Husky Union Building

Nestled in the heart of the University of Washington campus is the Husky Union Building. It’s more than just bricks and mortar. The HUB, as it’s affectionately known, is the vibrant pulse of student life. Discussions about creating a central hub for students began in 1919. It finally opened its doors in October 1949, a $1.3 million testament to student dreams and persistence. The original Husky Union Building was 71,000 square feet. It stood proudly on the site of the Alaskan-Pacific-Yukon Exhibition’s Forestry Building, a piece of history immortalized in the Ernest Norling mural on the second floor. The mural itself depicts the university’s journey from 1861 to 1925, a visual timeline of growth and transformation. The name “HUB” wasn’t an official decree. It was a nickname coined by the student newspaper, The Washington Daily, in the early 1950s. They saw the building as the “hub of campus life,” a moniker that quickly caught on and eventually became the official acronym: Husky Union Building. The HUB’s growth mirrored the university’s own expansion. A 1952 addition more than doubled its size, bringing a ballroom, a games room, and an expanded dining area. Further additions in 1959 and 1962 added meeting rooms and the auditorium. The final major expansion in 1975-77 brought the Husky Union Building to its current impressive size of 262,000 square feet. This expansion added a second ballroom, even more dining space, and additional lounge areas. It also opened up space in the sub-basement for student organizations. The Husky Union Building continues to evolve with the times. It now houses a variety of services and spaces. You can find everything from the Husky Den Food Court, offering diverse culinary options, to the University Book Store. The HUB Games area provides a fun escape with bowling, an e-sports lounge, and classic games like table tennis and pool. The building also houses important resources like the Q Center and offices for Greek Life, and even a quiet meditation room. The vast HUB Ballroom, spanning almost 14,000 square feet, provides a grand setting for events. From its humble beginnings to its current bustling presence, the Husky Union Building stands as a symbol of connection, community, and the ever-evolving Husky Experience.