UWMC Entrance Area

The University of Washington Medical Center lobby and pick-up and drop-off area is located just north of the Montlake Cut and along Pacific.

The lobby is brightly lit by natural sunlight and artificial lights. It has a white linoleum hallway with several carpeted seating areas with colorful and cushioned chairs, as well as tables. The space also has artistic and practical objects that add color and contribute to the vibrant atmosphere. The pick-up and drop-off area is made primarily of brick. There are planters with ledges that are just the right height for leaning on, as well as a few benches that are used by a limited number of people. Cars, taxis, vans, Access Metro buses travel through this area.

The UWMC entrance area is a place that helps patients, visitors, employees, and volunteers feel comfortable. There is much action walking along the hallway of the lobby, but the seating areas are rather quiet and relaxed. In the pick-up and drop-off area, people sit or stand around waiting for rides, and vehicles remain idle as their drivers help passengers in. In any of these spaces, people are free to read, stare, and watch other people without feeling awkward.

This entrance area brings together people from many different backgrounds from all over the U-District and Greater Seattle area. It is a diverse community in itself that is constantly changing but never seems to be particularly rushed. People are free to enter in and become part of this dynamic culture, and are just as free to come and go. This UWMC entrance area provides a site for cultural interactions between people who would otherwise never cross paths.