Seattle buildings take home national design honors

Axios

2 days ago

Seattle landed several major wins in this year's top national architecture awards, spotlighting the city's growing reputation for buildings that are visually striking and thoughtfully designed.
Driving the news: The American Institute of Architects announced the winners of its 2025 national awards on June 5, recognizing standout projects in architecture and sustainable design across the country.
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
Plus: The Center for Behavioral Health and Learning at UW Medicine, designed by SRG + CannonDesign, earned an AIA Healthcare Design Award.