Campus Master Plan

Envisioning the Future

Imagine what campus will look like in another 35 years. This video shows some of the highlights of the master plan and gives a sense of the campus experience as we grow into the full plan.

Visualization created by Kilograph

2025 Campus Master Plan

The University of Washington Tacoma has completed an update to its Campus Master Plan, created in collaboration with world-renowned design firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). This plan outlines a strategic framework for campus development over the next 20–25 years, guiding how we grow, build, and serve our community.

Shaped by Community, Driven by Mission

In Autumn 2024, UW Tacoma engaged students, faculty, staff, and community leaders to share their ideas and priorities for the campus. These conversations shaped a draft plan released for additional public comment in Spring 2024.

Planning for 10,000 Students—and the Future

The updated plan supports a projected enrollment of 10,000 students, focusing on:

Academic excellence through purposeful growth
Accessible and inclusive welcoming campus spaces
Sustainability in building, transportation, and open space
Community connection in an evolving urban environment

The 2025 update to the Campus Master Plan defines a campus that reflects who we are and who we serve. It strengthens UW Tacoma’s mission as an urban-serving institution, supporting the South Sound’s economic, social, and cultural vitality.”

Download the Plan

The final version of the plan can be downloaded below. This is the framework that will guide campus development for the next 20-25 years.

Download the 2025 Plan

Rainier Vista sketch of the center of campus

Key Objectives

Strengthening UW Tacoma’s role as a community anchor through partnerships with local businesses, government agencies, and cultural institutions.
Developing a resilient, adaptable campus infrastructure that supports long-term academic and research excellence.
Enhancing sustainability and urban integration, aligning campus growth with environmental stewardship and smart growth principles.
Expanding student services and amenities, creating a 24/7 campus environment that fosters engagement and success.

Long-Term Vision

The Campus Master Plan establishes a bold, long-term vision guiding the future development of UW Tacoma. It identifies approximately 1,400,000 square feet of additional development capacity to support the enrollment target of 10,000 students.

Balancing preservation and adaptive reuse of existing campus assets with increased density, the plan aligns the University’s strategic goals, academic research priorities, and service mission with capital planning objectives, guiding the physical development of the campus. It provides a progressive, sustainable growth framework that prioritizes efficient land use through strategic infill development, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and expansion of mixed-use facilities.

Improved campus mobility and accessibility are key considerations, with enhancements to pedestrian pathways, multimodal transit connections, and wayfinding systems.

This vision ensures UW Tacoma continues to evolve as a dynamic, urban-serving institution.

Growth Projections

The 2025 Campus Master Plan projects a need for an additional 1,317,000 gross square feet (GSF) and 790,000 non-academic square feet (NASF) to support 10,000 students, ensuring space for academics, research, housing, and student services. Immediate priorities include expanding classrooms, research facilities, and student services, alongside increasing on-campus housing and improving transit, public spaces, and technology. Growth will be phased, balancing short-term needs with long-term resilience, guiding sustainable expansion, adaptive reuse, and urban integration to shape UW Tacoma’s future.