Concrete, steel, timber

Concrete, steel, timber

An inside look at three of CEE’s student clubs where coursework meets competition.

By Kamilla Almazbekova
June 4, 2026
Photos courtesy of Peter Mackenzie-Helnwein and the UW Concrete Canoe team.

Concrete Canoe

Each year, the UW’s entirely student-run Concrete Canoe Team designs, builds and races a canoe made entirely of concrete. The process begins months before race day, with the team developing and testing concrete mix designs, shaping the hull and constructing the vessel by hand. This year’s canoe, “Grand Coulee,” is 19.5 feet long and weighs 395 pounds — and floats. It was dedicated to hydroelectric power, the cornerstone of Washington’s energy grid, reflecting the team’s commitment to sustainable engineering.

The UW hosted the Concrete Canoe Pacific Northwest regional competition. The Huskies took home first place overall and earned podium finishes across multiple categories, earning a trip to the national championship at Fairmont State University in West Virginia.

A canoe race with participants paddling on a lake
A line of students wade waist-deep into a lake, raising their arms and waving flags as a canoe team paddles toward them
A long blue and white concrete canoe sits on a metal display stand, with “University of Washington” painted along its side

Left: The UW co-ed sprint team competes at the Pacific Northwest regional competition in Lake Sammamish, Washington. Top right: Team members wade into Lake Sammamish to greet the co-ed sprint team after their winning race. Bottom right: The team’s “Grand Coulee” canoe.

Steel Bridge

The UW’s Steel Bridge team designs, fabricates and assembles a modular steel bridge each year, testing their structural engineering knowledge and construction skills. Teams are judged on stiffness, lightness, construction speed and structural efficiency. This year’s challenge featured a 24-foot cantilever bridge, four feet longer than usual. The team’s bridge weighed just 219 pounds, but had to support a 2,500-pound load test. They finished second overall out of 12 schools at the Pacific Northwest regional competition, securing a spot at nationals in El Paso, Texas.

A detail of the finished bridge, engraved with the University of Washington nameplate.

A person welding metal in a workshop
Two students in white hard hats assembling steel bridge components with tool belts at their sides.
Four students stand on top of a fully assembled steel truss bridge outside a brick building, smiling and gesturing at the camera

Left: A team member welds bridge components together during the winter fabrication push. Top right: Steel Bridge team members construct their bridge at the regional competition at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Bottom right: Team members testing their bridge after a practice build.

Timber Strong

Established at the UW in 2024, Timber Strong Design Build challenges students to design and construct a two-story timber structure complete with a four-foot cantilever within 90 minutes. The team designed the building, tested it for strength and safety, then worked together to improve it.

Once they had all of the components finalized, they shipped pieces to the University of Alaska Anchorage by barge three weeks in advance of the regional competition, where they finished second overall. The team predicted they’d finish in 80 minutes — and hit that target almost to the second.

Left: The team assembles their two-story wood structure at the Timber Strong regional competition at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Middle: Team members inside their finished structure at the Timber Strong regional competition. Right: Before the timer starts, team members raise their hands to show judges they haven't touched the materials yet.