that impact our community at large.

Our friends, alumni, partners, and community supported the naming of three gallery spaces, the foyer entrance, and the studio to recognize the impact each of the individuals has had on design—locally, nationally, and internationally:

Named Spaces

Jim Olson Gallery

Jim Olson is a founding partner of Olson Kundig Architects in Seattle. He graduated from the UW College of Built Environments with a BA in Architecture in 1963. Olson is best known designing residential home with a specialization in designing houses for art collectors. Olson’s work is characterized by careful framing and light; he will often frame a particular view of the sky, a mountain, or a lake through a window, as if it was a piece of artwork. Regional commercial designs include Lightcatcher at the Whatcom County Museum, Bellevue Botanical Garden Visitor Center, and the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum. Olson was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 1990 and in 2009 Olson Kundig Architects was awarded the Architecture Firm Award.

Norman Johnston and L. Jane Hastings Gallery

Norman Johnston and L. Jane Hastings are both alumni of the University of Washington. Johnston graduated with a bachelor degree in art in 1942 and later became a professor of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design and planning. Johnston is credited with helping establish the College library, the Visual Resources Collection, and helped build the collection of architectural drawings and papers held in the UW Libraries Special Collections Division. Johnston was also a founding member of Allied Arts of Seattle and led efforts to eliminate billboards in Washington state. L. Jane Hastings graduated from UW with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1952. She was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 1980 and was the first woman to serve as the organization’s chancellor. The Hastings Group designed more than 500 buildings, mostly residential, in the Seattle area. Hastings lectured at both the University of Washington and Seattle Community College. She is an active member of the International Union of Women Architects.

George Suyama Gallery

George Suyama graduated from the College of Built Environments with a BA in Architecture in 1967. Suyama finds influence for his work through nature, simplicity, his appreciation for antiques, craftsmanship and Japanese culture. He is known for his use of exposed materials like concrete, wood, and metal and intentional alliance with the outside environment. Suyama founded George Suyama Architecture in 1971, which shifted to Suyama Peterson Deguchi Architects in 2003. The firm is the recipient of six American Institute of Architects awards. In 1993, Suyama was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows and has won numerous awards including the AIA/Seattle Medal of Honor in 2009 and the Hall of Fame Award from Residential Architect Magazine in 2013. Suyama has participated in a number of local and national organizations.

Myer Wolfe Foyer

Myer Richard (Mike) Wolfe earned a bachelor’s of architecture from the University of New Hampshire in 1940 and a master’s of Regional Planning from Cornell University in 1947. Wolfe served as a faculty member at the University of Washington from 1949 until his retirement in 1983. Prior to his teaching and leadership roles at UW he traveled around the country and the world—including Tennessee, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Yugoslavia—to consult on city planning issues. Wolfe also earned two Fulbright Fellowships, one to Denmark (1956) and one to Italy (1965) to study global planning trends. He was a foundational teacher of city planning and urban design. In 1956 Wolfe helped develop the curriculum for the university’s new bachelor of urban planning degree and in 1962 was appointed to be the first chair for the new Department of Urban Planning, a position he held through 1967. In 1979, Wolfe was appointed dean for the College of Architecture and Urban Planning and served in the position through 1982, planning to retire the following year. For his years of service to the UW, Wolfe was inducted into the College’s Roll of Honor in 1990. Wolfe also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II.

McKinley Futures Studio

David McKinley, FAIA graduated from the College of Built Environments in 1953. At the time, he was already thinking of the future, what it will look like, how people will move around, and where food will come from. Dave served as 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from 1954-1956. After working for the Army Corps of Engineers, McKinley joined partnered with Paul Hayden Kirk and later helped form the firm Kirk Wallace McKinley & Associates. In 1978, he assumed the position of president of The McKinley Architects and in 1989 served as chair of McKinley Gordon Architects. An instrumental architect involved in constructing many Seattle’s icons including the UW’s Red Square and buildings for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair—David sought to ensure that the UW continued producing visionary and bold built environment professionals. In 1999, the AIA Seattle Board of Directors honored McKinley with the AIA Seattle Medal for his contributions to Northwest’s modern design. Together with his wife Jan, they established the Jeanette and David McKinley Endowment for the Design of Future Architectural Environments – dedicated to the visionary ideal of the future of environmental design fields, which Dave has long advocated for.

Community supporters

We appreciate the members of our community who generously supported the creation of the Gould Gallery, foyer, and studio: