Perkins+Will's Seattle Office and the University of Washington Honored for Husky Union Building Renovation

SEATTLE, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seattle office of global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will took home one of two Honor Awards for its work on the University of Washington's Husky Union Building (HUB) at the AIA Washington Council (AIA/WA) Civic Design Awards banquet in Seattle last night. The award honored both Perkins+Will and the firm's client, the University of Washington for the HUB project that was one of 15 projects in the built category to be recognized out of 61 submitted.

The AIA Jury commented: "A certain amount of nerve was needed to accomplish this technically challenging and complex project, and what a spectacular result. As a selective editing project, it explicitly goes in and makes connections to what is already there, while strengthening the existing elements on the campus and elevating its civic purpose. The project is very well detailed and consistent in its execution."

Honoring clients as well as architects, the Civic Design Awards are given to publically funded projects designed in the last five years. The AIA/WA Civic Design Awards program honors contributions to great public design - the only awards program to unequivocally celebrate civic architecture in Washington State. The jurors for the 2013 AIA Civic Design Awards were Larry McFarland, FRAIC, MAIB, Principal, McFarland Marceau Architects, Vancouver, British Columbia; Mark A. Engberg, AIA, Prinicpal, COLAB Architecture + Urban Design, Portland, Oregon; Randall Teal, Associate Professor of Architecture University of Idaho.

"We are very pleased to be recognized by our peers at the AIA/WA," said Kay Kornovich, Managing Director of Perkins+Will's Seattle office. "The HUB was a challenging and important project and one of which we are particularly proud." 

The Seattle office collaborated with national experts to meet the unique challenges encountered on this large and complex project. Contributing their expertise to that of the local talent, Peter Busby, Managing Director of Perkins+Will's San Francisco office, was Design Principal on the project and Jeff Stebar, firm-wide Student Life Leader, was Planning Principal. The Seattle team included Anthony Gianopoulos, Managing Principal; Ryan Bussard, Project Designer; Scheer Chan, Project Architect; and staff members Anthony DeEulio, Jamie Geringer, Larry Leland, Fenita Long, Nathan Lowe, Emily Prouty and Alex Wu.

Completed after a five-year design and construction process, this latest reincarnation of the HUB is a forward-thinking, contemporary facility that represents the true embodiment of what a 21^st-century student and campus center can be.

The most extensive HUB renovation since the original construction in 1948-49, the building seamlessly bridges the university's past, present and future by blending elements of the original HUB with new features. The project's designers were able to preserve half of the building's more than 60-year-old superstructure and expand upon the existing infrastructure to create a more spacious, connected, accessible and inviting building than its predecessor. In so doing, the new HUB serves as a model of how colleges and universities across the country can take existing buildings on campus and re-purpose them for the future.

About Perkins+Will

Established in 1935, Perkins+Will is a global interdisciplinary architecture and design firm founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance society. With a staff of 1,500 in 22 locations worldwide, the firm serves clients across a broad range of project types and grounds its work in deep research. Perkins+Will ranks among the world's top design firms and is the recipient of hundreds of awards. Social responsibility is fundamental to the firm's outlook, work, and culture, and every year Perkins+Will donates one percent of its design services to non-profit organizations. With pioneering tools to advance sustainable design practices, the largest green building portfolio in North America, nearly 1,000 LEED® Accredited Professionals, and a commitment to the 2030 Challenge, Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry's preeminent sustainable design firms. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.  

SOURCE Perkins+Will