University of Washington- Founders Hall, Seattle, WA

Owner: UW, Client: Hoffman + LMN

The UW School of Business Founders Hall is a progressive design build project in the heart of the UW Seattle Campus.  This mass timber building and the surrounding project site integrates existing significant trees, accessible pedestrian routes, native northwest plantings, and functional beautiful rain gardens (aka bioretention) facilities.  These facilities divert stormwater runoff from existing combined sewer overflows into Portage Bay to bioretention facilities that cleanse and slow down the stormwater before releasing it to a dedicated storm system.  Design challenges include integrating new infrastructure into a dense existing urban campus site that was simultaneously occupied by students and finding affordable and maintainable solutions.  Site improvements included tiered patio spaces, a parking lot and accessible routes meeting accessible guidelines.  Mayfly provided full site civil services from concept design through construction administration. Founders Hall construction was completed in 2022 and is LEED New Construction Gold certified.  Total Project Costs were approximately $77,000,000.

 Among other awards- Founders Hall was recently awarded the AIA 2023 Education Facility Design Award.