Health Sciences Education Building

The University of Washington’s new Health Sciences Education Building will inspire generations of future healthcare professionals, opening their otherwise siloed practices to other health disciplines, and inviting a multidisciplinary depth to their approach that ultimately creates an industry-wide standard across the globe.

Centered on a “Culture of Care,” the building’s concept is embedded in all aspects of the building design — dappled and lush outdoor moments, a textural and reflective building skin, warm wood, cross-laminated timber (CLT) ceilings, and legible and generous vertical circulation.


The design-build team implemented strategies to maximize the building’s sustainability and environmental impact, prioritizing long-term infrastructure investments and setting an example for campuses across the country. The building features emerging and impactful technologies including regional stormwater infrastructure, electrochromic glazing, and CLT structure.  

Funded by two grants obtained by the design-build team—including a U.S. Forest Service Wood Innovations Grant—the inclusion of CLT in floor and roof assemblies enhances the student experience. The design brings the warmth and beauty of wood to the formal and informal learning environments while supporting regional economic growth. Partnering with engineering firm KPFF as well as University staff and students, the design-build team were able to develop and test the composite beam system resulting in a hybrid testing system that helped permit the project and advance the City of Seattle’s building code related to the use of CLT structures.

Using the forthcoming U.S. Mass Timber Floor Vibration Design Guide, the design-build team analyzed the vibration performance of the building’s floor system. This study adds to the growing body of research used to reduce cost and improve the reliability of CLT systems in the region, country, and world. With the inclusion of CLT, the University was able to reduce the embodied carbon impact of the structural decking system by 50% and support the ecology of the region and the state by helping to responsibly manage and protect natural resources and mitigate wildfire risks.

Teaching the next generation of medical professionals, this building focuses on all aspects of health science and care, preparing students for the kind of integrated and comprehensive career that will one day be theirs