Vision
The IEB will be the primary academic home for first- and second-year students, a place for teaching and cross-disciplinary interactions and for partnering with industry. The building will coalesce the College into a stronger and more welcoming community, particularly for groups historically underrepresented in engineering, as well as physically reshape the engineering campus at the UW to drive connectivity.
Mission
- Help UW Engineering grow in terms of numbers and to be more inclusive, collaborative, innovative and adaptable, with programs supported by facilities rivaling those of our peer institutions.
- Serve as a home base, central to the on-campus student experience and offering the spaces needed for students to solve major societal challenges.
- Embody our commitment to engaging students in the full range of engineering disciplines while supporting project-based, interdisciplinary learning and diversity.
- Provide a silo-free learning environment to prepare students for industry and entrepreneurial careers.
About the building
Watch the building's progress with our live feed
20%
lighting power density reduction
30%
water use reduction from low-flow fixtures
Heat loss reduction
through window-to-wall ratio and high air tightness using building envelope
Level G2
Level G1
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Building spaces
Level G2
Project space
Level G1
Project space and classroom space
Level 1
Student support space and flexible student spaces
Level 2
Curricular space, classroom space, flexible student spaces and AI Educational Institute
Level 3
Curricular space, student support space and flexible student spaces
Project space
Supports hands-on, applied learning with rooms and resources dedicated to the full life-cycle of engineering creation.
- Design/ideation spaces provide the initial accommodation for project-based learning activities, such as industry and departmental capstones. Solutions are conceived, designed and modeled in these spaces.
- Fabrication space gives students supervised access to the heavy equipment (such as lathes and mills) needed to fabricate components of a design.
- Assembly/testing spaces allow students to construct their project designs, putting together (soldering, building and painting) the components they’ve created in a makerspace-like environment.
Classroom space
Expands active learning space for students across the UW.
Student support space
Particularly focused on engineering students’ first year, the IEB will support students' needs for advising, tutoring and other learning support.
- The Engineering Academic Center offers tutoring, exam prep and study space for students to hone the skills needed for success in engineering prerequisite courses.
Flexible student spaces
Incorporating student feedback in the building’s design, the IEB is intended to provide a welcoming environment that inspires student interaction.
- Student lounges: Centrally-located social spaces offer a “home base” for informal gatherings, studying and connecting.
- Gathering spaces: Located in nooks off of the lounges, these are functional, student-occupiable work and collaboration spaces equipped with tables and whiteboards.
- Affinity offices: These entry-access-protected rooms will be dedicated, assignable spaces for student club and affinity group activities. A place for students in groups such as National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and more, to meet, organize and consult with faculty advisors, the affinity offices demonstrate the college’s commitment to the success of all Engineering students.
Curricular space
Laboratory spaces support project-based learning in engineering fundamentals, and are focused on course requirements for engineering students. These spaces will also be leveraged during non-class times for student teams and capstones use.
AI Educational Institute
The institute will enable the College to advance engineering education in this key area across all departments, as well as cutting-edge research in fundamental artificial intelligence and machine learning.
News update | September 15, 2022
IEB groundbreaking
The UW broke ground on the new $102 million Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, supported by public and private investments.
News update | August 4, 2022
Investment in engineering education
The UW will break ground this fall on a new, $90 million Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, thanks in part to a $10 million donation from The Boeing Co. Once complete, the state-of-the-art building will be a leading example of a student-focused learning facility backed by both public and private investments.