HILLEL - UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Center for Jewish Life

Location: Seattle, WA

Client: B'nai Brith Hillel Foundation

Structural Engineer: MLA Engineering

The Hillel at the University of Washington Center for Jewish Life blends concrete, steel and wood creating spaces that compliment each other aesthetically and for usage purpose. The cast-in-place concrete provides a durable building envelope at the street level with open web steel joists with concrete-filled metal decking that are exposed at the upper floor. Two of the larger rooms; the gathering space and worship area are framed with exposed concrete waffle slab floor and a pyramid steel frame and wood decking at the roof. The pyramid truss consists of wide-flange steel beams, tension pipes, and rods which are detailed to express an elegant space.

Early dialogue between the Owner, Architect, and Engineers helped define objectives and solutions which facilitated a well-coordinated and detailed building that was constructed based on the original bid and schedule.