Design Detailings: Renton hires Rice Fergus

Rice Fergus Architects of Bremerton has been selected by the city of Renton to design Fire Station No. 12, a new fire station and emergency operations center for the city. The 15,000-square-foot station is located in the Renton Highlands at 1209 Kirkland Ave. It will include four double-deep apparatus bays, house the SCUBA team and have office areas for on-duty personnel. The overall project budget, including property acquisition, is $5 million.

Rice Fergus Architects’ expertise includes designing emergency service facilities for Bremerton Fire Department, Bainbridge Island Fire Department, Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Pierce and Kitsap Counties.

Lighting projects up for awards

The Puget Sound section of the Illuminating Engineering Society is accepting submissions to the 2002 International Illumination Design Awards. Each project is reviewed on its individual merit.

Submissions are due March 4. Contact Gloria Koch of ERW at (206) 767-7722 or Susan Rhodes of Lightwire at (206) 292-8177 for entry forms and program guidelines.

Swenson Say boosts Web visibility

Swenson Say Fagét, a Seattle structural engineering and consulting firm, is launching a new corporate image this month, marking its sixth year of business in the Seattle area. The firm’s new Web site features a new corporate logo and provides information on projects, news and employment opportunities.

Future plans for the site include interactive capabilities with a password-protected section, allowing clients to download and upload structural drawings and other documents. The site can be accessed at swensonsayfaget.com. The four-color logo and Web site were designed by Seattle-based Gage Design.

How to win projects at WSU

Find out about future Washington State University projects and what it takes to win them at the Feb. 14 program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane. Jerry Schlatter, executive director, WSU Capital Planning and Development, will talk about upcoming capital projects and discuss the process WSU uses to select architects, engineers and contractors.

The meeting will be held at noon at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, 245 W. Main, in Spokane. The cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. Reservation deadline is Feb. 11. For membership information or to make a reservation, contact MAS vice president Richard Myracle at (509) 459-9220.

Library seeks artists for projects

The Seattle Arts Commission and the Seattle Public Library invite artists to apply for two different artist rosters for upcoming library public art projects. Applications for the Small Art Project roster and the Public Art Roster must be at the Seattle Arts Commission office by 5 p.m., March 1. (This is not a postmark deadline.)

There is particular interest in artists who want to explore, through their work, the meaning of a library as a democratic repository of information and an icon of community identity.

Small Art Projects is open to artists residing in Washington. Over the next three years, up to seven smaller art projects will offer emerging Seattle artists an opportunity to work in a public setting. The library is seeking artists working in one of the following ways: architecturally integrated work in permanent materials such as metal or glass; non-visual media including literary arts and sound, in collaboration with a visual artist or fabricator; new media such as video, digital work, light, or web-based work; artist-made building parts; and surface treatments including etching, murals or mosaic.

The library and Seattle Arts Commission seek additional artists in all media for their roster for five branch library public art projects. Those selected will be added to the existing roster of artists pre-qualified for library projects. Artists already on the library roster will remain part of the roster and should not reapply.

Applications are available online at cityofseattle.net/arts/funding/calls.htm or at the Seattle Arts Commission offices or branches of the Seattle Public Library. For more information, contact Lisa Richmond at 206-684-0998 or lisa.richmond@ci.seattle.wa.us.

Seattle Public Library is improving library facilities as part of a $196.4 million "Libraries for All" bond measure Seattle voters passed in 1998. The plan calls for expanding or replacing all 22 existing branch libraries, building five new branches and building a new central library.

Design Detailings: Weber + Thompson's recipe for chic dining

SeaStar Restaurant will have rich woods combined with sophisticated fabrics and wall coverings.

Weber + Thompson has teamed with chef John Howie III to create a new seafood restaurant in downtown Bellevue. SeaStar Restaurant and Raw Bar will be located in the Civica Office Commons on the corner of Second Avenue and 108th.

The team developed a vision for the restaurant combining the elements of water and earth. Specialty lighting, custom glasswork, commissioned artwork and curved walls blend to capture the energy and transparency of the sea.

Weber + Thompson has created three dining experiences within one restaurant. The design of each area takes advantage of windows that wrap 270 degrees around the space.

The main dining room features a lighted, communal chef’s table and custom art glass wall. The textured wall screens the exhibition cooking area, while allowing patrons to experience the activity of the kitchen. The SeaStar Restaurant and Raw Bar is expected to open in spring. The project team consists of Bargreen Elllingson, kitchen design and equipment; Lease Crutcher Lewis, contractor; Hermanson Corp., mechanical engineer; SME Electric, electrical engineer; Specialty Wood, millwork contractor; and Schnitzer Northwest, building owner.

How will we handle the next quake?

An earthquake symposium, "Return to Long Beach: Origins, Development and Future of Earthquake Engineering," will be held Feb. 6-9 at the Westin Hotel, Long Beach, Calif.

There will be about 400 attendees, including earthquake professionals, seismologists and geologists, earthquake researchers, geotechnical, structural and lifeline engineers -- along with students, government officials, emergency response managers and seismic safety advocates They will ask: Are we ready for a significant earthquake? The event is sponsored by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

Seismologists and engineers will review knowledge gained and progress made since 1933 in research, building performance, laws and codes. There will be updates on "real time" ground motion sensors that enable rapid response during an earthquake, and FEMA’s Hazus software for projecting earthquake vulnerabilities and potential losses. A full meeting program is available online at eeri.org/news/Meetings/02am. For information, contact Victoria Costello prior to Feb. 6 at (510)451-0905 or by e-mail at victoria@eeri.org.

2 sites eyed for Northgate library

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees has narrowed to two the potential sites for the new Northgate Library. At its Jan. 22 meeting, the board agreed to focus on: the Bon Tire Center site at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 105th Street, and the commercial site a block north; and the south parking lot of the Northgate Mall at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 103rd Street.

The vote clears the way for the library to negotiate and buy the Fifth Avenue parcels, while retaining the south lot as a possible library site. In recent months, library staff members have pursued options to buy the Fifth Avenue properties. The next step is for the library to negotiate a purchase and sale agreement with the owner.

The Fifth Avenue sites are in the heart of the retail and commercial core of Northgate and also are close to residential areas. They have good access to transit and are highly visible. The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department also is exploring locating a community center and park adjacent to the library. The $5.1 million branch is scheduled to open in 2004.

The 10,000-square-foot branch will have a new collection of 40,200 books and materials, reading and homework areas for children and youth, computer work stations and instruction areas and a meeting room.

42-volt expert speaks Tuesday

Norman Traub, director of the Society of Automotive Engineers Strategic Alliance 42-volt Initiative, will speak Tuesday evening about new vehicles that offer greater safety, better fuel efficiency and environmental controls. The event, at 7:30 in Seattle University's Room Bannon 102, is sponsored by the Northwest Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

New automotive systems are quickly approaching the maximum capacity of traditional 14-volt power systems. To solve this problem, engineers from around the world are busy developing 42-volt electrical systems. Traub will discuss the challenges and benefits in developing, and implementing the new technology.

According to Traub, transition to 42-volt systems will take an unprecedented, collaborative effort by the global vehicle industry. "Hundreds of components will need to be re-engineered to become 42-volt adaptable," he said. "Batteries, circuit protection devices, switches, wiring harness -- you name it -- will need to be redesigned."

Vehicle manufacturers worldwide have been working for over five years to develop a cost-effective process to provide the higher amounts of energy being demanded. They have agreed on a global standardized 42-volt system. As a member of several 42-volt groups, Traub will speak on the different aspects regarding the new power system.

For information, call (206) 365-7513.

Design Detailings: UW seeks architecture professor

The Department of Architecture at the University of Washington seeks a part-time tenure-track assistant professor of architecture. The department focuses on the areas of lighting, design/build, furniture and urban design.

Primary selection criteria will be the ability to teach design studio effectively, while maintaining an active architectural practice in the region. The ability to offer an occasional lecture/seminar course in another curricular area will also be viewed positively, as will the commitment to participate in faculty meetings and committees.

Applicants must hold a master of architecture or equivalent degree. The appointment is for nine-months at 50 to 75 percent and carries voting rights, as well as health and retirement benefits. It is scheduled to begin in the 2002-2003 academic year.

For further information, e-mail to: archsrch@u.washington.edu. See also http://depts.washington.edu/archdept. Send completed applications to Faculty Search Committee, Department of Architecture, Box 355720, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5720.

Tuminello to speak at SMPS

The Society of Marketing Professional Services holds the January luncheon program on Thursday at the Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave., beginning at 11:30 a.m. Randy Tuminello, of TrustBuilders International, is speaking on "Developing Client Focused Cultures." The interactive presentation will focus on winning jobs rather than clients, developing the skill and sense to profitably connect your corporate culture with your customers' culture and how to effectively relate to clients and peers. For information, call Jody Burroughs at (206) 842-1041.

ARC Architects look back on 25 years

ARC Architects recently celebrated its 25th year in business. In November, an open house was held at the Capitol Hill offices, an early 20th century building designed for sales and promotion of the now classic Chandler and Maxwell automobiles. In 1976, Gene Gudger and Dave Rutherford, designed their new firm's first project, the Northwest Center. ARC began with three principals. Today founding partners Gene Gudger and Dave Rutherford have been joined by partners Rex Bond and Stan Lokting. ARC has recently undergone a growth spurt and has a staff of 20.

UW seeks architecture professor

The Department of Architecture at the University of Washington seeks a part-time tenure-track assistant professor of architecture. The department focuses on the areas of lighting, design/build, furniture and urban design.

Primary selection criteria will be the ability to teach design studio effectively, while maintaining an active architectural practice in the region. The ability to offer an occasional lecture/seminar course in another curricular area will also be viewed positively, as will the commitment to participate in faculty meetings and committees.

Applicants must hold a master of architecture or equivalent degree. The appointment is for nine-months at 50 to 75 percent and carries voting rights, as well as health and retirement benefits. It is scheduled to begin in the 2002-2003 academic year.

For further information, e-mail to: archsrch@u.washington.edu. See also http://depts.washington.edu/archdept. Send completed applications to Faculty Search Committee, Department of Architecture, Box 355720, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5720.

$1M for PSU's architecture program

The Department of Architecture at Portland State University has received a pledge of $1 million to fund an endowment for new faculty and distinguished visiting faculty.

The pledge is the largest gift ever to the PSU architecture program, and one of the largest in PSU history. The pledge will be paid over the next five years by a Portland philanthropist.

"This gift provides us with a powerful leap forward in the development of a professional architecture program," said L. Rudolph Barton, chair of the Department of Architecture. "We have 200 students in an undergraduate program who are anxiously awaiting such an opportunity, and this gift now gives us the means to achieve our mission."

The PSU Department of Architecture is seeking to develop an accredited professional graduate degree program. PSU hopes to offer the region's first five-year Masters in Architecture degree. Despite the field's increasing importance to the area's economy, there is no comprehensive accredited program for architecture students in the Portland region.

Barton said that the gift will allow PSU to appoint local and international architects to the PSU faculty, integrally linking the PSU program with the professional architectural community. "This will allow us to create a new model for teaching," Barton said. "By more closely engaging our full-time faculty with distinguished practitioners/teachers, we will create a vibrant relationship that extends beyond the borders of the university."

Commission seeks artists for Portable Works

The Seattle Arts Commission invites artists to apply for Seattle Collects 2002, a purchase program for the city of Seattle Portable Works Collection. Deadline for applications is Friday. This competition specifically honors artists who live and work in Seattle. Selected work from the awarded artists enters the Portable Collection.

The Seattle Arts Commission will grant purchase awards to as many as 16 professional artists working in all media. Awards will be made in two categories: emerging and sustaining artists. Following the award announcement, artwork equal in value to the award will be selected for inclusion in Seattle's Portable Works Collection. The competition is open to professional artists either residing in or maintaining a working studio in the city limits of Seattle. These prints will join more than 2,500 artworks already in the city's Portable Art Collection. These works were acquired over the last 25 years through funding established by the city’s One Percent for Art ordinance, primarily from Seattle City Light.

The Seattle Arts Commission's Public Art Program was established by municipal ordinance in 1973, and specifies that one percent of city capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase and installation of artworks. A portion of the City’s One Percent for Art funds is allocated for the purchase and maintenance of artworks that are exhibited as the city of Seattle Portable Works Collection, specifically in public areas of Seattle city buildings.

Applications may be downloaded from the Seattle Arts Commission Web site at cityofseattle.net/arts/funding/calls.htm or artists may request an application via e-mail from beth.sellars@ci.seattle.wa.us. For more information about Seattle Collects 2002, contact Beth Sellars at (206) 684-7312.

Design Detailings: Freheit completes new Albertson's

Designed by Freiheit & Ho Architects, Albertson’s has a new store in Federal Way that is scheduled for completion this month. The single-story retail store is 52,310 square feet and located at 31020 140th Ave. S. on Pacific Highway, at the old Albertson’s site. The new store is a full service grocery store and pharmacy. The general contractor is Aecon Buildings, Inc. The structural engineer is Advanced Structural Concepts, CSHQA is the electrical engineer and McClure Engineers is doing the mechanical work.

Fire protection forum Jan. 18

Fire protection engineering will be the topic of a 4 p.m. forum Friday at Capital Center, 18640 N.W. Walker Road, Beaverton, Ore. The lecture, sponsored by the Oregon Center for Advanced Technology Education, will help facilitate a Portland-based fire protection program and subsequent educational efforts.

The forum will provide an overview of the fire protection engineering discipline, and how you can use fire protection engineering analysis to impact building design, investigations and product research and design. James Milke, an associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering for University of Maryland, will be the speaker. His principal area of expertise involves analyzing the response of building systems to fires. He is participating in analysis of the WTC collapse.

Engineers look at ESA effects

The Jan. 23 meeting of the Management in Engineering Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers, in partnership with the American Society for Engineering Management, will cover how the Endangered Species Act may affect infrastructure project planning and construction. The presenter is Will Stelle of Preston Gates. Neil Thibert will facilitate. The event will be held 5 to 7:30 p.m., at Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $25 for members and non-members. For information, contact (206) 937-5380. Reservations are requested three working days prior to dinner by contacting Shannon & Wilson at (206) 695-6670, or lkd@shanwil.com.

SAME hosts excellence awards Jan. 25

The Seattle Post of the Society of American Military Engineers will host the annual Design Excellence Awards from 6 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 25, at the Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave.

The event recognizes sustainer member projects in design-build. This year’s keynote speaker will be Gen. David Fastabend, commander and division engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwest Division.

The cost is $60 for non-military and $20 for military, retired military or public agency employees not currently working for a consulting firm. Contact Kim Smith at Tetra Tech Infrastructure at (206) 443-3570 or ksmith@kcminc.com for more information or to reserve seating. Make checks payable to SAME and mail to: Kim Smith, Tetra Tech Infrastructure, 1917 First Ave., Seattle 98101 by Sunday.

UW seeks architecture professor

The Department of Architecture at the University of Washington seeks a part-time tenure-track assistant professor of architecture. The department focuses in the areas of lighting, design/build, furniture and urban design.

Primary selection criteria will be the ability to teach design studio effectively, while maintaining an active architectural practice in the region. The ability to offer an occasional lecture/seminar course in another curricular area will also be viewed positively, as will the commitment to participate in faculty meetings and committees.

Applicants must hold a master of architecture or equivalent degree. The appointment is for nine-months at 50 to 75 percent and carries voting rights, as well as health and retirement benefits. It is scheduled to begin in the 2002-2003 academic year.

For further information, e-mail to: archsrch@u.washington.edu. See also http://depts.washington.edu/archdept. Send completed applications to Faculty Search Committee, Department of Architecture, Box 355720, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5720.

Carlson wins Utah student center

Carlson Architects of Seattle has been selected by the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, to design a new student center and to renovate a historic building, built in 1915, for a performing arts center. Carlson was selected after a nationwide search by the academy.

Construction of the 25,000-square-foot student center is expected to begin in the fall. The renovation for the performing arts center will begin immediately thereafter, subject to funding. Wasatch Academy is a private co-educational boarding school with 160 students from North America and around the world. Carlson Architects has worked with private schools in the Seattle area including Lakeside School, Overlake School and the Jewish Day School.

Bainbridge architects form BAC

The architectural offices of Sean Parker Architect and William Isley Architect have merged to form the Bainbridge Architects Collaborative (BAC). The new firm is locating in Winslow on Bainbridge Island in the new Seaboard Building at 435 Ericksen Ave., Suite 250.

The objective is to combine the talents of local Bainbridge architects to create an experienced design team for significant regional and international projects. Other team members include tenured architects Peter Watson, Dana Webber and Henry Laxamana as well as staff experienced in all types of design and construction.

Parker and Isley are both graduates of the University of Washington. Parker brings 14 years of experience in commercial and residential design. Isley brings 34 years of experience in urban design, master planning and architecture. The firm is designing Harbor Square, a large mixed-use residential/commercial project adjacent to the Winslow ferry terminal, the Winslow Town Center mixed-use project and projects throughout the Northwest.

Barrentine.Bates.Lee celebrates its 25th

Architects Barrentine.Bates.Lee recently celebrated 25 years in business. To mark the milestone, the firm will host an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. at its new expanded location on Jan. 24, at 1101 Broadway, Suite 215, Vancouver.

Barrentine.Bates.Lee provide architecture, interior design, planning and research services to public and private sector clients throughout the Northwest.

"Our design philosophy has never wavered," said partner Rob Barrentine on his firm’s success. "Good design addresses function, form, economy and time. We believe in focusing on what our clients need."

With offices in Washington and Oregon, the firm maintains a strong presence in Vancouver and Clark County. Design projects include the Clark County Public Service Center Complex, the new Cascadia School and the expansion and renovation of the Clark County Juvenile Justice Center.

WSU joins Subsurface Science Institute

With the support of a $4 million federal grant to the Inland Northwest Research Alliance, Washington State University will be among a group of universities developing a new collaborative doctorate education and research program, the Subsurface Science Research Institute.

Subsurface science is the study of the processes that occur in the uppermost part of the earth's crust.

The alliance includes WSU, Boise State, Idaho State, University of Idaho, Montana State, University of Montana, Utah State and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Students will receive doctorate degrees in established disciplines such as chemistry, chemical engineering, microbiology, environmental engineering, geology or soil science, while interacting with colleagues from the other alliance institutions and participating in cross-cutting coursework.

They will also have access to equipment at the laboratory, including the Subsurface Geosciences Laboratory, a new $150 million laboratory planned to house subsurface science research in Idaho Falls by 2007.

"This institute will enhance our training of the next generation of engineers and scientists, helping us to provide them with tools to tackle the difficult environmental management and restoration issues of contaminated sites, especially in the West," said Jim Petersen, associate dean of research/graduate programs in the WSU College of Engineering and Architecture.

The alliance's eight member universities help set direction for scientific research in contaminant cleanup performed at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The alliance is a partner with Bechtel and BWXT in the management of this laboratory.

Design Detailings

NWCCC honors Harris/TIC project

Worthington Peaking Power Plant

Harris Group Inc. and TIC-The Industrial Co. received an award from the Northwest Construction Consumer Council (NWCCC) for their joint venture design-build of the Worthington Peaking Power Plant in Worthington, Ind.

Recognized in the Private Project Over $10 million category, the Worthington project was completed for Worthington Generation LLC in June 2000. A 180-megawatt simple-cycle power plant, the project went from mud to megawatts in seven field months -- it was completed on time and under budget.

Working on a tight schedule, the project's success depended on teamwork. Harris Group, a consulting engineering firm, provided design of the project. TIC, a national heavy-industrial contractor, provided construction services and constructability input in the conceptual phase of the project to make certain that all time lines could be met.

NWCCC's awards program recognizes cost effectiveness in engineering, design and construction of capital and maintenance projects by or for NWCCC members. Safety is included in the evaluation.

Headquartered in Seattle, Harris also serves the forest industries, industrial manufacturing, microelectronics and telecommunications markets. Its specialty services include financial consulting, process development and systems integration. TIC's team in Portland, provided construction services for the Worthington Peaker Project. For more information, see www.harrisgroup.com.

ZGF wins Denver $400M hospital

Denver's Children's Hospital announced it has hired Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership as principal designer of its hospital on the Fitzsimons campus. ZGF was chosen from seven firms. Groundbreaking on the $400 million project is scheduled for 2003.

"ZGF's proposal emphasized an ethic for honoring the quality of the environment," said Denise Brown, vice president for campus development at the hospital. ZGF has designed children's hospitals in Portland and Los Angeles.

The 900,000-square-foot hospital will be on 37 acres at the Fitzsimons biomedical campus being developed by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. It will house 270 inpatient beds, diagnostic and surgery facilities, outpatient clinics, research space, medical staff and administrative offices.

ASCE meeting on Korea's airport

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the January section meeting to be held 5:30 tonight at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W. The technical program will feature Paul Riemann and James Chae, who will be speaking on South Korea’s new International Airport. For information, call (206) 926-0482.

Riemann and Chae were part of the construction management team between 1997 and 2000, and supported approximately $1 billion of construction.

The presentation will focus on airside construction activities including construction of the hydraulically filled reclaimed site, large underground structures, airfield pavements, storm drainage facilities and more. The program also includes an overview of project challenges and cultural issues such as working and living in a foreign setting.

Design Detailings

Jan. 19 seminar on life-cycle assessment

The International Interior Design Association Washington State Chapter, in cooperation with the Antioch University Seattle Center for Creative Change, has assembled experts, manufacturers and practitioners for a Jan. 19 seminar on interior building product life-cycle assessment.

Entitled "Earth Wise Design: Life Cycle Assessment Realities and Solutions for Sustainable Buildings," the one-day workshop is intended for architects, designers, specifiers and manufacturers who have a general knowledge of life-cycle assessment but need the means to evaluate the environmental impacts of the products they specify.

Life-cycle assessment is a method of evaluating a product’s impact on the environment by analyzing its life cycle from raw materials and the production process through distribution, end use and final disposal. It helps determine which products are truly green, and can be applied to anything from apples to automobiles.

The seminar is presented in four parts, beginning with an discussion of life-cycle assessment and followed by interactive workshops. Representatives of four leading manufacturers and internationally recognized experts in life-cycle assessment will present product life-cycle data and will discuss how this information applies to sustainable design practice. For complete program information including speaker bios, visit http://www.iida-wa.org/education.html. The event is held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Antioch University, 2326 Sixth Ave. Tickets for IIDA members are $95, nonmembers $150 and students $75. Price includes continental breakfast, lunch and workshop materials.

SeaTran's Willhelm gets traffic safety award

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission recently honored Gerry Willhelm, Seattle Transportation Traffic Management director, with the 19th annual Traffic Safety Achievement Award for outstanding efforts in the engineering category. This annual statewide award program recognizes the work and achievements of people throughout the state who are working to make roadways safer.

Willhelm received the award specifically for his role in bringing the innovative Spokane Street Median Barrier, installed February 2000, to Seattle. An analysis of traffic data taken one year after the installation of the barrier showed a 100 percent reduction in head-on and over-center collisions and more than 30 percent fewer same direction accidents reported than the average over the previous 10-year period. Between 1991 and 1999, the 3/4-mile stretch of elevated roadway was the location of 51 head-on or over-center collisions, resulting in 12 fatalities. The majority of the collisions were caused by excessive speed.

In addition to this project, Willhelm has overseen the optimization of the city's traffic signals and helped make possible the now annual re-marking of all the city's lanes and bike lanes.

Willhelm has been with the city for 32 years, and was among the first 140 people in the country to receive national certification as a professional traffic operations engineer.

Mithun adopts no-flush alternative

It has been a year and a half since Mithun relocated to its new digs in a renovated pier on the Seattle waterfront. The space was designed to reflect Mithun's commitment to resource efficient and sustainable design. Natural ventilation, no air-conditioning, environmentally friendly paints and coatings and a daylighting system are a few of the strategies implemented to make the space greener.

In October, Mithun decided to go one step further. Using their office as a working laboratory, Chris Dixon, Mithun's director of specifications, researched the possibility of replacing two flush urinals in the office with a type of urinal that requires no water. After conducting an in-house survey among male employees, he learned that Mithun was using over 50,000 gallons of water per year just to flush the one-gallon-per flush urinals. Over Mithun’s 10-year lease, a half million gallons of water could be saved, which is equivalent to two Olympic size swimming pools. After calculating the cost of the waterless urinals including installation and maintenance, and deducting a $120 per fixture rebate provided by Seattle Public Utilities, a payback of less than two years could be realized.

No-flush urinals are appearing across the United States in restaurants, schools, stadiums, airports and other high traffic venues. Locally, the water-free urinals have made their way into Bellevue Community College’s newest classroom building -- the "R" Building and are expected to save four million gallons of water over the building’s 30-year depreciable life cycle.

Walker Macy: connecting for 25 years

Walker Macy of Portland recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Walker Macy provides services in landscape architecture, planning and urban design. The 40-person firm is one of the largest in Oregon.

Walker Macy says its work emphasizes the interconnectedness of people, nature and culture. The firm does planning and design for urban projects, including public parks and recreation facilities, higher education campuses, and museums and interpretive centers.

"Regardless of changing factors over the past 25 years, we have maintained a commitment to the design of vital spaces that respond to the needs of the people they serve and the context of their environment," said founding partner Douglas Macy. "Our staff focuses on projects that make a significant impact and invest in long-term civic value."

Harris wins for cost-effective construction

Harris Group Inc. and TIC-The Industrial Co. recently received an award from the Northwest Construction Consumer Council (NWCCC) for their joint venture design-build of the Worthington Peaking Power Plant in Worthington, Ind.

Recognized in the "Private Project Over $10 million" category, the Worthington Peaker Project was completed for Worthington Generation LLC in June 2000. A 180-megawatt simple-cycle power plant, the project went from mud to megawatts in seven field months -- it was completed on time and under budget.

Working on a tight time schedule, the project's success depended on teamwork of the design-build team. Harris Group, a consulting engineering firm, provided detailed design of the project. TIC, a national heavy-industrial contractor, provided construction services and constructability input in the conceptual phase of the project to make certain that all time lines could be met. Harris Group worked closely with TIC throughout the design phase, ensuring that the most useful engineering work products were delivered to speed construction.

NWCCC's Distinguished Awards Program recognizes demonstrated cost effectiveness in the engineering, design and construction of capital and maintenance projects by or for NWCCC members. Award criteria center on an applicant's ability to demonstrate cost savings realized during the project's design and execution. Special attention is paid to specific strategies and techniques used to maximize the owner's return on investment in the design and construction processes. Project safety performance is included in the award evaluation.

Headquartered in Seattle, Harris Group Inc. also serves the forest industries, industrial manufacturing, microelectronics and telecommunications markets. Its specialty services include financial consulting, process development and systems integration. TIC's team in Portland, Ore., provided construction services for the Worthington Peaker Project. For more information, see www.harrisgroup.com.

Design Detailings

DLR's Ala Moana wins ICSC award

Ala Moana Center expansion in Honolulu

For the second time in a year, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), a retail industry organization, has recognized DLR Group for the Ala Moana Center expansion in Honolulu.

Steven McKay, principal in charge of DLR Group's retail design studio, was presented with an award during a ceremony at the organization's annual CenterBuild Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. "From the original mall design all those years ago to our design idea of adding an entire upper level, DLR Group has always had a great history and connection with the center," McKay said.

ICSC's design awards program was established to honor the industry's best projects.

Since its opening in 1959, Ala Moana Center has held the title of the most profitable retail center in the United States. The latest project at the center included addition of a third level above the existing mall, expansion of the existing food court, expansion of parking and creation of a new transit center. Most notably, the entire project was constructed without interrupting retail operations at the 1.5 million-square-foot shopping center.

"This was an extremely complex project. I don't believe that a third-floor overbuilding of this scale and complexity while keeping all shops open had ever been done in the United States," said McKay. As designers of the original Ala Moana Center, DLR Group has been involved in four of the five major renovations the center has undergone.

NAC, Opsis will design Highline student union

Highline Community College has retained the team of Northwest Architectural Company (NAC) of Seattle and Opsis Architecture of Portland to develop a new student union. The $10 million building will have a dining center, bookstore, offices, meeting rooms, an Internet café and recreation facilities. Located at the center of campus, the building will provide a gathering place for students. It will be oriented to take advantage of Olympic Mountain views, have an abundance of windows to bring in natural daylight and utilize sustainable design practices.

Vice President of Student Services Ivan Gorne said, "NAC/Opsis offered the presence of a local firm combined with significant student union experience. James Meyer and Alec Holser of Opsis have designed student unions around the country and are active in the Association of College Unions International. They were conceptually further ahead in the interview, giving us a good sense of design."

Funded primarily through student fees, the new student union is scheduled to start construction in spring 2003 and is slated for completion in fall 2004.

Northwest Architectural Co. is the prime architect working in conjunction with design architects, Opsis Architecture. The firms are also working together at Washington State University on the $7.5 million Edward R. Murrow School of Communication and pre-design of the $41 million Holland Library Renovation/Addition.

Northwest Architectural Co. provides architecture, engineering and interior design services from offices in Spokane, Seattle and Coeur d’Alene. Opsis Architecture was formed in 1999 and has steadily grown to a current staff of 24 professionals.

Web site offers land survey estimates

MXP Land Surveying of Issaquah has launched a Web site at mxplandsurveying.com that provides quick fee estimates online. Instead of calling a local surveyor for a ball park estimate for a land survey, users enter a few parameters and watch as the estimate is created.

"This new online tool will save Realtors, attorneys, architects and the public at large a lot of time and effort in getting an estimate for their project," said Mark X. Plog, president of MXP Land Surveying.

A firm survey estimate is developed by doing records research and visiting the property to observe the working conditions. MXP Land Surveying claims its estimates rarely vary from the actual estimate by more than 10 percent.

Six local artists win Flintridge grants

The Flintridge Foundation recently announced the recipients of the 2001/2002 Awards for Visual Artists. Six artists from Oregon and Washington will receive unrestricted grants of $25,000 each. The third biennial awards honor West Coast artists working in fine arts and crafts media whose work demonstrates high artistic merit and a distinctive voice dating back 20 years or more.

In addition, artists may not be nationally renowned and they must maintain a nine-months per year residency in California, Oregon or Washington for the last three years.

The Oregon and Washington winners were: Mary Henry, Seattle area, painting; Mary Lee Hu, Seattle, jewelry; Gaylen Hansen, Palouse, painting; Rick Bartow, South Beach, Ore., drawing, painting; Fernanda D'Agostino, Portland, installation; and Terry Toedtemeier, Portland, photography.

Flintridge Foundation began making grants in 1986 and awards over $2 million annually. Information about the artists and examples of their artwork can be found on the foundation Web site: www.FlintridgeFoundation.org.

Design Detailings

Gregory wins sustainability award

Bert Gregory, president of Mithun, recently received a Sustainable Community Outstanding Leadership Award. Two local organizations, Sustainable Seattle and Co-Opportunities Northwest, held the first annual Sustainable Community Outstanding Leadership Awards in October at an awards ceremony during the Co-Opportunities Northwest Conference in Seattle. Leadership awards were given in the areas of business, neighborhoods, the built environment, government and social justice.

Gregory was recognized for his contributions to the built environment and for educating industry and community leaders on the importance of sustainable design. Gregory was the design team leader for such projects as the REI flagship store in Seattle and the soon-to-be-completed Puget Sound Environmental Learning Center on Bainbridge Island. Mithun’s office space on Pier 56 also incorporates sustainable design principles, from energy saving systems to extensive use of recycled and renewable materials.

Additional award winners included: Ed Geiger, president of Frontier Geosciences, for Business Sustainability; Tracey Dieckhoner, project manager of the city of Seattle's Pesticide Reduction Program, for Government Contributions to Sustainability; Maxine Mimms of Antioch University, for Social Justice Sustainability; and Patsy Bullitt, Bullitt Foundation Board of Trustees, for Neighborhood Sustainability.

Web site offers land survey estimates

MXP Land Surveying of Issaquah has launched a Web site at mxplandsurveying.com that provides quick fee estimates online. Instead of calling a local surveyor for a ball park estimate for a land survey, users enter a few parameters and watch as the estimate is created.

"This new online tool will save Realtors, attorneys, architects and the public at large a lot of time and effort in getting an estimate for their project," said Mark X. Plog, president of MXP Land Surveying.

A firm survey estimate is developed by doing records research and visiting the property to observe the working conditions. MXP Land Surveying claims its estimates rarely vary from the actual estimate by more than 10 percent.

White Shield moves to Kennewick

White Shield -- an engineering, surveying, and environmental consulting firm -- will relocate from its current site in Grandview to 2515 W. Falls in Kennewick.

The Kennewick office is a 3,300-square-foot building and will house the organization’s executive offices, operations, accounting department and engineering, surveying and environmental technical staff. Approximately 12 to 15 people will be in the new facility.

The decision to move is part of the company's evaluation of its long-term business goals and will help it to better serve customers in the eastern and central region of Washington, southeast Oregon, Idaho and Montana, according to Stuart Fricke, president of White Shield.

Design Detailings

SCS Engineers works with Corps

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded SCS Engineers a five-year contract to provide long term operations, maintenance and monitoring services at hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste treatment facilities managed by the Corps.

To date, SCS Engineers has been authorized to proceed at the Umatilla Chemical Depot groundwater treatment facility in Umatilla, Ore., and Eagle Harbor/Wyckoff groundwater treatment facility at Bainbridge Island. SCS is working with the Corps to minimize environmental damage and facilitate site closure. Both Eagle Harbor/Wyckoff and Umatilla are classified as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Cleanup sites.

David Roberson, SCS Engineers vice president said, "We are very pleased to have been chosen for this contract. This exciting opportunity allows us to build on our groundwater treatment facility OM&M capabilities. Additionally, we are pleased to be working with the Seattle District of the Army Corp of Engineers. As the stewards of many Department of Defense and Superfund facilities, they have a strong environmental commitment."

SCS Engineers is an international engineering and construction company specializing in solid waste management and environmental services. Founded in 1970, SCS serves both public and private sector clients through 27 national offices, and overseas staff in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and the Middle East.

Design Detailings

Shigeru Ban speaks Thursday

Space.City sponsors a lecture by Shigeru Ban at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Ban's lecture, "Beyond Paper and Curtain: Works and Humanitarian Activities," will be held in the Illsley Nordstrom Recital Hall of Benaroya Hall.

Ban may be best known for his evocative Curtain Wall House in Tokyo -- a highlight of "The Un-Private House," Museum of Modern Art's 1999 exhibit. But few know the range of this Japanese architect's work. Ban has more than 30 built projects that reveal his inventiveness and philanthropy. His paper tube structures, which he first created as emergency housing for victims of Rwanda's civil war, were later reconfigured for earthquake victims in Kobe and were incorporated in Ban's Japanese Pavilion at Hannover Expo 2000.

Influenced by the Japanese tradition of linking the home with the surrounding environment, Ban has created buildings such as Hanegi Forest and the Wall-less House that dissolve boundaries between interior and exterior space and invite nature to coexist with design. Selected as one of Time magazine's innovator's of the century, Shigeru Ban is gaining recognition as a significant architect of international scope.

Tickets for Ban's lecture are $12 and are available at Peter Miller Books, the Benaroya Box Office at Third and Union in Seattle, and through all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Also on Thursday, ArcadeJournal of Architecture will be sponsoring a party before Ban's lecture in the lobby of the recital hall from 5 to 7 p.m. Come early to check out the new Arcade.

Schell honored for Belltown dream

Mayor Paul Schell will be honored by the Belltown community on Tuesday at a party to celebrate progress on two companion projects: Growing Vine Street and Cottage Park. "Dreaming of a Green Vine Street Belltown Holiday Party 2001" will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Banner Building, 80 Vine St., third floor.

The outgoing mayor will be acknowledged for his support in providing amenities to Belltown during the last four years of accelerated growth. Projects include pedestrian improvements to Western Avenue, beginning Cottage Park and progress on Growing Vine Street.

Carolyn Geise, a Belltown business owner and chair of the Growing Vine Street steering committee, said that Schell's support of Growing Vine Street to save all three cottages for Cottage Park were crucial to the success of the urban green space now being developed, including the Belltown P-Patch, Cottage Park and the Growing Vine Street Cistern Steps. For more information, call Geise at (206) 441-1440.

Miles Yanick hits the Web

Miles Yanick and Co., an architectural, landscape design and land planning firm, recently launched its Web site at http://www.milesyanick.com.

The multi-level site designed by Jane Lindley, owner of SuperWebGirl, illustrates residential, commercial, parks and public area projects. Additional features include the ability to download company newsletters and view work in progress.

Projects designed by Miles Yanick include Bainbridge Bakers, Central Markets in Poulsbo and Shoreline; the Seaboard Building, currently under construction on Bainbridge Island; a multi-family housing project in Seattle; two industrial buildings under construction in Port Orchard; plus several private residences in Washington, Arizona and Nevada.

Nez Perce Tribe picks MulvannyG2

The Nez Perce Tribe recently selected MulvannyG2 Architecture to design the master site plan for the proposed 30,000-square-foot Nimiipuu Health Center. The master site plan places the new health center across the street from the existing health center in Lapwai, Idaho, near Lewiston.

The new health center will be three to four times larger than the existing health center and will provide numerous more services, including medical, dental, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, community health and behavioral health.

"One of the driving forces behind this new clinic is the need for expanded medical services so tribal members don't have to go all the way to Lewiston for multiple treatments," said Bob Weisenbach, MulvannyG2 principal and lead designer of the project. "The other driving force is including all the various departments under one roof to improve patient care and staff efficiency."

MulvannyG2 has designed numerous Native American health centers, including the Kwawachee Health Center in Tacoma, the Tulalip Health Clinic in Marysville and the Potawot Health Village in Arcata, Calif.

Design Detailings

Olson Sundberg to serve as jurors

Three principals of the Seattle-based architectural firm, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects -- Jim Olson, Tom Kundig, and Scott Allen -- are serving as jurors for West Coast design award programs.

Olson will serve as one of four jurors for the California State Design Awards for the California American Institute of Architects in the coming year. Olson has received local and international awards for his work on residential, religious and commercial projects.

Kundig is one of three jurors for the upcoming Northwest Washington Chapter AIA Awards. During the past year, he has received local and regional awards for the project "The Brain, A Filmmaker’s Studio," completed for a Seattle client, in additional to awards for other projects.

Allen was one of three jurors for the Southwest Washington Chapter AIA Awards this month. He has received local, state and industry awards for religious buildings, museums and university buildings, most recently this fall for the $20 million School of Law at Seattle University. The firm’s fourth principal, Rick Sundberg, served as a juror for AIA chapters in Dallas and Austin in 2000.

Elliott Bay designs 197-foot ferry

The Prince Of Wales

Elliott Bay Design Group recently completed contract design on the new 197-foot passenger and vehicle ferry that will service Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Elliott Bay Design Group has served as owner's representative throughout vessel construction at Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes. Sea trials began in early November.

Features include covered outside seating areas, children's playroom, a library/reading room, and coffee shop. Special attention was also given to the hull design acoustics, with the goal of providing passengers a comfortable ride. EBDG used computer modeling and its expertise in seakeeping analysis to optimize the hull form. Twin Caterpillar 3512B diesel engines, providing 3,000 horsepower, will drive two four-bladed CP Hundestad propellers through Reintjes reduction gears. The design also features an electric bow thruster, a bulbous bow and rolling chocks to reduce motion and improve passenger comfort.

When delivered in mid-December, the Prince Of Wales will carry 150 passengers, 30 vehicles, or a combination of cars and up to 10 large freight trailers, and will make one daily roundtrip to Ketchikan.

Otak joins housing consortium

Otak Architects joined the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County as an associate member.

"Building livable communities is one of our basic tenets," said Peter Watson, architect. "Joining HDC is a testament that our roots are digging deeper, spreading wider."

HDC is an innovative trade association of nonprofit developers. The organization includes architects, contractors, financial institutions and government agencies. Its members have developed more than 12,000 units of affordable housing, primarily in the Seattle-King County area.

Otak is a multi-disciplinary firm that provides architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering, surveying, urban design, planning, and water resource management. Other Seattle architects who belong to HDC include Environmental Works Community Design Center, GGLO, Kovalenko Hale Architects, Mithun, Stickney Murphy Romine Architects and Tonkin Hoyne Lokan Architects.

Hanford vitrification talk Dec. 12

The Seattle Section and the Tacoma-Olympia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites all ASCE members as well as interested civil engineers to their December joint meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the Red Lion Hotel at Southcenter Mall, 205 Strander Blvd. The technical program will feature Don Scribner, Bechtel Corp. (Richland) who will be speaking on vitrification of nuclear waste.

Don Scribner from Bechtel’s Richland office will talk about the waste treatment plant project at Hanford. This plant will treat nuclear waste using a vitrification process. Vitrification encases the radioactive waste materials in glass in order to stabilize them. This is one of the first production uses of this technology. Scribner will present an overview of the project and discuss the coordination between the mechanical, electrical and civil disciplines.

The schedule is social hour at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., business meeting at 7:30 p.m. and program at 8. Cost is $26 per person. Reservation line is (206) 926-0482.

Tips on contracting with public agencies

"Contracting with Public Agencies" will be the topic of ASCE's Looking at Engineering Management Trends meeting today from 4:30 to 9 p.m.

Consultant and Agency representatives will offer an in-depth look at the three basic areas of contractual relationships and communications: scope of work, fee and terms and conditions.

The panel includes: Diane Brooks, USI NW; Bill Henselman, WSDOT; Pam Miller, Seattle Public Utilities; Karl Hufnagel, RW Beck; Ron Leaders, private attorney; Gordon Public Sivley, attorney. Facilitator: Mohammed Kashani, Snohomish County.

Organized by the ASCE Management in Engineering Committee, in partnership with ASEM (American Society for Engineering Management).

For information, call (206) 695-6670, or e-mail lkd@shanwil.com. Held at Rock Salt Steakhouse, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $50.