Design Detailings: County execs lead ESA dinner talk

King County Executive Ron Sims, Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel and Pierce County Executive Doug Sutherland will discuss efforts by their counties to respond to the proposed listing of Puget Sound chinook salmon as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The panel discussion will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at the Rock Salt Restaurant in Seattle. The cost, which includes dinner, is $25 for reservations made before Jan. 7, after which the cost is $27. Space is limited, so early reservations are suggested. The American Society for Engineering Management is sponsoring the event. Call (206) 695-6823 for more information.

Seattle Library seeks citizen input

The Seattle Public library is organizing "work groups" of library users to help fine-tune the design of the new central library.

Internationally renowned architect Rem Koolhaas of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture and LMN Architects are designing the new library. Construction on the building is scheduled to begin in spring 2001 and end in 2003. The library will be constructed on the existing site at 1000 Fourth Ave.

The library has identified users groups, which are the: arts community, business community, children's services, disabled, homeless, ESL/literacy, general/recreational readers, researchers and young adults. Each group will develop a key list of recommendations for the architects. This is the phase, library officials say, where ideas can be explored and incorporated into the design. Work group meetings will take place in January. Participants should contact the facilitator, or library staff member who is leading the work group of their interest.

• For the arts community, the work group facilitator is Jodee Fenton who can be reached 206-386-4610. The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the Central Library's Lee Auditorium.

• The business community facilitator is Betty Tonglao, (206) 386-4655. Meetings are from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Central Library, Small Business Conference Room, second floor and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, Central Library, 1000 4th Ave., Small Business Conference Room, second floor.

• The children's services facilitator is Chance Hunt, (206) 386-4097. Meeting is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Lee Auditorium.

• The facilitator for disabled people is Cleo Brooks, (206) 386-4690 V/TDD. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Jan. 12, Central Library, LEAP office, third floor.

• ESL/literacy facilitators are Emily Wong, (206) 386-4148, and Peter Cole, (206) 386-4668. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, Douglass-Truth Library, 2300 E. Yesler Way

• The general/recreational users facilitator is Gwen Scott-Miller, (206) 386-4641. Meeting is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Central Library, Business and Technology Conference Room, second floor.

• The homeless facilitator is Patrick Grace, (206) 386-4139. Meetings are from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, Central Library, Lee Auditorium and 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

• The facilitator for older adults Shelley Adatto, (206) 386-4149. Meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon, Monday, Jan. 10, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

• For researchers, the facilitators are Lynn Daniel, (206) 386-4622, and Tom Horne, (206) 386-4181. Meetings are from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, Central Library, Lee Auditorium and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, Central Library, Board Room, fifth floor.

• For young adults, the facilitator is Jeff Katz, (206) 386-4151. Meeting is from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Central Library, Lee Auditorium.

Latest projects for RCA/Huitt-Zollars

• The Seattle engineering and planning firm RCA/Huitt Zollars has prepared a master plan for Black Hills in Shelton and is proceeding with infrastructure engineering for the mixed-use project, which will include retail/commercial, office, light industrial, multifamily housing and a mobile home park. Two retail/commercial users have expressed interest in the 30-40 acres nearest the interchange. Black Hills will substantially expand an existing retail/commercial development east of the interchange, which includes Wal-Mart and Fred Meyer stores. Phase I infrastructure construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2000. The firm did not disclose the name of the developer of the property.

• The Port of Chehalis has selected the firm to prepare the conceptual land use master plan for 375 acres currently owned by Weyerhaeuser. The Port has acquired 40 acres for phase I development. RCA/Huitt-Zollars is preparing a detailed plan for the parcel owned by the Port. The plan will address development of a phased industrial park, to be named Curtis Industrial Park, and how future phases can be developed by extending road and utility systems. Phase I is expected to yield 700,000 square feet of industrial development.

• RCA/Huitt-Zollars has prepared a master plan and will provide infrastructure engineering for the Oakland Bay Planned Community in Shelton. The developer, LANN, has acquired approximately 280 acres in Shelton overlooking Oakland Bay. The wooded site will yield 1000-1200 dwelling units including 100-200 multifamily units and a church. Infrastructure construction on phase I (150-200 lots) is expected to begin in 2000.

• The firm has prepared a master plan and is proceeding with the preliminary plat for a large development in Ellensburg. Triple L is the owner and developer of the 92-acre property, which abuts Ellensburg's west interchange. The site is zoned tourist/commercial and light industrial.

The property, divided by State Route 97, is visible from Interstate 90.

Mayer/Reed starts transportation project

Mayer/Reed, a Portland engineering firm, has begun design work on a multimodal transportation center in the Everett. The firm is providing environmental graphics for the new facility's design. Mayer/Reed is working with Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, which has offices in Portland and Seattle, on the project. Amtrak, Sound Transit, Greyhound and commuter rail services will use the center, which also will house academic facilities for higher education and career development.

State puts architect info. online

Washington's Department of Licensing has made the Architect Registration Board Annual Report available online. The Internet format replaces the paper version of the report. The Web site contains the laws and rules of the board as well as information about the status of individual architects. The Web site can be found at www.wa.gov/dol/bpd/arcfront.htm.

Annual DOT traffic report available

The latest Annual Traffic Report issued by the Washington Department of Transportation -- which contains four years of annual average daily traffic volumes for more than 3,500 locations on the state highway system -- is now available. The report is $10 per copy and can be obtained by calling the state DOT's data office at (360) 753-6234.

The report also contains the percentage of truck traffic at various locations throughout the state, traffic volumes at automatic data collection stations, seasonal traffic, state ferry system data and maps showing traffic flow.

Book group looks at commerce, architecture

The Henry Art Gallery is hosting a winter book group, held on Thursdays, January 27 and March 2. The featured books are "Systems of Survival, A Dialogue on the Moral Foundations of Commerce and Politics," by Jane Jacobs and "The Geography of Nowhere, The Rise of Decline of America's Manmade Landscape," by James Howard Kunstler.

Both groups meet from 7 p.m. -8:30 p.m. in the Henry Gallery conference room. General registration is $28, $20 for students and Henry members. Call (206) 543-2281 for more information.

Portland interior design firm changes name

Hills & Associates, a Portland-based interior design and space planning firm, has a new name. The new name is the Hills Design Group. The nine-member firm, which specializes in corporate office space planning, has planned more than 2 million square feet of office space, lobbies and public spaces.

McGowan moves

McGowan Broz Engineers has moved to 15405 S.E. 37th St., suite 201 in Bellevue, along the Interstate 90 corridor. The telephone number is (425) 564-8400.

Florida conference to look at new urbanism

A conference in Seaside, Fla., from Friday, Jan. 14 to Sunday, Jan. 16 will address the topic of new urbanism. There is no registration fee. Conference sponsors will provide a continental breakfast each day and a reception on Friday evening. Housing is available in Seaside. The conference rate for a bedroom and bath in a cottage, sharing living/dining rooms and kitchen is $110/night plus tax. For reservations, call Courtney Hurst at 1 (800) 591-8696.

Design Detailings: Sneak a peek at new Seattle library

Internationally renowned architect Rem Koolhaas, of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in the Netherlands, will unveil his first images of the new $159 million, 355,000-square-foot downtown library at noon today.

The event will be held at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and is free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The new library will be built on the existing site at 1000 Fourth Ave. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in April 2001.

Koolhaas and his design team will also host an open house for the public with city Librarian Deborah Jacobs and other library officials from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Central Library in the Lee Auditorium. The purpose of the open house is to kick off the public process for the design phase of the central library. The public will be invited to sign up to participate in any of 10 library user "work groups" that will recommend ways the new library can provide better service. The work groups will meet between Jan. 2 and Jan. 16. People are also invited to provide suggestions by filling out a questionnaire, which will be available at all Seattle Public Library locations and on the Web site.

Jon Magnusson looks at future trends

Jon Magnusson, principal of Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire, at a dinner talk sponsored by the American Society for Engineering Management will share some insights on how his firm reached prominence and what lies ahead in the next millennium. The event will be held today at 6:30 p.m. at the Rock Salt Steakhouse on 1232 Westlake Ave. N. in Seattle. The cost is $23. Call (206) 695-6670 for more information.

Input sought on City Hall design

The design team for the city of Seattle's new City Hall and public plaza will be presenting initial design approaches and take comments and suggestions from citizens in a public design discussion on Thursday, Dec. 16. The event will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church on Fifth Avenue and Marion Street in downtown Seattle.

Presenters include Peter Bohlin, lead architect for the new City Hall; Kathryn Gustafson, lead landscape designer for the adjacent open space plaza; and Beliz Brother, lead artist for City Hall and the plaza.

Joining them will be NBBJ's Rick Zieve, lead architect, and Pam Beyette, lead artist, for the new Justice Center, which will be constructed on Fifth Avenue, across from City Hall.

David Hewitt of Hewitt/Isley Architects, the firm which designed the Civic Center master plan, will moderate the discussion.

Mayor Paul Schell will be on hand to offer introductory remarks and to participate in the discussion.

Following presentations from each member of the design team, the audience will have an opportunity to question the team as well as to leave their comments and questions on response cards.

Bellevue firm certified DBE

CivilTech Corp., a structural, geotechnical and software engineering firm headquartered in Bellevue has been certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) by the Alaska's Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Dykeman honored for volunteerism

The Human Services Council of Snohomish County awarded The Dykeman Architects the Business Partnership Award for 1999. This award is for volunteer design services to build homes for low-income families in Snohomish County. Dykeman received the award with Habitat for Humanity, its partner on the project.

Mahlum marketer named SMPS fellow

William Strong, director of marketing for Mahlum Architects, has received certification as a Society of Marketing Professional Services Fellow. With 11 of his 21 years in marketing spent at Mahlum, Strong was recognized for his consistent dedication to education in the organization.

Gensler wins AIA firm award for 2000

The national board of directors of the American Institute of Architects has named Gensler Architecture recipient of the 2000 AIA Architecture Firm Award.

The annual award, the highest honor the AIA confers on an architecture firm, will be presented at the 2000 Accent on Architecture awards ceremony Jan. 28 in Washington, D.C.

The award recognizes a practice that has produced distinguished architecture consistently for at least 10 years. Previous recipients include I.M. Pei & Partners, Cesar Pelli & Associates, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and Perkins & Will, the 1999 winner.

From its early roots in corporate office design, San Francisco-based Gensler has grown from a three-person office in 1965 to the world's largest architecture firm, boasting 16 offices and 1,700 employees. Its 1,200 active clients are as diverse as its projects -- including airport and transit terminals, educational buildings, entertainment and retail centers, hotels, office buildings and campuses, studios and theme parks.

AIA Gold Medal goes to Mexican firm

Ricardo Legorreta was selected by the national Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects to receive the 2000 AIA Gold Medal award. The highest honor the AIA confers on an individual, the Gold Medal recognizes an architect whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.

Legorreta is the 57th AIA Gold Medalist, joining the ranks of such visionaries as Thomas Jefferson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, I.M. Pei, Cesar Pelli and 1999 AIA Gold Medal recipient Frank Gehry. In recognition of their legacy to architecture, the name of each Gold Medal recipient is chiseled into a granite wall of honor in the lobby of the AIA headquarters in Washington.

During the span of his 45-year career, Legorreta has integrated interior design, landscape architecture, and architecture into a single discipline. He chose to establish a design style rooted in Mexico's indigenous architectural traditions.

Born in 1931 in Mexico City, Legorreta studied architecture at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and established his firm Legoretta Arquitectos in 1959. His early important buildings were the Camino Real Hotel in Cancun, offices for IBM and the Kodak laboratories. His first important commission outside of Mexico was the residence of actor Ricardo Montalban. His current design commissions include The Mexican Museum in San Francisco, the Hispanic Cultural Arts Center in Dallas and the Bank of Finance in Managua, Nicaragua.

Design Detailings: New president of Oregon ASCE named

Mel Sears, Portland regional manager for Parametrix, was recently elected to the position of president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Oregon section. In this role, he represents more than 1,700 civil engineers in Oregon and southwestern Washington. He is also on ASCE's Pacific Northwest council board of directors, which manages ASCE business in Alaska, Montana, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Sears has been a member of ASCE for more than 10 years.

McGowan Broz engineers set to move

McGowan Broz Engineers is moving from its north Bellevue location to new offices along the Interstate 90 corridor. Effective Dec. 6 the new address will be 15405 SE 37th St., suite 201, Bellevue, WA 98006. The new phone number is (425) 564-8400.

Located in the PCL building along I-90, McGowan Broz's new 5,500-square-foot office space features a number of design elements that, representatives of the firm say, reflect the firm's unique corporate identity. Specialized lighting was designed to take advantage of the latest lighting technologies. The new facility also has reserve space for planned future expansion.

Space planning and interior design was provided by GGLO, and McGowan Broz designed the lighting, electrical and mechanical systems. PCL is the general contractor.

Headed by Ken McGowan and Bill Broz, the firm provides mechanical and electrical engineering services to commercial, industrial and municipal clients throughout the Northwest and Asia.

Portland firm picked to design casinos

Scardina Design Studio, a Portland-based interior design firm, has been selected to provide space planning and interior design services for two casinos in La Center, Wash. The New Phoenix and Next Horizon casinos, owned by George Teeny, will undergo a renovation and expansion over the next few months. The new space will be open to the public in March 2000.

The architect for both projects is LSW Architects in Vancouver, Wash. Cisneros Construction in Portland is the contractor.

New book on landscape architecture

The American Society of Landscape Architects and Spacemaker Press have published "100 Years of Landscape Architecture: Some Patterns of a Century." Written by Melanie Simo, the book traces the evolution of landscape architecture from 1899 to 1999. The book can be purchased through the ASLA for $49.95. To order, call 1 (800) 787-2665 or go to the Web site http://www.asla.org.

National AIA winners named this week

The American Institute of Architects on Thursday, Dec. 2 will select this year's winner of the Gold Medal, its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award and the Topaz Medallion, which recognizes excellence in architectural education. The winners will be announced shortly after a closed-session voting by the AIA board of directors at the organization's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

WALP winners announced

The Washington Association of Landscape Professionals has named Steve Pagel of Pagel's Landscape Maintenance in Vancouver, Wash., as member of the year. Country Green Turf Farms in Olympia was recognized as the associate member of the year.

WALP also awarded several environmental awards. In the category of design-build, the highest award went to Hendrikus Schraven Landscape Construction & Design in Issaquah and to the Highridge Corp., also in Issaquah. Two distinction awards went to Puget Sound Landscaping in Olympia.

In the category of public works, a distinction award went to Teufel Nursery in Woodinville for the Everett Memorial Stadium.

A series of other awards were also distributed. A full list of award winners will be posted in January on WALP's Web site.

SMPS hosts "Getting What You're Worth"

The Society of Marketing Professional Services is sponsoring a program to teach negotiation skills in the workplace. The program, "Getting What You're Worth" will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7 at the Rainier Square conference room.

The program will address compensation and fee issues, and participants will observe and critique an actual negotiation. Presenter Bob Ness provides negotiation training to executives and managers in major corporations. He works extensively in the architecture, engineering and construction industries.

The cost of the event is $30 for SMPS members, $35 for member firms and $40 for nonmembers. For more information about the education program, call Karen Johnston at the Johnston Training Group at (206) 256-0206.

Hackworth begins Issaquah project

Seattle-based Hackworth Architecture has broken ground on Huckleberry Circle, a 60-unit multifamily development in the Issaquah highlands being developed by Lozier Homes. Each home fronts on a street or a common green, with parking provided in garages, some of which can be accessed from interior streets. Most of the homes located on the "main street" have ground floor spaces that were conceived as home offices. The exterior elevations combine two-and three-story elements with a variety of roof forms.

Design Detailings: ASCE talks about Everett rail station

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Washington state section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers are holding a meeting today to discuss the Everett Rail Station project. Paul Kaftanski from the city of Everett will be the speaker. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at the Yankee Diner on 5300 24th Ave. N.W. in Seattle. The cost is $16.

Honor Awards conferred next week

This year's Honor Awards ceremony for Washington architecture will be held at Benaroya Hall on Monday, Nov. 15. Tickets are available to the public for $18 through Thursday, Nov. 11, at AIA Seattle, located on 1911 First Ave. Tickets are $22 at the door.

A reception will be held at 6 p.m., and the awards program will begin at 7 p.m. An international panel of jurors, consisting of Eva Jiricna of the Czech Republic, Fumihiko Maki of Japan and Argentina-born Rafael Vinoly, will review the submittals and present their observations. Mayor Paul Schell is moderator for the program. For more information, call AIA Seattle at (206) 448-4938.

SEAW offers briefing on Taiwan quake

A team of engineers that visited Taiwan to assess earthquake damage is delivering a technical report of its findings from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17. The briefing will be held at the University of Washington's Kane Hall, Room 120.

Engineers will talk about seismic damage in affected areas in Taiwan and discuss the overall implications of the earthquake for the Puget Sound region.

The deadline for pre-registration is Friday, Nov. 12. Contact the Structural Engineers Association of Washington at (206) 682-6026 for information.

The cost of the event is $45 for SEAW members and UW faculty, $55 for non-members and $15 for students.

WASLA awards ceremony coming up

The Washington State chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects will grant this year's awards on Friday, Nov. 19. The event will be held at the Frye Art Museum on 704 Terry Ave. in Seattle. It begins with a reception at 7 p.m. The keynote speaker will be John Rahaim, executive director of the Seattle Design Commission, who will talk about the importance of urban design and landscape planning in shaping the character of the Northwest during a time of intense growth.

The cost is $35 for WASLA members, $40 for non-members and $20 for students.

New name for Walter Schacht Architects

The firm formerly known as Walter Schacht Architects will now be called Schacht Aslani Architects. Cima Malek-Aslani has joined Walter Schacht, her husband, to lead the Seattle design firm, which specializes in projects for cultural, educational and residential clients.

As senior architect at Cardwell Thomas Associates for the past 14 years, Malek-Aslani led projects such as the St. Mark's Episcopal Church's new copper roof, renovation of Seattle First Baptist Church, renovation of Parrington Hall at the University of Washington, renovation of Thompson Hall at Washington State University and renovation of Broadway Market. At Schacht Aslani Architects, she will be a principal architect.

The firm is working on the Squaxin Island Tribe Museum and Library, which is under construction in Shelton, a new synagogue for Ahavath Beth Israel in Boise and a music school for Music Works Northwest in Bellevue.

Seattle architecture at NW Bookfest

At 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, Historic Seattle program director Larry Kreisman, along with Paul Dorpat, Mark Hinshaw and David Sucher, will discuss "Anatomy of a City: Inside Seattle Architecture." The talk will be held during Northwest Bookfest at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center, KUOW/KPLU Hall Stage.

Tokyo architect talks at the UW

At 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Nov.12, Fumihiko Maki, a recipient of the Pritzker Prize and the AIA Gold Medal, will talk about the themes of the city and the creation of place. The lecture is sponsored by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington. The lecture will be held at the University of Washington, Kane Hall in Room 120.

U.S. DOT sets up new awards program

The U.S. Department of Transportation is launching a new awards program to recognize projects that relate to moving people and goods. There are six awards categories: architecture which includes terminals, stations, ports and similar facilities; engineering, which includes highways, bridges, tunnels and equipment as well as navigation systems; graphic design; historic preservation and adaptive re-use; urban design, planning and landscape architecture; and special emphasis, which are entries that enhance livability and accessibility of communities and regions.

Eligible projects must have been completed and in use in the United States or its possessions between March 1, 1995 and June 1, 1999. Application forms and guidelines are available at http://ostpxweb.dot.gov.

Design Detailings: NBBJ to discuss Justice Center design

NBBJ will present schematics and discuss design principles for the new $92 million Justice Center at the next meeting of the Seattle Design Commission. The discussion, which is open to the public, will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4 at the Municipal Building, Room 221. The Justice Center, which will house new municipal courts and police headquarters, is one component of the city's new $224 million Civic Center.

Huge paper crane to be built at Kingdome

A project to spread the message of world peace will soon take flight at the Kingdome.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, the public can observe thousands of school children from the Puget Sound area assemble what event organizers say will be the world's largest paper crane.

Decorated with artwork from children around the world, the crane will stand 120 feet high with a wingspan of 200 feet. Seattle-based Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire has donated its engineering services for the project.

The crane is scheduled to be raised at noon. Admission to the event is free for children throughout the day, free for adults until 2 p.m. and $5 per adult after 2 p.m.

The event can also be viewed live on the Internet at http://www.secureeye.com.

Organizers from The World Peace Project for Children, a non-profit organization in Issaquah, hope to take the crane on an international tour.

Surveying firm takes root in Issaquah

Ben Petersen has formed his own land surveying firm, PLS Inc. The firm provides land surveying and mapping experience using GPS, CAD, electronic survey instrumentation and data collection.

Petersen is a licensed land surveyor in Washington and Oregon with more than 26 years of experience. He was previously the survey/GIS division manager for White Shield. The PLS Inc. staff has directed the surveying and mapping for such projects as the Denny Way/Lake Union and Henderson/MLK CSO projects, the Redmond Town Center, the Tolt Water Filtration Plant and Sound Transit's Seattle-to-Tacoma commuter rail and light rail systems.

PLS is located at 1045-12th Ave. N.W., suite F-1B, in Issaquah. The telephone number is (425) 313-9378.

ASHRAE technical program announced

Sessions on deregulation of the power industry, indoor air quality and energy efficiency of buildings are included in the technical program for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE) 2000 Winter Meeting, Feb. 5-9, 2000, in Dallas at the Adam's Mark Hotel.

The sessions will provide an outline of deregulation and address how possible changes in power quality could affect system users and manufacturers, real-time pricing and thermal storage, and an overview of deregulation in a seminar called Deregulation for Dummies.

Strategies for controlling environmental tobacco smoke in bars, restaurants and lounges and in atria will also be discussed.

Registration for the 2000 ASHRAE Winter Meeting is $385 prior to Dec. 23. After Dec. 23, the registration fee will be $450. For more information or to register, visit the Web site.