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computer screens with data Reimagining Infrastructure Through Data CBE Alum Alireza Borhani has been named to Autodesk’s 40 Under 40: Champions of Construction for 2025. His work leading digital transformation at the Massachusetts Port Authority is improving how large infrastructure projects are designed, built, and managed. Read More
Colorful bird perched in the trees Making Birding Accessible: Monique McClure’s Perspective CBE Grant Manager Monique McClure brings an accessibility lens to birding, highlighting how the built environment shapes who gets to participate. Read More
Aerial view of empty lot near the Othello Commons Student Research: Tactical Shade for Seattle’s Urban Heat Seattle’s hottest neighborhoods are often its most underserved. In her dual-degree thesis, Clelie Fielding (MLA/MUP ’24) explores how temporary, low-cost shade installations can reduce extreme urban heat while advancing climate equity and community resilience. Read More
Fall trees on UW campus Jade Orr Joins CBE Faculty The College of Built Environments welcomes Assistant Professor Jade Orr to the Department of Landscape Architecture. Her research explores how design, planning, and policy shape public space and democracy. Read More
Image by Buster Simpson for exhibit Acts of Conscience: Buster Simpson’s Democratic Art in Gould Gallery The UW College of Built Environments presents a compelling exhibition by artist Buster Simpson, opening this fall in Gould Gallery. Known for blending ecological activism with public art, Simpson’s latest work features salvaged trees, democratic dialogue, and civic memory—inviting visitors to reflect on collaboration, resilience, and the power of art in public space. Read More
Dean Yocom with students A New School Year Begins Dean Ken Yocom shares a message of optimism, gratitude, and purpose as the College of Built Environments begins a new academic year. Read More
students showing husky spirit Welcome to the College of Built Environments, new students! As you begin this exciting journey, we’ve planned a series of events to help you get acclimated, meet your fellow students, and learn more about your program. Read More
Crane in front of high rise in Seattle Seattle’s Rental Squeeze As apartment construction slows across King County, UW Professor Gregg Colburn offers insight on how it could lead to rent hikes and housing insecurity in Seattle. Read More
Three people working together outside. Lehman and others work to retrofit urban shorelines with sweetgrass — a plant with cultural significance for many Indigenous communities — to improve water quality, increase salmon habitat and restore keystone species. Tim Lehman: Seattle’s First Indigenous Planning Strategist Tim Lehman’s path from teen masonry worker to Seattle’s first Indigenous planner began at UW, where a love for design and justice shaped his career. His work now centers Native voices in the built environment through equity-driven urban planning. Read More