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Overview

This second, larger Ethnic Cultural Center at the University of Washington replaced the first designed by the notable African-American architect Benjamin F. McAdoo, Jr. Rolluda Architects design of this new building, a concept suggesting the influence of the FInnish architect, Alvar Aalto (1898-1976).

Building History

Rolluda Architects designed this enlarged second Ethnic Cultural Center (ECC) at the University of Washington (UW), a 28,000-square-foot space that nearly tripled the space of the previous building. Sam Cameron served as the Lead Architect for Rolluda Architects on the project. Both Rolluda and Cameron were UW graduates and had used the previous ECC during the 1970s and 1980s. Cameron worked with a budget of $15,347,583.00, which included the cost of removing 24 student-painted murals and installing them in the Kelly Center for about $600,000. Planning for preserving the murals slowed the project timeline, which, in 2009, was supposed to run from 06/2010-08/2011. (See Jason Cruz, NW Asian Weekly.com, "UW Ethnic Cultural Center to get a facelift; firm comprised of UW alumni appointed as architects for project,"published 04/19/2009, accessed 10/16/2012.) Some of the murals were attached to load-bearing walls complicating their transfer.

Rolluda and Cameron worked with a team of specialists on the design and construction of the ECC #2. Andersen Construction was the General Contractor, and a Project Engineer at Andersen, Jibriil Yusuf, the project engineer, attended the UW and had used the ECC in the recent past. Fast and Epp of Vancouver, BC, served as the structural engineers. Santec Consulting Engineers, an Edmonton, Alberta-based consultancy, provided mechanical engineering expertise through its Bellevue, WA, office. Springline Design of Seattle was the civil engineering consultant. Nakano Associates designed the ECC #2's landscape scheme.

The ECC #1 by architect Benjamin McAdoo, Jr., (1920-1981) was razed in the fall of 2011. Construction on the new building began on 10/12/2011. (See Bob Roseth, UW News.edu, "Ethnic Cultural Center to be named for Samuel E. Kelly," published 01/13/2012, accessed 04/26/2021.)

The UW Board of Regents voted to the name the ECC for Samuel Eugene Kelly, Sr., (1926-2009) on 01/12/2012. According to Bob Roseth of the UW News.edu: "Kelly came to the UW in 1970 as the university's first vice-president for minority affairs. He also was the first African-American senior administrator at the UW. For six years, he led one of the strongest programs in the nation dedicated to integrating students of color at a major university. The innovative programs he developed to recruit and retain underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students continue to this day." (See Bob Roseth, UW News.edu, "Ethnic Cultural Center to be named for Samuel E. Kelly," published 01/13/2012, accessed 04/26/2021.)

Building Notes

The Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center (ECC) contained 28,000 square feet, about three times the space as its predecessor. According to the University of Washington (UW) Capital Projects Office, the added space would "...address the needs for additional conference and meeting rooms, support spaces, library, computer room, performing arts practice room, and administrative space to meet current demand and reasonable future growth." It noted the purposed of the ECC #2: "The project goals are to preserve the ECC as a 'safe zone' for minority students, enhance student leadership and engagement in the University, maintain and enhance the University image as a leader in diversity programs, and eliminate chronic program space shortages for registered student organizations. The decision maker for the ECC project is Sheila Edwards Lange, PhD. The ECC Building Committee will provide advice on the programmatic requirements and assist in the review of the scope and budget. The Capital Project Office will organize and lead the project. The Instructional Center and Ethnic Cultural Theater are not included in the scope." (See "Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Ctr [201725]"Accessed 10/16/2012) In response to student needs, the designers placed a commercial kitchen near the center of the plan, to enable various groups to prepare their particular cuisines for gatherings.

One source indicated that the Kelly Center had 26,000 square feet.

Tel: 206.543.4635 (2017).

PCAD id: 18100