Seattle buildings take home national design honors

State of play: Colman Dock was named one of the best works of contemporary architecture in the country.

• In its announcement, the AIA called the Seattle Ferry Terminal — designed by Seattle-based architecture firm NBBJ — a model for civic architecture and praised its mix of public space, tribal recognition, and multimodal infrastructure.

Go deeper: Three other local projects earned spots on the AIA's COTE Top Ten, the profession's highest honor for sustainable design:

• The Bush School New Upper School, by Mithun — is the nation's first Salmon Safe school and the largest Passive House certified campus in the Western U.S., per AIA.
• Wagner Education Center at the Center for Wooden Boats, by Olson Kundig, features manually adjusted vents and windows that allow human hands to control the building's airflow.
• Founders Hall at UW's Foster School of Business, by LMN Architects, is the University of Washington's first mass timber building, combining low-carbon design with flexible, collaborative spaces, per the awards.

Plus: The Center for Behavioral Health and Learning at UW Medicine, designed by SRG + CannonDesign, earned an AIA Healthcare Design Award.

🏆 Congrats, buildings!