The new UW Life Sciences building is a model of environmentally responsible design, featuring 20-inch-deep solar fins and its own water recycling system. The building is currently LEED Gold certified, a globally recognized sustainability achievement.
Perkins + Will, a local architecture and interior design firm, worked closely with the department of biology to make decisions about both form and function.
“I think there’s a perception biology used to be about people going into their cells to study their own things and they wanted to break that open,” project architect Devin Kleiner said. “They really wanted this to have a public feel.”
This idea contributed heavily to the inner design, especially the open staircase with large landings intended to facilitate interaction and discussion. It also shaped how visible the natural elements and sustainable features are.
