The new name is Sclater Architects

Sclater Partners Architects changed its name and its logo.

The Seattle firm will now be known as Sclater Architects. It said in a press release the changes signal plans to expand the 30-person staff and focus on the talents of the entire team, rather than just the leadership.

The firm has more than doubled the size of its staff in the last two years, and said it plans to hire more. It also has invested heavily in technology and computer automated design tools.

Originally founded as Burke and Kober in Los Angeles in 1934, it opened an office in Seattle in 1973. In 1980, Alan Sclater took over direction of the Seattle office, which became an independent firm in 1988. It became Sclater Partners Architects in 1997.

Harvard Belmont tour is Aug. 2

A Seattle Architecture Foundation tour at 10 a.m. Aug. 2 will focus on the Harvard Belmont District. “The Rich Life on Capitol Hill” explores the landmark district's early 20th century architecture.

The two-hour tour begins at the driveway of Merrill Court Townhouses at 901 Harvard Ave. E.

Tickets are $15, or $25 on the day of the tour. Register at http://tiny.cc/c40ahx/.

Marc Chavez named a fellow by CSI

Chavez

The Construction Specifications Institute named as a fellow Marc Chavez, an associate partner at ZGF Architects in Seattle.

Chavez is one of four CSI members selected as a fellow, one of CSI's highest honors.

Fellows are chosen by peers for contributions to construction technology and specifications, and service to CSI.

They will be honored Sept. 9 at a ceremony in Baltimore.

Chavez is an architect who participates in design, specifications and construction. He has over 27 years of experience and has held leadership roles at CSI.

Coates to design Seabrook homes

Coates Design Architects said it is among a group of architects approved to design houses for people who want to live in the master-planned community of Seabrook on the Washington coast near Pacific Beach.

Bainbridge Island-based Coates said it is designed the Ellis Residence on Yeomalt Bluff overlooking Puget Sound with geothermal and solar hot water, advanced heat-recovery technologies, and rainwater recycling. The firm also designed Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, which is targeting LEED gold.

SAF picks new officers, director

The Seattle Architecture Foundation has elected new officers and a new director to lead the organization in 2014-2015.

The nonprofit offers walking tours, lectures, youth and family programs, and an annual exhibit.

Lindsey M. Pflugrath of Skellenger Bender is president; Casey Schuchart of Schuchart is vice-president; Ryan Schultz of Kibble & Prentice is secretary; Carol Binder, a civic volunteer, is treasurer; Michael Yantis of Sparling is recent past president; and Jim Neurenburg of The Boeing Co. is the new director.

For more information on SAF, go to http://www.seattlearchitecture.org.

Davido Consulting turns 15 this year

Lake Forest Park-based Davido Consulting Group is celebrating 15 years in business.

Last year, the 26-member civil and structural engineering firm opened an office at 2124 Riverside Drive in Mount Vernon and acquired RL Design, a technical services firm on Whidbey Island.

It hired Ray Tennal, former owner of RL Design, as a structural engineer in Mount Vernon and Tracy Lorelli as marketing manager. Lorelli works in the Lake Forest Park office.

Tour UW campus with SAF July 26

Seattle Architecture Foundation will offer a tour of the University of Washington campus at 11:30 a.m. July 26.

The two-hour tour will look at how the “University of a Thousand Years” has managed through its first 150. Gothic, Renaissance and Beaux Arts buildings are on the tour as well as quadrangles and gardens.

The tour begins at War Memorial flagpole on Memorial Way Northeast, between Parrington Hall and Kane Hall.

Cost is $15, or $25 on tour day. Register at http://tiny.cc/1alwgx/.

David Peden new chair of SEFW

David Peden of Coffman Engineers is chair of Structural Engineers Foundation of Washington's board of directors. Founding board member Jon Magnusson has resigned to join the board of the American Society of Civil Engineers Foundation.

Peden, a principal in Coffman's Spokane office, plans to serve two years. He succeeds Howard Burton of Seattle Structural, who helped establish SEFW in November 2010.

SEFW said in a press release that it expects Peden's appointment will help increase participation by people in different parts of the state.

Magnusson, a senior principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates, was on the SEFW board for more than three years.

Landscape supply store opens here

Architectural Landscape Supply opened a store at 404 S. Brandon St. in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.

Oasis Water Gardens previously occupied the space. ALS will continue to sell items Oasis did, along with supplies for commercial and residential projects.

The store has nine showroom gardens. It sells water gardening supplies such as koi ponds along with patio pavers, wall blocks, concrete wall finishes, sidewalk and driveway finishes, gabion walls, garden retaining walls, fencing and other landscaping items.

ALS is open 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

M. Lee Marsh wins award from UT

Marsh

BergerABAM President M. Lee Marsh was named an outstanding alumnus by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's department of civil and environmental engineering.

Marsh received his bachelor's and master's in civil engineering from the university.

He worked for the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge facilities, and earned a doctorate from the University of Washington in earthquake engineering. He was on the Washington State University faculty before joining BergerABAM in 1994.

The Federal Way firm said he has spearheaded many seismic design and assessment projects.

MOHAI offers tour of Lake Union Park

The Museum of History & Industry is offering a 30-minute free tour of Lake Union Park at noon on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in July and August.

Tours of the 12-acre park come with stories about Seattle's past and views of the city and lake.

It starts outside the main entrance of MOHAI at 860 Terry Ave N.

Reservations are not required and walk-ups are encouraged.

AIASWW scholarships go to 3 students

The American Institute of Architects Southwest Washington awarded three high school seniors a total of $5,500 in scholarships.

The students are Delaney Butler, who attended Tacoma School of the Arts and will attend the University of Washington; Connor Lilley, a senior at Curtis Senior High School in University Place who has been accepted into the University of Oregon's architecture program; and Spencer Seeberger, who attended Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma and will attend Washington State University.

These are funded by the AIASWW Luxuries of Life Auction, which will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at Pantages Theater in Tacoma. AIA National also contributed $1,000.

For information go to http://www.aiasww.org or call Kris Schwarz at (253) 627-4006.

40 years in business for R.W. Thorpe

Mercer Island-based R.W. Thorpe & Associates is celebrating 40 years in business.

The firm provides planning, landscape architecture, project management and environmental, land economics, and entitlement services in the western United States, Asia and Central America. Clients have included Weyerhaeuser Real Estate, the Boeing family, Murray Franklyn and Quadrant.

How to build a better team

Consultant Wendi Walsh will talk about how to build a better team at 11:30 a.m. July 15 at the Bellevue Sheraton.

The luncheon event is sponsored by the Seattle chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.

Walsh advises businesses, teams and individuals on how to organize to accomplish goals. She holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's in organizational development.

Cost is $50 for members, $55 for member firms and $65 for non-members, with $10 off before July 11.

Register at http://tiny.cc/wf80hx/.

AIA reception: Art by designers

AIA Seattle will hold an opening reception for the 2014 Member Art Show from 5 to 7 p.m. July 11 at 1911 First Ave. in Seattle.

The collection of architecture-inspired works from AIA Seattle members will be on display from July 8 to Aug. 22.

WoodWorks holds workshop in Seattle

The Wood Products Council's WoodWorks program will hold a workshop titled “Compliance, Comfort, Durability: Fundamentals of Wood Building Design” at 8:15 a.m. July 17 at Morton's in Seattle.

The speakers are Butch Bernhardt of the Western Wood Preservers Institute, Steve Thorburn of Thorburn Associates and Andrew Klein, an engineer consultant.

Cost is $40, with breakfast and lunch provided. Register at http://tiny.cc/1s0chx/.

Fife wins APWA award for project

The city of Fife won a Project of the Year Award for widening 70th Avenue and Valley Avenue East from the American Public Works Association.

It won in the $5 million to $25 million transportation category.

Federal, state, tribal and local governments collaborated on the $15 million upgrade to 70th Avenue, which is a major connecting road that serves many businesses.

The street was widened to five lanes, and intersections at 20th and 26th streets were improved. The project also extended Interurban Trail from Milton to 20th Street and added a trailhead.

Storm drainage and signalization were improved; most overhead utilities were moved underground; and bicycle lanes, curbs, gutters, planting strip, sidewalks and lights were added.

Tour Nucor Steel plant on Aug. 22

Tour Nucor Steel in Seattle from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Aug. 22 as part of the 2014 Making and Materials Tour Series sponsored by the Young Architects Forum of AIA Seattle.

Nucor is a steel and steel product manufacturer at 2424 S.W. Andover St.

Cost is $5 for members and $20 for non-members. Registration is required, at http://tiny.cc/hybygx/.

Farallon celebrates 15 years in business

Issaquah-based Farallon Consulting is celebrating 15 years in business.

The environmental consulting firm was founded by Peter Jewett and Clifford Schmitt in 1998. It now has more than 50 employees in offices in Washington, Oregon and California.

The firm has a new website at http://www.farallonconsulting.com.

David Winter is new ACEC-WA chair

Winter

David Winter of Hart Crowser is chairman of the Washington chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies.

The organization represents more than 150 firms with nearly 8,000 employees in the state, and advocates for public infrastructure, energy and tax issues. ACEC-WA has liaison committees with such agencies as WSDOT, Sound Transit and King County.

Winter said in a press release that in the coming year ACEC-WA will increase programs for firms with more private sector clients, recognizing the renewed growth of that sector.

Hart Crowser is an environmental and engineering consulting firm headquartered in Seattle.