Project Images
Conibear Shellhouse Renovation and Addition
The University of Washington Conibear Shellhouse Renovation and
Addition completed construction in April 2005. The site, once on
the edge of a city dump, is surrounded by newly restored wetlands
with pathways that link to an existing nature walk providing public
access to the shoreline. The renovation retained the structural
steel frame from the original 1949 building at the 11,000 s.f. shell
storage bays, and demolished the remainder. The Shellhouse Renovation
and Addition has a total gross area of 48,000s.f.
This unique facility combines three disparate uses; the home of the men's and women's UW Crew Teams, dining services for all university athletes, and student athlete academic services. Secondly, it is prominently located directly on the water and on the main campus. The new facility provides an important space for all university athletes to gather study and eat each day, creating an "athletic village by the lake."
The new building consists of three levels: The lower level or Crew Level includes the renovated shell storage bays and crew coach offices and support spaces, a new team room for training and work out uses, and the women’s and men’s locker rooms. The team room can be converted into four smaller individual team rooms via operable walls. The topography around the perimeter of the building was adjusted to provide natural light into the two ends of the team room. The team room is connected to the shell bays by overhead glazed doors. The main floor level contains the dining room, student lounge, auditorium, and the first floor of the student academic services wing. All ground floor spaces are connected by a main lobby which unites the building functions with and exterior entry plaza. A feature stair connects the main lobby to the lower level crew entry lobby with glimpses into the shell bays through interior glazed walls. Incorporating two equally prominent entries into the building was an important program element that retained the crew identity while welcoming all athletes to the building. An outside covered deck off the dining area provides a space for exterior dining as well as a vantage point for viewing activities on racing days. The upper floor contains two study halls at the center of the space with natural light from clerestory windows. Tutorial services offices and tutoring rooms line the perimeter.
The building is naturally ventilated including the team rooms, the academic wing (except for the internal computer drop in lab), and the large dining room. Cool air is drawn in from the lake, through the cool shell storage bays and into the work out spaces and up through natural ventilation chimneys that are concealed in the massing of the building.
This unique facility combines three disparate uses; the home of the men's and women's UW Crew Teams, dining services for all university athletes, and student athlete academic services. Secondly, it is prominently located directly on the water and on the main campus. The new facility provides an important space for all university athletes to gather study and eat each day, creating an "athletic village by the lake."
The new building consists of three levels: The lower level or Crew Level includes the renovated shell storage bays and crew coach offices and support spaces, a new team room for training and work out uses, and the women’s and men’s locker rooms. The team room can be converted into four smaller individual team rooms via operable walls. The topography around the perimeter of the building was adjusted to provide natural light into the two ends of the team room. The team room is connected to the shell bays by overhead glazed doors. The main floor level contains the dining room, student lounge, auditorium, and the first floor of the student academic services wing. All ground floor spaces are connected by a main lobby which unites the building functions with and exterior entry plaza. A feature stair connects the main lobby to the lower level crew entry lobby with glimpses into the shell bays through interior glazed walls. Incorporating two equally prominent entries into the building was an important program element that retained the crew identity while welcoming all athletes to the building. An outside covered deck off the dining area provides a space for exterior dining as well as a vantage point for viewing activities on racing days. The upper floor contains two study halls at the center of the space with natural light from clerestory windows. Tutorial services offices and tutoring rooms line the perimeter.
The building is naturally ventilated including the team rooms, the academic wing (except for the internal computer drop in lab), and the large dining room. Cool air is drawn in from the lake, through the cool shell storage bays and into the work out spaces and up through natural ventilation chimneys that are concealed in the massing of the building.
Location
Awards
2006 AIA Washingtion Civic Honor Award