Emerging elegantly from Gould Hall’s Brutalist gray concrete exterior, the College of Built Environments’ Gould Gallery features works of societal impact.
Category: In the Media
Finding Your Place: How unaffordable housing drives homelessness
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, joined NPR’s Marketplace Morning Report to discuss the common myths believed to be the primary drivers of homelessness versus the actually demonstrated linkages between housing demand and pricing despite the varied wealth of cities. | Marketplace Morning Report
College of Built Environments Faculty and Student receive Husky Sustainability Awards 2023
The Husky Sustainability Awards recognize individuals and groups across all University of Washington campuses who lead the way for sustainability at the University of Washington. This is the 14th year awards have been given by the UW Environmental Stewardship Committee.
University of Washington is a core member of newly announced New York Climate Exchange
UW will be a core member of a consortium led by Stony Brook University that will build and operate The New York Climate Exchange – a carbon-neutral international hub focused on climate action and adaptation. | UW News
Urban@UW Announces the 2023 Research to Action Collaboratory Inaugural Cohort
Urban@UW is excited to announce the project teams selected for the inaugural cohort of the Research to Action Collaboratory (RAC). Throughout the next 18 months, Urban@UW will work with these teams and provide seed funds, dedicated time to build team cohesion and collaboration skills, and foster opportunities for peer support and shared resources and learning.
UW’s Green Futures Lab: Building wetlands to sustain salmon
The Green Futures Lab strives to create habitat and cleaner waterways through the use of floating wetlands. Check out this great video from King County summarizing our Duwamish floating wetland project. | King County TV
Google’s exit from big Seattle-area project shows fleeting relationship between tech and communities
“What you’re seeing is just another recalibration of the sorts that have been going on for time immemorial between employers and communities,” said Chuck Wolfe, a multinational urbanism consultant and affiliate professor at the University of Washington. | Geek Wire
The obvious answer everyone is ignoring
The research from Gregg Colburn’s new book, Homelessness is a Housing Problem, is featured in a recent article in The Atlantic.
Benjamin F. McAdoo’s lasting legacy as an architect and activist
Associate Professor Tyler Sprague and senior architecture student Sierra Miles discuss the Benjamin McAdoo Research Collective, which seeks to share and cultivate appreciation for the work of Benjamin F. McAdoo, the first registered Black architect in Washington. | Seattle Times
Homeless People Need Homes – and Money, Too
Gregg Colburn, associate professor of real estate, discusses the relationship, or lack thereof, between homelessness and poverty, and what he believes is the true cause of homelessness. | Washington Post
Elevating the Spirit: Dean Renée Cheng on Architecture’s Role in Our Lives
Haley Ha, SAM’s Manager of Public Engagement at the Asian Art Museum, spoke with Dean Cheng about her background, why equity matters in architecture, and how architecture can respond to ecological concerns. Dean Cheng participated in the University Lecture of the 2022–2023 series at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. | SAMBlog
New faculty books: How your brain works, cycling around the world and more
H. Pike Oliver, affiliate instructor of real estate at UW, and co-author Michael Stockstill new book, “Transforming the Irvine Ranch: Joan Irvine, William Pereira, Ray Watson and The Big Plan”, talks about the history of the University of California campus and its impact on the development of the city.
UW expert says the housing market is the key factor causing homelessness
In this interview with KUOW, Gregg Colburn, associate professor of real estate, discusses his new book “Homelessness is a Housing Problem” and offers insight into how Seattle’s homelessness crisis might be addressed. | KUOW
Cause of homelessness? It’s not drugs or mental illness, researchers say
As more cities search for explanations and solutions to homelessness, leaders look to data. Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, is quoted. | Los Angeles Times
What Do We Want From Our Next Seattle?
Architecture graduate students provide options for dense and diverse housing. | The Urbanist
‘Something has to change:’ These architecture students are challenging Seattle’s housing norms
Architecture 508 Graduate Research Studio students talked about their ideas and solutions to add more housing in Seattle — a well-timed discussion as Seattle is updating its comprehensive plan. | KUOW
The Revolt Against Homelessness
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, provides answers to frequently asked questions about housing and homelessness. | The Atlantic
Mayor Harrell’s plan to combat Seattle homeless crisis draws praise
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate discusses his book and the city’s plan to end homelessness. | King 5
Beloved Communities: College of Built Environments students help historically Black churches survive gentrification
UW CBE students and faculty collaborated with the Nehemiah Initiative to help institutions in historically Black communities like churches and the people they serve survive rapid socioeconomic change. | UW Magazine
Why are condos in Seattle so rare and expensive?
James Young, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research, provides insight into why condominiums in Seattle have become rare and expensive. | KUOW
Mariam Kamara Could Profoundly Change Design Pedagogy Everywhere
Mariam Kamara, UW Department of Architecture alumna and Niger-based architect, discusses her revolutionary approaches to architecture pedagogy and design. | Metropolis
How One Architect’s Radical Ideas About Nature Changed American Cities Forever
Thaïsa Way, a professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, discusses the legacy of Fredrick Law Olmsted in the field of architecture. | Inverse
Disaster Management Cooperation in South Asia
Assistant Professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Urban Design and Planning Himanshu Grover argues that given the inherent challenges in regional cooperation in South Asia, it is worth exploring what an effective regional disaster response and risk reduction network architecture looks like. | NBR
What the humble clover means for the future of life in cities
A global study led by Professor Marina Alberti investigating the impact urbanization has had on white clover shows that the plant is adapting to survive alongside us in Puget Sound. | Crosscut
Is homelessness a housing problem? Two Seattle experts make their case in new book
There’s a big problem when it comes to fixing homelessness: The research-backed solution is not always the one the public agrees with. Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, is quoted and his new book is discussed. | The Seattle Times
Storied beams: Architectural annotations on resilience and survival in the Chinatown-International District
This is the first installment of an essay series annotating and exploring the intersection of history, architecture, and activism in the Chinatown International District. Jeff Hou, professor of architecture is quoted. | International Examiner
Plant-based data centers
Concrete creates huge carbon emissions. Why can’t data center builders turn that around, and use biological material that stores carbon instead? The Carbon Leadership Forum at the College of Built Environments research is quoted. | Data Center Dynamics
UW professor’s new book presents opportunity to ‘rethink housing’
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, believes housing market conditions — specifically, high housing and rental prices, and low vacancy rates — exacerbate economic and personal challenges for society’s most vulnerable. And it’s the housing market, aided by the private and public sectors, that can provide the solution. | UW News
Amazon allocates $42.5M to build 318 affordable apartments near Seattle area light rail stations
Amazon on Tuesday announced that it has allocated $42.5 million to help pay for the construction of 318 affordable apartments near two light rail stations in the greater Seattle area. Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, is quoted. | GeekWire
Spokane’s housing crunch
James Young, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington speaks on the housing needs in Spokane.
An online world that doesn’t destroy the real one
Three groups of student designers led by UW CBE faculty Drs. Julie Kriegh, Chris Lee and Jan Whittington took on a near-impossible challenge: low-carbon server farms.
Microsoft shares updates on its $750M affordable housing effort as homelessness crisis continues
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, and James Young, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate, discuss the role corporations play in solving the homelessness crisis.
GeekWire
Rising costs a headwind for commercial construction in 2022
The cost of construction materials rose during the fourth quarter at a national average of 1.5%, according to a new report. Seattle led the survey with a 5% quarterly increase. John Schaufelberger, professor and dean emeritus of construction management, is quoted. | Puget Sound Business Journal
Renovated Mills Offer a Perk in the Age of Social Distancing: Space
Developers are converting former grain, textile and water mills into vibrant destinations, saying they offer strategic locations, scenic views and flexible designs that offer ample room. Catherine De Almeida, assistant professor of landscape architecture at CBE is quoted. Source: The New York Times
Why are the B.C. floods so bad? Blame the wildfires, at least in part
Shortly after the end of a devastating wildfire season, many B.C. communities are cleaning up after disastrous floods that have swept away highways, submerged homes, triggered deadly landslides, stranded hundreds of people and forced thousands more to evacuate. Bob Freitag, senior lecturer of urban design, and planning at CBE is quoted. Source: CBC
The internet is killing the environment. These students came up with a brilliant design fix
To reduce the carbon footprint of the internet, students partner with Google and Microsoft to rethink the world’s data centers.
Could landmark designation save Seattle’s Memorial Stadium from demolition?
When Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a deal with Seattle Public Schools earlier this month — which includes a plan to demolish Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center — there was no mention of an option that would preserve and renovate the 74-year-old facility instead. Professor of Architecture, Jeffrey Ochsner quoted. Source: MyNorthwest
PODCAST | Why is Homelessness so Visible in Big West Coast Cities Right now?
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, joined ‘Top of Mind with Julie Rose’ to talk homelessness and housing and his upcoming book “Homelessness is a Housing Problem.”
Using Afrofuturism principles to keep, grow Black culture in Seattle’s Central District
Seattle’s Central District once was a Black neighborhood. New arrivals and rising property values have pushed African Americans out, but many who have stayed hope to preserve and grow the Black culture that remains. Donald King, professor of architecture, spoke with KNKX All Things Considered.
PODCAST | Kate Simonen on building decarbonization and scaling impact
Kate Simonen, chair of the Department of Architecture, joined Design the Future Podcast to talk decarbonization and scaling impact.
20 years after the Nisqually earthquake, are we better prepared for the Big One?
Amanda Siok, Master of Urban Planning alum and Department of Urban Design and Planning Affiliate Instructor, discusses earthquake preparedness. Source: The Seattle Times