PCS Structural wins ‘Best Firm to Work For’

PCS Structural Solutions, which has offices in Seattle and Tacoma, recently placed second in Structural Engineer magazine’s Best Structural Engineering Firms To Work For contest, behind industry leader Walter P. Moore. PCS Principals Jim Collins and Craig Stauffer attended an event in Chicago earlier this month to receive the award.

The award program relies mostly on the feedback and evaluations of employees. PCS employees’ responses to the employee satisfaction survey were favorable in the areas of trustworthiness and competence of the leadership team, involvement in philanthropic and community service activities, and quality of work the firm provides clients. PCS employs 50 in Seattle and Tacoma.

SMPS conference Thursday, Friday

The Society for Marketing Professional Services Northwest regional conference runs 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel, 1320 Broadway Plaza.

This year’s conference is titled “Key to Success: Opening New Doors in Marketing,” and will have educational sessions focused on the theme “Communicate, collaborate and build.”

The keynote speaker Thursday morning will be Peter van Stolk, president and CEO of Jones Soda, Inc. Lectures will include “Marketing Metrics: How to Measure Return on Investment,” by Sally Handley. Stu Rose will speak on “The Key to Winning Proposals.”

For more information, call (206) 689-0430 or e-mail Stacey D’Alessandro at stacey.dalessandro@lewisbuilds.com.

Architecture guides wanted, will train

If you’ve ever thought about being a Seattle Architecture Foundation tour guide, now is your chance. The organization will have its first tour guide open house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 on the third level of Rainier Square Atrium, 1333 Fifth Ave.

Seattle Architecture Foundation members will discuss SAF tours, tour guide needs and expectations, and offer testimonials from experienced tour guides.

To RSVP or for more information, e-mail info@seattlearchitecture.org, or call (206) 667-9184 by Oct. 30.

MAS meeting in Spokane on branding

The Marketing Associates of Spokane will hear Rick Hosmer, the creative director and principal of the firm Klundt Hosmer, and art director Lorri Johnston speak about “Branding, Beyond Your Logo” at noon Nov. 9, at the Spokane Red Lion River Inn, 700 N. Division St.

Klundt Hosmer is a Spokane brand identity firm. Hosmer and Johnston will give practical, inexpensive tools to help shape a firm’s brand. They will discuss evaluating a brand, improving it and establishing brand loyalty.

Cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. For more information, call Leslie White at (509) 328-2994 or e-mail white@coffman.com.

Architecture billings look strong for 2007

The Architecture Billings Index, an economic indicator of nonresidential construction activity, showed modest growth in September, after a surge in the August figures.

Based on the nine- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending, the recent growth in billings points to a healthy 2007 in the nonresidential construction market, according to Architecture Billings Index.

“The last two years have been the longest run of positive business conditions since early 1998 through the end of 2000,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. “While the last quarter has seen mostly moderate growth, the inquiries for new projects have been quite strong which suggests that there could be a spike in demand for architectural services in the coming months.”

Anderson, Berger new WASLA Fellows

The Washington State chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects will recognize the state's newest Fellows — Charles M. Anderson and Thomas L. Berger — at an Oct. 26 event. It begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at Henry Art Gallery at University of Washington.

The event will also feature a reunion of past inductees into the Council of Fellows from Washington state including Kenichi Nakano, Richard Haag and Ilze Jones.

The reception will be followed by a lecture on “Change, Continuity, and Civic Ambition: Balancing Design and Historic Preservation,” by Charles Birnbaum, director of the Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Berger founded The Berger Partnership in 1971, and has helped it grow into one of the largest site planning and landscape architectural firms in the Northwest. The Berger Partnership has received design awards for Cal Anderson Park, Islandwood and the REI flagship store in Seattle.

Charles Anderson co-founded Anderson & Ray in 1984, which became Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture in 2001. He is known for a modernist approach to design, a focus on urban ecology and extensive use of native plants. He has worked on Seattle's Trillium Projects, St. Helens Visitor Centers, the Arthur Ross Terrace in New York and Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Park.

The new Fellows were inducted during the ASLA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis on Oct. 7.

NWAIA taking award nominations

The Northwest Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects is looking for project entries for the NWAIA Chapter Awards, which will be held Dec. 8.

Projects designed by a licensed architect whose office is located within the NWAIA chapter boundaries of Island, San Juan, Skagit or Whatcom counties, or projects by NWAIA member architects are eligible. The submitting architect must be the “Architect of Record” for the subject projects.

The categories are built and unbuilt. The projects are due Nov. 17. For more information contact Sarah Allen at (360) 734-4744.

Mithun's Connolly on Design Commission

Mithun architect Brendan Connolly is a new member of the Seattle Design Commission. He was appointed by Mayor Greg Nickels and approved by the Seattle City Council for a term that began Oct. 1. Connolly is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Washington's master of architecture program.

The Seattle Design Commission advises the mayor, City Council and city departments on capital improvement projects as well as projects on city land, in the city right-of-way or constructed with city dollars.

A look at hydraulic engineering in Europe

Christopher Goodell, a senior hydraulic engineer with West Consultants of Salem, Ore., will speak at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Society of American Military Engineers Portland Post monthly meeting.

Goodell will talk about hydraulic works in Europe. The presentation will cover a range of topics, from flood defense structures to large alpine dams, including a major dam failure in Italy.

From the lowlands of The Netherlands to the Swiss Alps, hydraulic engineering works in Europe are both innovative and large in scale.

Cost is $20, and the location is 112 S.W. Second Ave., Portland. For information, call Larry Greep at (503) 823-6900.

BetterBricks Awards coming Oct. 27

On Oct. 27, the BetterBricks Awards will be presented to five local firms for advancing sustainable design and operations in commercial buildings. In the running are architects, engineers, owners, developers, service providers and facility managers. Finalists include David Miller of the Miller/Hull Partnership, Dale Sperling of Unico Properties, Douglas C. Smith of Interface Engineering and Dale Anderson of BRCA Architects.

BetterBricks is a program of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, a nonprofit supported by Northwest electric utilities. The event will be at Bell Harbor Pier 66, 2211 Alaskan Way. For information, call (503) 241-1124, or go to http://www.betterbricks.com.

LEED gold for Yesler Community Center

Mithun’s Yesler Community Center has earned a LEED gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The design focuses on daylighting, energy and water conservation. More than 75 percent of space is naturally lit. Water-efficient landscaping and fixtures achieve a 30 percent reduction in overall water use, compared to a more conventional structure. The building is also a recent recipient of a Washington State AIA Civic Award, as well as first place chapter and regional ASHRAE Technology Awards for Public Assembly Buildings.

Yesler Community Center is located in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood. The building has FSC-certified maple in key public spaces; linoleum flooring and low-emitting materials used in the childcare room.

It is designed so all rooms need only natural light at mid-day. Clerestory windows and skylights are balanced with high-efficiency fluorescent lights that dim or switch off automatically. In the summer the gym can be used as late as 7:30 p.m. without lights.

ALSC expands Tri-Cities office

ALSC Architects has relocated its Tri-Cities office to a larger space to accommodate more workers. The new office is located at 8131 W. Grandridge Blvd., Suite 101, in Kennewick.

ALSC is working on regional projects including the city of Kennewick Shops, Kennewick City Hall, Bagley Dental Clinic, Bank Reale and Kiona-Benton City High School.

ALSC also provides master planning, programming, interior design, cost estimating, project management and construction management services.

Kundig is on AIA awards jury

Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects is serving as a juror for the 2007 National American Institute of Architects Honor Awards for Architecture.

The awards will be given out next year at the national AIA convention in San Antonio.

Kundig was awarded two national AIA Honor Awards in 2004. This fall, he is a visiting design critic at Syracuse University.

Candela’s Frazier on SAF board

Mary Claire Frazier of Candela was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Seattle Architecture Foundation.

Frazier has degrees in architecture and psychology, and more than 20 years of experience as a lighting consultant, designer and instructor. Since joining Candela in 1996, she has worked on projects including the Ballard Library and Neighborhood Service Center and Experience Music Project, and was the recipient of the international 2004 Paul Waterbury Award for exterior lighting of the Museum of Glass and Contemporary Art in Tacoma.

Interface opens 2nd California office

Interface Engineering has opened its second California office. The San Francisco office is led by principals Hormoz Janssens and Joel Cruz. Both have practiced mechanical and electrical engineering in California.

Interface also has offices in Kirkland, Portland and Sacramento.

The office offers mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services, and is designing for higher education and health care clients as well as a mixed-use high rise in the Bay Area. The firm is doing 26 LEED registered projects and has completed 11 LEED certified projects.

One example of such projects is the Oregon Health and Science University Center for Health and Healing in Portland. The 400,000-square-foot building, which is expected to achieve LEED platinum certification, will be the largest LEED platinum building in the United States.

Design Detailings: Exterior Research now Trinity | ERD

Exterior Research and Design has changed its name to Trinity | ERD. The firm also has a new logo and Web site.

The name change coincides with Trinity | ERD's 20th anniversary. The Seattle firm began in 1986 as Trinity Engineering, then changed to Exterior Research and Design. It specializes in building protection and restoration.

Trinity | ERD will post a monthly e-newsletter with articles about buildings on its Web site: http://www.trinityerd.com.

Interior design awards Oct. 24

The Northern Pacific Chapter of International Interior Design Association will host the fourth annual INawards celebration from 5 p.m. to midnight Oct. 24. The awards will be at The Premier, 1700 First Ave. S.

INawards recognizes excellence in the field of interior design. The awards will be moderated by Cindy Allen, editor in chief of Interior Design Magazine.

The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13. The award categories are Design in Mass, Design in Home, Design in Health Care, Design in Hospitality and Design in Concept.

For more information, call IIDA at (206) 762-6471, e-mail info@IIDA-NorthernPacific.org or go to http://www.iida-northernpacific.org.

Bjarke Ingels to speak here Oct. 16

Space.City, Seattle's Art and Architecture Forum, will present a lecture by the Copenhagen-based architect Bjarke Ingels at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, in Seattle Central Library Microsoft Auditorium.

Ingels co-founded PLOT Architects in 2001, and started his own office this year called BIG/ Bjarke Ingels Group. BIG's goal is to balance a project's programmatic needs by considering its social, economical and ecological outcome.

Tickets are $12 in advance at Peter Miller Books at 1930 First Ave., or brownpapertickets.com. Remaining tickets will be $15 at the door.

Freiheit renovates Evergreen Plaza

Freiheit and Ho Architects has designed two renovations at Evergreen Plaza in Bellevue. The buildings are at 10940 and 11000 N.E. 33rd Place. Legacy Partners is the owner and developer.

The work will be in common areas, including restrooms, corridors and elevator cabs of Evergreen I, a 3,000-square-foot, two-story building, and Evergreen II, a 4,200-square-foot, three-story building.

Freiheit and Ho Architects included new travertine flooring, glass feature walls and accent lighting in both lobbies. Evergreen II is the focal point of the renovation. The storefront will be relocated, adding 180 square feet to the lobby.

The structural engineer is Richard Hudson & Associates Inc., and Chin Construction is the general contractor.

Design Detailings: AIA: markets look good for 2007

The Architecture Billings Index jumped in August to its highest mark since July 2005, according to the American Institute of Architects.

Demand for commercial/industrial projects led the way for increased billings, and architecture firms on the East and West coasts reported a significant upturn in business. The figures are encouraging for the overall economy because they suggest a strong outlook in the commercial construction market well into 2007, according to AIA.

The billings index is taken from a monthly work-on-the-boards survey and produced by the AIA Economics & Market Research Group.

Companies flock to WSU career day

A record number of companies will be recruiting at Washington State University's College of Engineering and Architecture Technical Career Fair, according to WSU. The fair will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 in the Engineering Teaching and Research Laboratory.

The fair will have representatives from Avista Corp., CH2M Hill and Kenworth Truck Co.

“More than ever, these employers are looking for highly qualified engineers to solve critical 21st century problems in areas like energy, human health, computer and infrastructure security and the environment,'' said Bob Olsen, associate dean for undergraduate and student services for the College of Engineering and Architecture.

Jim Duncan speaks on brand power

Sparling Chairman and CEO Jim Duncan will speak on “Brand Power: Catalyst for Strategic Growth” at the Zweig Letter Hot Firm Conference in San Francisco Oct. 25 to Oct. 27.

Duncan will talk about how to create a brand and communicate it to clients.

Sparling's technology group recently won a job to develop communications infrastructure standards and a general assessment report of communications infrastructure at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute in Bermuda.

In addition, Sparling will complete technology consulting for a 670,000-square-foot replacement hospital at University Medical Center at Princeton including voice, data, nurse call, communication infrastructure and wireless design.

Design Detailings: How well are we teaching sustainability?

To highlight sustainability in architecture education, the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment has issued a study, “Design & Ecology: Ecological Literacy in Architecture Education.”

The study has definitions of sustainability and profiles of architecture coursework where ecological literacy has had an impact. It also includes surveys of U.S. architecture school Web sites and course offerings.

“The goal of this report is to help architecture curriculum evolve to the point where all design teachings are sustainable in nature,” said the study's co-author Kira Gould.

To see the executive summary and the full report go to http://www.aia.org.

Driftmier designs water district expansion

Driftmier Architects of Redmond is doing design and construction management of Covington Water District's expansion on an 11-acre site.

The project involves reorganization of current facilities, expansion, increased buffering for the neighborhood and several sustainable design features.

Recent work includes construction of a new utility yard and wetland enhancement, and completing a master plan for expanding the main facility.

The design team includes Hammond Collier Wade Livingstone, civil engineering; BHC Consultants, on-site sanitary treatment system; Armour Unsderfer Engineering, structural engineering; Abossein Engineering, electrical engineering; Yantis Acoustical Design, acoustical; Geotech Consultants, soils consultants; and Foresight, landscape architect.

R.W. Beck named top consultant

Management consulting and engineering firm R. W. Beck, which is based in Seattle and has offices around the United States, was named one of the top three consultants in a recent survey by Project Finance magazine.

The survey, published as part of the Market Trends 2006 report, tallied 250 borrower and lender responses. R. W. Beck has performed due diligence reviews for about 700 energy-related projects for more than 90 financial institutions in 50 countries. The firm has worked on $130 billion worth of energy projects funded by bonds, and more than $30 billion worth of projects funded by non-recourse financing.

Design Detailings: AIA conference: Livable communities

The American Institute of Architects sponsors “Livable Communities: Walking, Working, Water,” a four-day conference beginning Thursday.

The conference is for planners, architects, landscape architects, developers and urban designers, and will discuss the how changes in American society — such as aging baby boomers and volatile energy costs — are affecting urban planning and design.

The focus will be on sustainable places that connect people to their work and to waterfronts, according to AIA Seattle, which is a co-sponsor.

Presenters will include Val Thomas of Val Thomas Inc., Greg Hepp of Bassetti Architects, Carolyn Geise of Geise Architects and Lee Copeland of Mithun.

Registration is 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 2100 Alaskan Way. For information, call Bruce Bland at (202) 626-7557, or go to http://www.aia.org.

SMPS picks 2006-07 board members

The Seattle chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services has appointed new board members for 2006 through 2007.

The board includes chapter President Diane Levy of Kleinfelder; President-Elect Grace Vigil of Parametrix; Past-President Pam Heeke, CPSM of FCS GROUP; Treasurer Carly Cyr of Driftmier Architects; Secretary Jacquee Christnot of Macdonald-Miller; Director of Membership Carol Micek of HWA Geosciences; Director of Communications Edison L. Leonen, Associate AIA of Leonen Designs; and Director of Education and Programs Chere Garcia of J.R. Abbot Construction.

Seattle is the third largest chapter in the SMPS organization, with more than 220 members. Monthly luncheons are at the Washington Athletic Club in Seattle on the fourth Tuesday of the month. For information, go to http://www.smpsseattle.org.

Carla Thompson leads Oct. 12 seminar

Marketing Associates of Spokane will offer a seminar by Carla Thompson from Designed2Win on Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Red Lion River Inn.

The 7:30 am to 4 pm seminar will have two sessions: writing proposals and strategies for presentations.

Thompson is a Fellow in the Society of Marketing Professional Services, an accreditation that been given to fewer than 100 people in the United States. In 1996, SMPS named her Marketer of the Year.

For reservations, go to http://www.mas.org, contact MAS Vice President Leslie White at (509) 328-2994, or write white@coffman.com.

Libeskind, Hadid at Oct. 25-26 conference

On Oct. 25 and 26, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat will hold a two-day conference in Chicago titled “Thinking Outside the Box — Tapered, Tilted, Twisted Towers,” which will focus on the design and construction challenges of skyscrapers.

The conference will explore the architectural, structural, sustainable, economic, and social issues of the modern designer, with keynote speaches by architects Daniel Libeskind, Zaha Hadid and Ken Yeang, and developers such as Dubai Properties and Gale International.

For more information, go to http://www.ctbuh.org.

Design Detailings: Costco CEO gives MulvannyG2 Salmon Award

Jim Sinegal, president and CEO of Costco Wholesale, recognized MulvannyG2 Architecture at Costco's annual management meeting in Seattle last month.

MulvannyG2's partnership with Costco spans 20 years. The firm's services include planning new facilities and services, documentation, cost control and coordinating cost rebate programs. MulvannyG2 is also Costco's sole provider of construction document and administration related services.

“This year we will celebrate building and opening 500 Costco warehouses around the world,” said Mitch Smith, MulvannyG2 senior partner and managing director. “We have worked literally around the clock with our client to achieve this amazing record and are honored and humbled to receive this award.”

Sinegal presented Jerry Lee, MulvannyG2 Chairman, with Costco's Salmon Award, an award unique to Costco and given only to two other vendors in the past.

With 400 employees, MulvannyG2 is the third largest retail design firm in the U.S., as ranked by Design and Display Ideas and Visual Merchandising and Store Design magazines and the 13th largest architecture firm in the U.S., ranked by Building Design & Construction magazine.

Design/build forum on Sept. 22 at UW

The Northwest Chapter of the Design Build Institute of America and AIA Seattle host a program entitled, “Design a Team … then Build a Design,” 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. It will be held at the South Campus Center at the University of Washington.

It is the first program of its type in Seattle that will feature nationally known speakers and workshops that will be targeted at owners, contractors, engineers, suppliers and architects, according to Greg Bogard, president of the Design Build chapter.

The program will include a presentation by architect Stephen Kieran of Kieran Timberlake Associates of Philadelphia, entitled, “Refabricating Architecture.” Kiernan contends that it is time to update basic design and construction methods. Other workshops include: “Architect Lead Design/Build,” “Building Information Models,” “Design/Build Matchmaking” and “Keeping Design in Design/Build.” The program will conclude with a tour of the University of Washington Research and Technology Building.

For more information, call (206) 491-1148 or go to http://www.dbianwc.org.

Girvin's graphics at Lincoln Square

Branding and design firm Girvin, Inc. has completed a five-year assignment for Kemper Development Co.'s Lincoln Square, a 1.4 million-square-foot mixed-use complex in Bellevue.

Girvin's work involved environmental graphics for the property — including primary identification, tenant identification standards, retail directories and wayfinding, and parking garage wayfinding signing and graphics. In addition, Girvin worked with the city of Bellevue in using Lincoln Square as a prototype for an updated municipal sign code.

“The most interesting challenge of Lincoln Square involved bringing an urban architectural concept into the business district of Bellevue,” said designer Mandy Morgan.

Girvin has offices in Seattle and New York, and affiliates in Paris and Tokyo. Clients range from a packaged-goods marketer to Hollywood film studios and medical research institutions.

Corps' speaker on Sept. 20

American Water Resources Association of Washington will hold a dinner meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Pyramid Ale House, 1201 First Ave. S.

Marian Valentine, engineer for the Seattle Corps of Engineers, will speak about the Corps' water management strategies in the region.

Cost is $20 for members, $35 for non-members and $12 for the non-dinner option. Write to morin@mentorlaw.com or go to http://www.wa-awra.org.

Yantis is NCAC's director-at-large

Michael Yantis, principal of Yantis Acoustical Design, was recently elected a director-at-large of the National Council of Acoustical Consultants.

Yantis was an active member of NCAC for 20 years before being elected to one of the five director-at-large positions. In the new role, he will vote on decisions relating to policies, by-laws and membership of the organization.

“The NCAC is a huge advocate for our profession through education and training efforts,” said Yantis.

The council is an international organization that has 100 member firms in the United States.