University of Washington, Center for Electrical Engineering
This facility provides 300,000 sf of new construction for research and teaching space and 65,000 sf of renovation. The major program components for this renovated and expanded facility include: instructional space (auditoria, classrooms, teaching laboratories); faculty offices; research facilities; and several student commons areas.
Central to the programmatic and planning concepts for the building has been a dual requirement to achieve both maximum flexibility for the future use of the building as well as short term specificity for the accommodations of the current program. Since future use is difficult to project, the two departments are provided with lab spaces that have a modular arrangement of generic utilities and services.
In addition to modular plan techniques of accommodation, divers program component are organized vertically. The building section reflects the provision of offset floor sections, which accommodate different floor-to-floor height requirements for offices and laboratories. In this sectional arrangement, three office floors are contained within the same height as two laboratory floors.
State-of-the-art communications and computer systems have been made available throughout the infrastructure of the building. Emphasis has been placed on televised instruction and video capabilities which are seen as an important factor in the future of science teaching.