OUT in FRONT: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, is a fresh take on a favorite biannual event by the UW Landscape Architecture Professional Advisory Council. OUT in FRONT is a showcase for local firms to share innovative and exciting design work with students and the larger professional design community. This year’s event encourages professionals to share work that highlights JEDI principles, practices, or inquiries.
CBE News
Honoring Black History Month
As we enter February, the CBE Diversity Council is proud to acknowledge and celebrate one of the most integral parts of the United States’ history. Black History Month serves to remember important people and events that shaped this country.
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
From the Dean: January 2023
After adopting our strategic framework nearly two years ago in 2021, the beginning of the year offers us a great opportunity to reflect and celebrate on what we have accomplished so far and where we plan to go. To learn more about our college’s efforts and outcomes towards these goals, please see the strategic plan implementation progress report.
Happy Year of the Rabbit
Diane Sugimura, Runstad Advisory Board member and Co-Chair of the Runstad Advisory Board EDI Committee, shares with us the history of the pan-Asian community in Seattle and her hope for the future.
Friday in Space — Chat with the ISS, and more!
Join us live on February 10 as Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate and longtime friend of NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, will moderate a discussion with astronaut Cassada, currently stationed on the ISS.
Meet Steven Bourassa
On August 8, Steven Bourassa joined the College of Built Environments as the Chair of the Department and the Jon and Judith Runstad Endowed Professor. CBE Runstad Department of Real Estate’s new chair shares what drew him to the role and what excites him about the future.
In Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.
This year, on Monday, January 16th, we honor the 40th anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday becoming federal law. Dr. King was a renowned civil rights leader and activist who believed deeply in equity and justice, and lived out his commitment to that in his words and actions.
Shantol Morgan (BLA ’25) awarded inaugural LAF Ignite Scholarship
Shantol Morgan, BLA 2025, has been awarded the LAF Ignite Scholarship, joining an inaugural cohort of four students. LAF Ignite is a unique program within the landscape architecture community and design professions, designed to overcome particular barriers faced by BIPOC students to stay in school, graduate, and enter landscape architecture practice.
Urban@UW launches the Research to Action Collaboratory, with initial funding from the Bullitt Foundation, to help collaborations achieve greater impact
The Research to Action Collaboratory (RAC), seeded by a catalytic $500,000 grant from the Bullitt Foundation, will bring together teams of UW scholars and community partners and support them with seed funds, intensive workshops to build team cohesion and collaboration skills, and peer support through the project cycles.
CBE hosts Project Pipeline, architecture camp for underrepresented youth
The College of Built Environments was happy to host NOMA’s Project Pipeline in Gould Hall. Throughout the week, 45 volunteers were there to help the kids learn and 12 youths participated this year, a number they hope continues to grow. They were able to take a tour of the college and campus, and hear from Dean Cheng and CBE professors.
UW, Pacific County EDC launch housing partnership
UW’s Livable City Year and program and the Pacific County Economic Development Council are working together to tackle important housing planning issues. | Chinook Observer
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.
EDI Student Leaders talk about their perspectives of the CBE Diversity Council
Last spring, the CBE Diversity Council Communications Working Group sat down with some of the student representatives in the Diversity Council (Kat Golladay, Austin Bass, Kana Takagi, and Maimoona Rahim) and asked them to share experiences, their thoughts on the issues, and hopes for the future.
Rick Mohler awarded the AIA Seattle Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement
College of Built Environments Associate Professor of Architecture, Rick Mohler, has been awarded the AIA Seattle Gold Medal, the highest award that AIA Seattle can bestow on one of its members. It recognizes distinguished lifetime achievement in architecture, including design and professional practice and service to the profession, the community, education and the arts.
From the Dean: November 2022
Gould and Architecture Halls have been full of excitement and activity with classes and community events in full swing. In our second year of our two year strategic framework implementation, we are asking important questions about how CBE can be more of a leader in showing how built environments can elevate the experience of our students, faculty, staff, and other members of the community.
CBE launches new mentorship program
The College of Built Environments has launched its first-ever, college-wide mentorship program. The program will help students grow in their chosen field through one-on-one guidance, advice, and insight from a mentor.
Q&A: Exploring how the design of the built environment affects our health and well-being
The recently published second edition of “Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Well-being, Equity, and Sustainability” explores how the design of houses, schools, workplaces, streets, parks, transportation systems, and urban form, affect our health and well-being.
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