Marine Studies Building

Perched on the edge of Portage Bay, the Marine Studies Building at the University of Washington whispers tales of the deep. Did you know this Brutalist structure, completed in 1965, was originally called the Oceanography Building? Its design, by the firm of Liddle and Jones, echoes the very vessels that ply the waters it studies. The elongated form and slit windows of the Marine Studies Building evoke the image of a seafaring ship. This connection isn’t accidental. The university’s maritime research and waterfront location are integral to its identity. The building’s design even incorporated a pier for docking research vessels. This close relationship between building and research vessel is key to understanding the Marine Studies Building. In fact, the pier and building were funded and constructed simultaneously. The Marine Studies Building isn’t just a static structure. It’s a dynamic hub connected to the ocean’s mysteries. Imagine the R/V Thomas G. Thompson, a 209-foot research vessel, docking alongside. This floating classroom and laboratory, periodically moored next to the Marine Studies Building, extends the school’s reach into the Pacific. The Marine Studies Building itself houses laboratories and offices devoted to unraveling the secrets of the sea. Inside, researchers in Biological Oceanography and Marine Geology and Geophysics delve into their respective fields. The building’s concrete brise-soleils, shielding the southern facade, hint at the complex work within. The Marine Studies Building stands as a testament to the University of Washington’s commitment to oceanographic exploration. Its 1967 Southwest Chapter AIA Honor Award recognized this unique fusion of form and function, a building as direct and purposeful as the vessels it resembles.