March 20, 2026

Gold Winner — Higher Education

Photo courtesy of University of WA [enlarge]

The masonry design centers on clean, uninterrupted surfaces, constructed with no brick cuts except at mitered corners where the structure changes direction.

University of Washington Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, Seattle

Mason contractor: Cascade Construction

Architect: Kieran Timberlake

General contractor: Hensel Phelps

Masonry supplier: Mutual Materials

The University of Washington Interdisciplinary Engineering Building is a student-centered academic facility supporting undergraduate engineering education through hands-on, project-based learning. Serving over 950 students, it integrates flexible teaching environments, research areas, and collaborative innovation spaces that encourage interdisciplinary interaction across ten departments, preparing students to meet evolving industry demands.

The building replaced four smaller structures, requiring careful coordination and phased planning within an active campus. Despite tight working conditions, the masonry scope was executed with precision and consistency across the entire exterior.

Masonry serves as the primary wall system, with brick veneer and smooth natural CMU forming nearly 100 percent of the exterior cladding. The brick palette combines Forest Blend Rug Modular (85 percent) with Coal Creek and Mission Modular blends (15 percent), paired with smooth natural CMU. Thoughtful brick and mortar color selection ensured material continuity while achieving the architect’s design intent.

A defining feature of the masonry design is clean, uninterrupted surfaces, constructed with no brick cuts except at mitered corners where the structure changes direction. This required extensive preconstruction coordination and field craftsmanship. All brick is supported by angle iron, providing structural reliability and visual consistency.

Delivered under a progressive design-build approach, the project involved early masonry contractor engagement, detailed modeling, and preconstruction planning to resolve complex geometry, sequencing and support conditions.

The University of Washington Interdisciplinary Engineering Building exemplifies how masonry can support modern academic architecture through durability, precision, and aesthetic refinement, even within challenging site constraints and an active campus environment.

Other Stories:

• Gold Winner — K-12 Education
  
• Gold Winner — Creative Use
  
• Gold Winner — Public
  
• Gold Winner —Tile
  
• Gold Winner — Commercial
  
• Gold Winner — Restoration
  
• Gold Winner — Residential
  
• Gold Winner — Multi-family