Nuclear Reactor Building (More Hall Annex)
Address: 1705 NE Pacific Street, University of Washington Campus
Date Built: 1961
Original Architect/Builder: TAAG, The Architect Artist Group (Wendell Lovett, Daniel Streissguth, Gene Zema, Gerard Torrence, Spencer Moseley)
Owner: University of Washington
Description: Known today as More Hall Annex, the building features a cast concrete structural system, large expanse of windows, and an open interior.
Building History and Significance:
Students in Nuclear Reactor Control Room/Photo: National Register of Historic Places Nomination.
In 1958 the University of Washington established its Nuclear Engineering program and quickly set out to build a teaching reactor for students and faculty. Completed in 1961, the Nuclear Reactor Building was built with a high level of visibility and structural transparency, setting it apart from many of the reactors built on other college campuses around the nation. At the time, both the building and its architects were recognized in national and international periodicals for the innovative design.
Preservation Issue:
Public Notice of Planned Demolition of Nuclear Reactor Building, April 2008/ Photo: Abby Martin
Decommissioned in 1988, the Nuclear Reactor Building stood vacant for nearly two decades before the University of Washington applied to the City of Seattle for demolition in early 2008. Abby Martin, then a student in the graduate architecture program, led a campaign to preserve the building, enlisting the support of students, faculty, Docomomo WEWA, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and Historic Seattle. The building’s preservation and proposed listing in the National Register of Historic Places were opposed by the University of Washington.
Current Status:
Nuclear Reactor Building, 2008/Photo: Abby Martin
In October 2008 theGovernor's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation put the Nuclear Reactor Building on the Washington Heritage Register and in 2009 it was officially placed in the National Register of Historic Places. While now officially listed at the state and national levels, the designations do not ensure the preservation of the building. To date, the University of Washington has yet to announce an alternative to demolition and the Nuclear Reactor Building remains on the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s watch list.
External Links:
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form (PDF)
Nuclear Reactor Building Blog
Docomomo WEWA Endangered Building Profile
“UW building is hot, but is it historic?”
Seattle Times, March 4, 2008
“UW nuclear-reactor building is added to historic list”
Seattle Times, October 21, 2008
"Score one for Seattle's historic nuke site”
Crosscut, October 4, 2009
“A successful nuclear reaction!”
Crosscut, October 19, 2008
“The Nuke Building could get nuked”
Crosscut, September 11, 2008
“A rebirth of architectural activism”
Crosscut, May 18, 2008
“On Architecture: What Seattle buildings to save”
Seattle PI, April 29, 2008
“How about a nuclear museum on the UW campus?”
Crosscut, April 27, 2008
“Save the nukes!”
Crosscut, April 17, 2008
“An historic hot house”
Crosscut, February 29, 2008
Midcentury Modern Nuclear Reactor Building May Be Disintegrated”
Preservation Online, April 17, 2008
