Design Detailings: ASCE examines local water supply issues

The Seattle section of the American Society of Civil Engineers is holding a dinner discussion tonight about the municipal water supply in the Puget Sound.

Richard Palmer, University of Washington professor of water resources management, will provide a historical perspective on major municipal water supplies in the Northwest with special emphasis on Seattle. He will discuss the roles that key design engineers such as Arthur Denny, R.H. Thomson, W.C. Morse and Hiram M. Chittenden had in our current water supply system.

The Endangered Species Act, the Habitat Conservation Plan for the Cedar and Green Rivers, the Tacoma-Seattle Intertie, the Cascade Water Alliance and computer models for managing water resource conflicts will be discussed.

The event will be held at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Avenue N.W., Seattle. It starts at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The talk is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. For more information, call (206) 632-2667.

Portland light rail gets national awards

The design of the $963.5 million Westside Max light rail in Portland, Ore., garnered three national awards in competitions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Designed for Tri-Met, the regional transit agency, the Westside Max extends the Eastside line 18 miles from downtown Portland to Hillsboro.

The project was completed in September 1998. The design team included Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade & Douglas; Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership; Otak; BRW; and LTK Engineering Services.

The project was one of 11 Honor Award winners in the U.S. DOT's Design for Transportation National Awards 2000 contest. There were more than 260 entries for this competition.

The Main Street Overpass in Hillsboro, completed as part of the project, received a Merit Award from DOT as well. This overcrossing, designed by BRW, is believed to be one of the first applications of a reinforced concrete arch that supports a major transportation facility.

Designer furnishings hit the Net

The San Francisco Design Center and Seattle Design Center recently entered into a promotional agreement with UrbanDesign Online, a new e-tailer of high-end, custom-designed furnishings.

The design centers and UrbanDesign Online, http://www.urbandesign.com, will jointly develop marketing programs and activities to sell services to designers and high-end showrooms. One of the first joint marketing activities will be Design Online, an Internet forum that will be hosted by the San Francisco Design Center in July.

UrbanDesign Online expects to launch a beta version of its Web site this month, with services available to Seattle and San Francisco users.

CWU offers master's in engineering technology

Beginning this fall, Central Washington University will offer a new master of science degree in engineering technology (MSET). Administered by the university's industrial and engineering technology department, the program will be available on the Ellensburg campus, CWU Steilacoom Center in Puyallup and at The Boeing Co.'s Auburn plant.

This is the first time CWU has offered a course at a Boeing facility. All of the course work may be completed at the Auburn facility in an after-work program. Classes will be limited to 25 students.

The new program is multidisciplinary in nature and designed to broaden the technology backgrounds of those holding bachelor's degrees in engineering technology, industrial technology, or industrial or engineering education.

The program will include 30 credit hours of required course work, with students selecting an additional 15 credit hours from a list of technical electives. That list includes classes in alternative energy systems, emerging technologies, engineering project cost analysis, ceramics and composites.

To earn their degree, candidates will be required to pass a final oral examination on their thesis project and supporting course work.

To register for the new MSET program or for more information, call (509)-963-1477 or visit the Web site.

Design Detailings: Contractors sought for temporary Central Library

The Seattle Public Library is seeking general contractors to pre-qualify for a bid on the $6.5 million temporary Central Library project.

The facility will serve as a temporary library while the new $159 Central Library is being constructed. The project consists of tenant improvements built concurrently with the shell and core construction of the Washington State Convention and Trade Center expansion.

The library will conduct a pre-submittal conference at 2 p.m. Monday, June 12, 2000 in the third floor auditorium of the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.

A complete copy of the bid package may be picked up in person during business hours or requested from Lorig Associates via fax at (206) 728-5847 or e-mail. Pre-qualification proposals are due on 4 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2000.

For more information, contact Sue Partridge, project manager, Seattle Public Library, via fax at (206) 386-4108 or e-mail.

ARC Architects to design Lake City Library

Seattle Public Library board of trustees has selected ARC Architects to design the expansion of the Lake City Library.

Fifteen firms competed to design the $2.9 million expansion project.

Seattle-based ARC Architects, founded in 1976, has experience in public sector work, particularly in the design of community and senior centers. It designed the New Holly Community facilities for the Seattle Housing Authority, which includes the New Holly Library. The firm's portfolio also includes the Tukwila Community Center, Eckstein Community Center, Northshore Senior Center and South Park Community Center.

The expansion, which will add nearly 6,000 square feet to the 9,000-square-foot library, will feature a multipurpose room, as well as enhanced study areas and more space for books. It is scheduled for completion in 2002.

Book signing for Roland Terry book

A reception and book signing to celebrate the publication of "Roland Terry: Master Northwest Architect," by Justin Henderson will be held Wednesday, June 14. The reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Marco Polo bookstore, 713 Broadway E., Seattle. Both Terry and Justin will be present to sign copies of the book, published by the University of Washington Press. Free parking and shuttle service are available for the event at the Lowell School, 1058 E. Mercer St. Reservations for the reception are required; call Marco Polo at (206) 860-3736.

Sundberg named national AIA juror

Rick Sundberg, principal of Olson Sundberg Architects in Seattle, recently served as the national juror for the American Institute of Architects' Austin Design Competition in Texas.

Chairperson of the Seattle Design Commission and a Fellow of the College of the AIA, Sundberg noted similarities between Texas and Washington architecture: "Both Texas and Washington are western states, with powerful environments that inspire well-crafted, creative architectural responses. It seems to me that serious architects seek to understand the environment in which they work, to draw from the regional experience -- yet respond to the subtlety of the local context, often reinventing local tradition to inspire a modern adaptation."

Sundberg is lead architect on an upcoming project in Texas, the Art Center of Waco.

The firm is expanding its presence in the Southwest, as Jim Olson, principal, was a member of the federal government's "design excellence" team charged with selected the architect for the new Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Portland light rail gets national awards

The design of the $963.5 million Westside Max light rail in Portland, Ore., garnered three national awards in competitions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Designed for Tri-Met, the regional transit agency, the Westside Max extends the Eastside line 18 miles from downtown Portland to Hillsboro.

The project was completed in September 1998. The design team included Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade & Douglas; Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership; Otak; BRW; and LTK Engineering Services.

The project was one of 11 Honor Award winners in the U.S. DOT's Design for Transportation National Awards 2000 contest. There were more than 260 entries for this competition.

The Main Street Overpass in Hillsboro, completed as part of the project, received a Merit Award from DOT as well. This overcrossing, designed by BRW, is believed to be one of the first applications of a reinforced concrete arch that supports a major transportation facility.

The project also received a 2000 Federal Design Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This award is the highest level of design achievement for projects in the federal sector. It was one of 35 winning projects.

Design Detailings: SDC holds urban design forum

An urban design forum sponsored by the Seattle Design Commission will be held from June 1-3 at the U.S. Naval Reserve Station, 860 Terry Avenue N. Keynote speakers include Bob Kroin, chief architect for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and Ray Gastil, executive director of the Van Alen Institute in New York. For more information, call Denni Shefrin (206) 233-7223.

New building to open at Children's Theatre

Seattle Children's Theatre will unveil its new facility, The Allen Family Pavilion, on Saturday, June 10. The event will be held from 12 to 2:30 p.m. The three-story technical pavilion will house scene, prop, costume and paint ships and an entire floor of rehearsal studios and classroom space. The opening event is free to the public and will include tours of the facility. LMN Architects designed the pavilion; Sellen Construction Co. was the general contractor.

East Coast firm buys W&H Pacific

The IT Group, a Pennsylvania-based, publicly traded engineering and construction corporation, has acquired W&H Pacific, a 300-person engineering firm headquartered in Bothell.The combined annual revenue both firms is reported to be about $1.3 billion. The IT Group has about 1,700 employees nationwide.With the acquisition, the IT Group, which specializes in environmental management, will diversify into new infrastructure markets, such as transportation, land development and energy/telecommunications, and will further its presence in the Northwest.Senior management, project teams and offices for W&H will remain the same, company executives said.

Vancouver firm and Mahlum team up

Henriquez Architects of Vancouver, B.C., and Mahlum Architects of Seattle have established a specialized studio in Seattle to work on residential, mixed-use and commercial projects.Henriquez is known for its mixed-use and residential projects that span the market from affordable housing to luxury high rises. Among its portfolio is The Presidio Residential Tower, a high rise in Vancouver. Mahlum does a variety of educational, medical and commercial buildings, such as the Washington Mutual Tower in Seattle.

ZGF gets Duke University job

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, with Northwest offices in Seattle and Portland, has been awarded a contract to study feasibility and site options for a new biomedical engineering research center at Duke University in North Carolina.The goal of the project is to provide interdisciplinary research for biomedical, electrical and computer, mechanical science, and civil and environmental engineering.ZGF has won numerous awards for its work, and recently received accolades for its design of Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland.

Architect chosen for library renovations

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees has selected Snyder Hartung Kane Strauss Architects to design the renovations of both the Green Lake and West Seattle branch libraries.The libraries, which opened in 1910, are Carnegie-funded branches designed by W. Marbury Somervell and Joseph S. Cote. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The Seattle-based firm was one of six firms competing for the contract. Founded in 1997, Snyder Hartung Kane Strauss Architects specializes in the restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings. Its principals have worked on the Burien Library, the Everett Public Library, the Green Lake Library and the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington.Seattle voters approved spending $602,000 to renovate the 8,690-square-foot Green Lake Library and $778,000 to renovate the 7,670-square-foot West Seattle Library.

School facility planners hold conference

The Council of Educational Facilities Planners International will be holding its regional conference from July 21-24 in Bellevue.Attendees registering by May 31 receive a discount.The keynote speaker is Gene Sharratt, superintendent of North Central Educational Service District in Wenatchee. He will discuss how student diversity affects facilities design. Other topics include sustainable design, the effect of the Endangered Species Act on school construction and school safety.For information about the conference schedule and cost, call Phyllis Keithly at (360) 871-7552.

New software helps select paint

A new software program that helps architects and interior designers select paint will be introduced at a free luncheon on Thursday, June 1. Called RoddaVision, the program allows designers to choose colors from the Rodda Paint company. A spokesperson from the company said the program will cost under $40 and will be sold at all Rodda Paint's retail stores and on the Web site www.hardware.com beginning June 1.Darren Alexander of Autech Research, the company that developed the software program in Australia for Rodda Paints, will be the keynote speaker.

The luncheon will be held at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle.

Kubota Kato Chin moves

The office of Architects Kubota Kato Chin has moved to 6201 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle. The new telephone number is (206) 985-5800. The firm specializes in community design and works in both public and private sectors. The prior office at 307 Sixth Ave. S. will be retained as a temporary project office for the International District Village Square Phase Two project, a mixed-use facility that includes a public community center, public library branch, office space, retail space and parking. Kovalenko Hale Architects is the joint venture partner on the project.

AIA elects officers

At the AIA Seattle annual meeting May 17, members elected officers and directors for terms beginning September 2000. Norm Strong is the new president. Joining him on the executive committee are First Vice President/President-elect Steven Arai; Secretary Randy Everett; and Treasurer Kristen Scott.Three newly elected directors will also begin their terms in September: Douglas Bailey, S. Keli Hagen and Carol Simpson. They will join incumbent directors whose terms continue: Carolyn Graves, Rena Klein and Wolf Saar. Current President Donald Carlson will continue on the board for another year.

Film series on design

The Northwest Film Forum and the American Institute of Graphic Arts are sponsoring a series of films on design at the Little Theater on Capitol Hill, 608 19th Ave E. The series, which starts today and runs through Sunday, June 18, includes films by Ray and Charles Eames.

Design Detailings: Public hearing on Sea-Tac flight tracks

The Port of Seattle is holding a public hearing on Thursday, May 18 about staffers' recommendations on flight track changes at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The flight track changes are being proposed to mitigate aircraft noise.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the large auditorium at the airport.

Copies of the staff recommendations will be available at the meeting or may be obtained prior to the meeting by calling (206) 248-4805.

The Port Commission will not take any formal action at this meeting.

Interior designers go green

The Greenworld 2000 Environmental Forum, organized by the Washington chapter of the International Interior Design Association, will be held Thursday, May 18.

The forum, which aims to bring together designers, architects, manufacturers and suppliers, will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. in the Dome Room of the Arctic Building, 700 Third Ave.

Paul Hawken will be the keynote speaker. Other presenters include David Gottfried, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, Judith Heerwagen, an environmental psychologist who focuses on the interplay of workplace productivity and building design, and Joyce Lavelle, senior Vice President of marketing for Interface.

Pre-paid admission at the door is $10 for students, $20 for IIDA members and $30 for nonmembers. Call (206) 223-5114 for more information.

Technical presentation on Fauntleroy Fish Passage

Tom MacBriar, engineering manager for RoseWater Engineering, on Tuesday, May 23 will present a technical presentation about the $1.3 million project to construct a new culvert and fish ladder at Fauntleroy Creek, across from the Vashon Ferry in West Seattle.

The presentation will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle. The cost, which includes lunch, ranges from $15 to $25. Fax reservations to the Consulting Engineers Council of Washington, the event sponsor, at (206) 224-0815.

In October 1998, after the project was completed, cutthroat trout returned to spawn in the creek for the first time in more than 80 years. The city of Seattle undertook the culvert and fish passage project as part of its urban creek drainage and restoration efforts.

The project was a merit award winner in the CECW Engineering Excellence Awards competition this year.

Public may comment on new High Point Library

The Seattle Public Library invites residents to speak with architects for the new $3 million High Point Library at a meeting on Monday, May 22.

The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Holly Hall, 3204 S.W. Holly St. For more information, call Douglas Bailey, project manager, at (206) 386-4173.

The library's board of trustees, representatives from its capital program office and designers from Selkirk Miller Hayashi Architects will talk with residents about the kinds of services, collections and programs they would like to see in the new 7,000-square-foot library, which is scheduled to open in 2001.

The library is negotiating to buy a 23,000-square-foot parcel at 35th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Graham Street for the new facility. A mini-mart, automotive repair and a former grocery store currently occupy the site.

Kubota Kato Chin moves

The office of Architects Kubota Kato Chin has moved to 6201 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle 98115-6614. The new telephone number is (206) 985-5800.

The firm specializes in community design and works in both public and private sectors. Current projects include the Richmond Beach community center renovation for the city of Shoreline; the Mercer Island Thrift Shop, Henderson LINK Light Rail Station for Sound Transit with Arai/Jackson; Library Square Condominiums in Bellevue; and NC Enterprises condominiums in Seattle.

The prior office location at 307 Sixth Ave. S. will be retained as a temporary project office for the International District Village Square Phase Two project. Kubota Kato Chin is working as a joint venture partner with Kovalenko Hale Architects on the project. It is a mixed-use facility, which includes a public community center, public library branch, office space, retail space and parking.

Design Detailings: A look at Link's design and construction

Sound Transit official Joe Gildner on Wednesday, May 17, will discuss the design and construction of the Link Light Rail system, focusing on how Sound Transit has dealt with the challenges involved in the $1.9 billion project to provide rail service from Sea-Tac to the University District.

The event will be held at the Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. in Seattle. It begins at 6 p.m. with a no-host social. The discussion starts at 6:30 p.m.; dinner will be held at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $23. Reservations are requested by Friday, May 12. Call reservations into Shannon & Wilson at (206) 695-6670 or e-mail lkd@shanwil.com. The event is jointly sponsored by the American Society for Engineering Management and the American Society of Civil Engineers' management in engineering committee.

WASLA holds expo and conference

The Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects is holding its spring expo and continuing education conference on Friday, May 12. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Seattle Center in the Northwest rooms.

Seminar speakers include Bob Callans, American Society of Landscape Architects vice president; John Fulford, president of Turnstone Construction; James Sipes, senior associate with Jones & Jones Architects & Landscape Architects; Randy Anderson, engineering manager with David Evans and Associates; and D. Daniel Chandler, an attorney specializing in land use, wetland and environmental issues.

The ticket price includes a breakfast buffet, lunch and chance at a raffle for cash and prizes. The cost is $50 for professionals, $25 for students. To make reservations, call Margaret Hayes of WASLA at (206) 283-7090.

Capitol Hill library topic of meeting May 16

The Seattle Public Library is holding a public meeting on Tuesday, May 16, to discuss the kinds of services, collections and programs residents would like to see in the new $4.4 million Capitol Hill library.

The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Daughters of American Revolution Hall, 800 E. Roy St., drawing room. For more information, call Douglas Bailey, project manager, at (206) 386-4173.

Library representatives and designers from Johnston Architects and Cutler Architects will attend to solicit comment and answer questions about the project.

The new 10,000-square-foot library is scheduled to open in 2001. It will be constructed on the current site at 425 Harvard Ave. E.

SMPS seminar features Ford Harding

The Seattle chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services invites architecture and engineering professionals to share an afternoon on Thursday, May 25, with Ford Harding, one of the best- known sales and marketing professionals in the industry.

An alumnus of Northwestern and Harvard, Harding is the author of two books, "Creating Rainmakers" and "Rainmaking," and is well published in trade journals. He will lead a luncheon program from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., sign books from 1:30 to 2 p.m. and lead a workshop, "What Rainmakers Do," from 2 to 5 p.m.

The event will be held in the Noble Room, first floor of the Washington Athletic Club. The pricing options for this limited-seating venue include lunch only, workshop only or a lunch/workshop combination. For more information, go to the SMPS Seattle Web site http://www.smpsseattle.org or contact Kim Hinckley at (206) 431-2300.

A chance to comment on civic plaza design

On Friday, May 12, the landscape design team of Kathryn Gustafson and Barbara Swift will be presenting and taking public comment on the schematic design concept for Seattle's new civic plaza. This is the 2 1/2-block open space that will connect the new Justice Center on Sixth Avenue, the new City Hall on Fifth and the current Public Safety Building block between Third and Fourth avenues. The space will be created when the Municipal and Public Safety buildings are demolished.

The discussion runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 11th floor of the Municipal Building, 600 Fourth Ave. Comments expressed at the workshop will help the design team prepare the final schematic design, which is due in the summer. For more information, call (206) 233-3905.

Women in Architecture holds social

The Association for Women in Architecture is holding a social at 6 p.m. on May 16 at the new office of Mithun Partners on Pier 56, 1201 Alaskan Way, suite 200, Seattle.

AWA invites women who are new architects, as well as those in related professions, such as art and marketing, to attend. Food and refreshments will be provided. The event will also include discussion of the AWA's participation in the Summer Solstice Festival, the Denise Hunt Fellowship at the University of Washington, membership expansion and the organization's goals for the future. To make reservations, call Debbie McCauley at (425) 259-0868 or e-mail Debbie@bnharch.com.

5 firms designing San Francisco runways

Peratrovich, Nottingham & Drage and Parsons Brinckerhoff were among the five engineering firms recently awarded contracts to develop concepts for proposed new runways at San Francisco International Airport. The airport's plan calls for new runways to be placed in San Francisco Bay as a way to end chronic bad-weather delays, accommodate larger jets, improve safety and reduce noise in surrounding communities.

The other finalists are AGS, Dutra Group of the Netherlands, and T.Y. Lin International of China with Ben C. Gerwick and Han-Padron Associates.

Each firm has been awarded a $250,000 contract to further develop initial design concepts. Each firm will present its completed design concept to the airport in August. The airport will render a decision on these concepts in September.

NBBJ designer becomes honorary AIA member

Rysia Suchecka, director of NBBJ's interior design studio, has been declared an honorary member of the Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The AIA extends honorary membership to a person "of esteemed character who has rendered to the profession of architecture a valuable service ... and has conspicuously upheld the aims of the profession."

Suchecka, who was recently made a partner at NBBJ, has received national and international recognition for her work, including her 1998 induction into the Interior Design magazine's Hall of Fame.

She and other designers receiving awards will be celebrated at the AIA Seattle 2000 Honors Gala on Saturday, May 20.

Benefit dinner for CAUP students

On Friday, May 12, the University of Washington's School of Architecture will host a dinner and auction event to benefit students in their Rome program. The Italian dinner, which will be catered by the Wild Thyme Catering Co., will be held at Gould Hall Court at the UW. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Friends of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning pay $40 to attend; students pay $20. All proceeds benefit students in CAUP's Italian studies program. For reservations, call Caroline Orr at (206) 685-8406

"Tangible media" topic of UW lectures

On Monday, May 15, the University of Washington hosts a discussion of "tangible media projects," a research effort at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that seeks to give physical form to digital information -- "seamlessly coupling the dual worlds of bits and atoms." The talk will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Gould 208J, the architecture department office.

On Tuesday, May 16, the discussion focuses on "computational expressionism, a model for drawing with computation." The talk will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Gould 100, ground floor.

Joanna Berzowska, a former researcher with MIT Media Lab's Tangible Media Group, is the speaker for both events. She is currently the director of design for a high-tech startup.

Design Detailings: Koolhaas and engineers offer update

Architect Rem Koolhaas and project engineers will talk today about the latest design developments of Seattle’s new $159 million Central Library.

The public presentation is free and will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Using a combination of slides, computer animation and video, Koolhaas will review progress on the design and completion of the first phase of work.

Atila Zekioglu of Ove Arup & Partners and Jon Magnusson of Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire will give a presentation on the structural engineering of the building. Stephen Jolly of Ove Arup will talk about the mechanical engineering.

Koolhaas, founder of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam, Netherlands, was chosen last year to design the new Central Library, which will replace the existing facility at 1000 Fourth Ave.

Finalists named for Central Library lead artist

The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Arts Commission have selected finalists for the job of Central Library’s arts planner/lead artist. They are:

• Do-Ho Suh, a public artist from New York. Suh, who was born in Korea, has a special interest in space and architecture, as well as transnational issues.
• Nancy Spector and Hans-Ulrich Obrist, a curatorial team. Spector, curator of contemporary art at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, has used experimental and space-specific work in projects such as the Berlin Biennial. The Swiss-born Obrist is an independent curator who has worked with architects and exhibition spaces across the United States and Europe.
• May Sun, a public artist from Los Angeles. Sun has implemented numerous projects across the United States.
• Carolyn Law, an arts planner from Seattle. Law, who also is a practicing public artist, has planned and implemented public art projects for the King County Arts Commission and Washington State Arts Commission.
• Jorge Pardo, a public artist from Los Angeles. Pardo, who was born in Cuba, has executed projects around the world, including a recent architecturally based project at the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in the Netherlands.

A panel made up of public art experts, and library, community and architect representatives selected the finalists from among 60 applications. The public can meet finalists at a reception from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4 at A Contemporary Theatre, 700 Union St. in Seattle.

Lecture on historic preservation in Seattle

Architectural writer Clair Enlow will be lecturing on the state of historic preservation in Seattle’s rapidly growing urban environment. The event, which includes an exhibit review and reception, will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, at AIA Seattle, 1911 First Ave. The cost is $5 for the general public. Free for AIA members. Call (206) 448-4938 to make reservations.

NW industrial design topic of forum

The Tacoma Art Museum is presenting a designers’ forum on Thursday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. Join TAM and Northwest product designers from Nike, ZIBA, and David Ryan of David Ryan Design to hear the latest trends in industrial design. The evening will be moderated by Douglas Wadden of the University of Washington.

The forum is being held in conjunction with TAM’s exhibition of Northwest industrial design. Call (253) 272-4258 for more information.

Design Detailings: AIA hosts gamut of Earth Day events

The Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects is holding a two-day Earth Day conference beginning today. The lineup of events scheduled for today include:

• From 1 to 5 p.m., a workshop on how to use environmentally conscious building standards called LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, using the Seattle Center Performance Hall renovation as a case study. Tom Paladino, president of Paladino Consulting in Seattle, Lucia Athens, sustainable design and construction specialist for Seattle Public Utilities, and Tony Gale, Seattle City Architect. are the workshop leaders.

• From 6 to 7 p.m., a lecture on "biomimicry" by Janine Benyus, a life sciences writer and author of six books, including her latest -- "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired By Nature." She will describe an emerging science that seeks sustainable solutions by mimicking nature's designs and processes -- solar cells that mimic leaves, agriculture that looks like a prairie, businesses that run like a redwood forest.

Some of the events planned for Thursday, April 20 are:

• From noon to 1 p.m., a lecture about "building intelligence" and sustainable design by Alisdair McGregor, a principal and mechanical engineer with Ove Arup & Partners in California.

• From 3 to 5 p.m., Chris Webb, civil engineer and principal of 2020 Engineering, talks about "spawning great ideas for construction." Webb will summarize the current regulations for fish and their relevance to construction. Using case studies, he will talk about "green development" techniques and regulatory issues.

• From 6 to 8 p.m., a panel discussion, "What makes it green?" The panelists are Lynne Barker, Sellen Construction Co.'s sustainable construction manager, Mark Frankel, an architect who works for Seattle-based Ecotope Inc., Alisdair McGregor, principal and mechanical engineer with Ove Arup & Partners, Paul Olsen, an architect with Jones & Jones in Seattle, and David Rousseau, an environmental building design consultant in British Columbia. The panel will talk about built and unbuilt projects from around the region.

All events will take place in the Dome Room, second floor, in the Arctic Building, 700 Third Ave. in downtown Seattle. For information about the schedule and cost, contact AIA Seattle at (206) 448-4938 or visit the organization's Web site.

Artist for new Civic Center holds workshop

Beliz Brother, lead artist for Seattle's new City Hall and civic plaza, will host a public workshop on Friday, April 21, to discuss the cultural aspects of the project and how artwork can be integrated into the design.

The workshop will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Dome Room of the Arctic Building on Third Avenue and Cherry Street.

In formulating her cultural plan for the Civic Center project, Brother said she would like to consider the full range of Seattle's cultural life ranging from visual art displays to poetry readings to presentations of dance pieces. Attendees are encouraged to bring bag lunches to each event. For more information, call (206) 233-3905.

SMPS looks at client connections

The Seattle chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services is holding its most popular luncheon talk, "Client connections: making the most of your marketing and business development efforts," on Thursday, April 27. Guests include representatives from the Port of Seattle, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, city of Seattle, Washington State Department of Transportation, Immunex Corp., Federal Aviation Administration, the state Department of Corrections, University of Washington Capital Projects, Port of Tacoma and Quadrant.

The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washington Athletic Club. The cost is $35 for SMPS members, $40 for member firms and $45 for nonmember firms. Fax reservations to Tosha Vandegrift at (425) 861-6050. For more information, visit the SMPS Web site at http://www.smpsseattle.org.

AGI offers presentation about oil spill cleanup

AGI Technologies on Thursday, April 27 will discuss its cleanup project in Spokane for the Avista Corp. AGI provided design/build services for the project, which was a Merit winner in this year's Excellence in Engineering Awards, sponsored by the Consulting Engineers Council of Washington. The keynote speaker will be Dave Ashcorn, engineering and construction manager for AGI.

Located in Spokane's business district, the project involved the cleanup of an estimated 70,000 gallons of oil that had leaked from underground storage tanks. The successful remediation allowed for commercial development of the site, which now features 74,000 square feet of retail and office space.

The luncheon, organized by the CECW and the Seattle Engineers Club, will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. in Seattle. The cost is $20 for CECW members, $25 for nonmembers and $15 for CECW life members or retired engineers. Call (206) 623-5936 to register.

Talk on campus master planning

On Thursday, April 20, the University of Washington's college of architecture and urban planning will feature a case study about master planning for academic projects.

Linda Dalton, professor of city and regional planning, will talk about strategies for campus master planning, using California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo as a case study. Dalton, who is also the Vice Provost for institutional planning at Cal Poly, publishes regularly on planning theory and related topics in professional and academic journals.

The lecture will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium, room 147, of Architecture Hall on the UW campus.

Office Max under construction in Oak Harbor

Construction has begun on the $3 million new Office Max in Oak Harbor, designed by Weber + Thompson Architects of Seattle. The 23,500-square-foot, concrete tilt-up structure is expected to be completed in August.

Construction Associates of Mountlake Terrace is the general contractor. L&N Properties is the developer and owner. The same project team is also working together on a 71-unit luxury condominium project at Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue called the Astoria.