Design Detailings: CoCA looking for designs that 'blur'

"Blurred," the first group show of architectural installations at the Center on Contemporary Art, will explore the breath and depth of architectural possibility, expanding the traditional definition of architecture in the Northwest. The exhibit will ask the question, how are boundaries being blurred?

For the exhibit, CoCA is seeking formally trained architects that use architectural methodologies and ideas to create works in a wide range of media. Participants should use this opportunity to share the new CoCA space and install ideas that engage architectural issues, expressed in ways outside of what is typically understood as architecture.

This includes sculptor-architects that focus on materials and space, digital-architects that work on virtual environments, architect-builders who explore construction techniques, filmmakers or photographers who explore architectural spaces or the art of making that challenges our imagination.

CoCA is looking for submittals that will confront the question of what is architecture and address how the work blurs architecture's boundaries. CoCA is looking for four images of relevant, completed work.

Submittals are due by June 10. Installation will take place from July 15 to July 29, and the public opening is on Aug. 3. For information, call (206) 728-1980. CoCA's Web site is cocaseattle.org. E-mail questions to blurred@cocaseattle.org.

A/E group backs Referendum 51

A coalition of Washington architects and engineers will pledge support Thursday for Referendum 51 at a meeting with Gov. Gary Locke. Craig Curtis, chair of the Architects & Engineers Legislative Council, will join colleagues from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington and AIA Washington Council in voicing support for the referendum, which would bring $7.7 billion in road transit improvements.

AIA Seattle President Steven N. Arai will offer the architects' perspective on transportation issues, representing a significant number of design practices throughout Washington actively engaged in planning and designing transportation-related infrastructure and facilities.

The bill addresses financing transportation improvements through transportation fees and taxes. The bill would increase highway capacity, public transportation, passenger and freight rail and transportation financing accountability through increased fuel excise taxes, sales taxes on vehicles, and weight fees on trucks and large vehicles.

Design Detailings: Challenges in courthouse design

Design of the Federal Courthouse included dialogue with judges.

Dorm Anderson of NBBJ will speak about the new U.S. Courthouse at noon Thursday in Room 100 of Gould Hall at the University of Washington. The speech is titled the "New United States Courthouse in Seattle: The Mystery and Pleasures of Designing a Large Federal Project with the United States General Services Administration."

The presentation will cover the critical space needs of the federal court system, siting the building, and the resulting design, which is presently under construction. The process included a dialogue about design with federal judges and judicial departments that will share the building.

The Seattle courthouse will include several breakthrough concepts in the design of federal courthouses, made possible by communication between future tenants and the design team. For directions, go to www.washington.edu/home/maps/northwest.html.

Revisiting Rem, via the Internet

Did you miss Rem Koolhaas' April 11 lecture at University of Washington or get there too late? Courtesy of UW's College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Koolhaas presentation is available for viewing online at www.caup.washington.edu/praxis/spring.php. Click on the "More" button for the lecture. On the detail page, you'll find links to the video streams, one optimized for broadband, one for 56k modems.

Forum for project management success

"Budget Controls Methods for Project Success" will be the topic of an all-day seminar Tuesday at the Mountaineers Building. The event is sponsored by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning Continuing Professional Education Program at University of Washington, and appropriate for project managers at all levels.

The seminar will take participants through aspects of a project and offer opportunities for improving performance. The process begins with establishing a relationship at negotiation and continues through completion and beyond. Participants will have opportunities to test theories using practical examples. The goal is to give participants practical tools to use on their projects.

Engineer Steve Isaacs will lead the seminar. He has been an officer in the Professional Services Management Association and a speaker at many industry conferences, including the AIA national convention. Cost is $300. The Mountaineers Building is at 300 Third Ave. W. For information, contact Lyn Firkins at (206) 685-8222.

ASCE members share talents

On April 27, a 40-volunteer group from the American Society of Civil Engineers rehabilitated House No. 33 in the Rainier Valley under the leadership of Rebuilding Together house captain Ann Epler of Hammond Collier Wade Livingstone and volunteer coordinator Mary Holland of RoseWater Engineering.

More than 200,000 volunteers performed home repair projects on 8,000 houses nationwide in connection with Rebuilding Together USA, a national non-profit organization specializing in rebuilding homes for low income or physically disabled homeowners.

Landscaping, installing motion detector lights, reconstructing the porch, installing new outlets, adding a stackable washer/dryer unit and rearranging the kitchen to improve access were among 27 tasks performed by the volunteers from various civil engineering disciplines. House 33 was one of approximately 50 Seattle area houses rehabilitated that day.

Epler said the project provided an outlet for civil engineers to share their talents with the community, and a chance to work with others in the profession.

Environmental engineering forum May 22

On May 22, the Management in Engineering Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Seattle State Section of the American Society for Engineering Management presents the second annual forum on designing for the future: Engineering for the Environment.

The forum will cover topics such as how environmental issues are expanding business opportunities, cutting-edge technologies and business models that are driving growth in engineering for the environment, and what organizations are undertaking design for the future.

A multidisciplinary panel of green design experts will talk about how sustainability is being integrated into engineering design. Leaders will discuss finance, management, policy, engineering and land use planning required to manage environmental change and position their organizations for expanding business opportunities.

Panelists Marina Alberti, University of Washington Urban Design & Environmental Planning associate professor, will speak on the impact of alternative urban development patterns on ecosystems. Engineer Mark Buehrer will speak on wholistic engineering. Steve Dubiel of EarthCorps in Seattle will speak on green design community-based environmental restoration. Timothy Lowry, ASCE Management in Engineering chair, will facilitate.

The forum will be held at the Rock Salt Steak House, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $40 prepaid, with reservation postmarked by Friday, May 10, or $50 thereafter. Price includes dinner and refreshments. Contact Lori Doherty, Shannon & Wilson, Box 300303, Seattle 98103. For more information about the forum, call Mohammed Kashani at (425) 388-6493.

Design Detailings: UW's Roeder wins award from AISC

Charles W. Roeder of the University of Washington was among six who won the American Institute of Steel Construction lifetime and special achievement awards at the North American Steel Construction Conference in Seattle April 24.

Roeder received the Special Achievement Award for his work on eccentrically braced frames, which has helped maintain steel's status as the material of choice for seismic design. He also was one of the key researchers in the SAC Research Project. Roeder is a structural engineering professor at UW.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors living individuals who have made a difference in AISC and the structural steel industry's success. Other award winners are:

John M. Kulicki, of Modjeski & Masters, Inc., received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his bridge designs, as well as for his support of steel and his involvement with National Steel Bridge Alliance activities. Kulicki has designed such notable structures as the Blue Water Bridge between Port Huron and Sarnia, Canada.

Lawrence G. Griffis, Walter P. Moore & Associates, received the award in recognition of his structural engineering work and for his innovative use of steel on a wide range of projects, ranging from major office buildings to stadia. He previously received the T.R. Higgins Award for his innovative work on composite design.

Donald Sherman, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, received the award for his long-time participation in AISC activities, including the Partners in Education program, Education Committee, and as a lecturer in several AISC continuing education programs and conferences. Sherman also conducted the breakthrough work on HSS connections that directly led to an increase in the use of hollow structural sections. For more information about the Lifetime Achievement Award, visit the ASIC website at www.aisc.org/awards.html.

ASCE meets tonight

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the May meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W. The program will feature Nirmala Gnanapragasam, Seattle University ASCE advisor; Venky Shankar, University of Washington ASCE advisor; and Seattle University and University of Washington students.

Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., and cost is $23 without reservations. The reservation line is (206) 926-0482.

How to get the most from your marketing

Friday's program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane will provide tactics to produce better results from public relations and advertising efforts. The presentation will be made by Kim Cooper, a sales veteran of 35 years and consultant with American Sales College.

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

Murase collaborates on Phoenix waste facility

Local landscape architect and site artist Robert Murase of Seattle has been selected as one of two artists to collaborate on a solid waste management/recycling center and water treatment plant in Phoenix.

Murase Associates will be working closely with Phoenix artist Mayme Kratz to lead the design team in the conceptual development of the facility, giving input on the site and building. A unique partnership between the Phoenix Arts Commission, Public Works Department, Water Services Department and the design team will allow the artists to influence the esthetic of the entire site.

Continuing the tradition of Phoenix’s 27th Avenue Solid Waste Management Facility led by artists Linnea Glatt of Dallas and Michael Singer of Wilmington, Vt., the new North Gateway Project is expected to create a distinctive facility that is not only a good neighbor, but a neighborhood asset and community landmark.

The new project is following the 27th Avenue facility, which effectively transformed a landfill into a national landmark and cultural destination.

The North Gateway Project encompasses both the Solid Waste Management Facility and Recycling Center and the adjacent Water Treatment Plant. The site is within the Sonoran Desert Preserve Corridor, and the intent of the project is to have the facilities fit into the natural desert environment as artfully as possible.

The artists’ collaborative efforts will touch on road configuration, building layout, building elevation designs, structural design, material choice and landscape.

In addition to Murase and Kratz, the North Gateway Project design team consists of HDR Engineering and J.R. Miller & Associates. Damon S. Wiliams Associates is designing the water reclamation plant. Murase Associates, a landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm, has offices in Portland and Seattle.

Design Detailings: Pace-setting architect speaks May 8

Space.City and the Naramore Foundation will co-sponsor a talk by architect Brad Cloepfil on Wednesday, May 8. He will speak in the auditorium of Seattle Art Museum at 6:30 pm. Tickets will be sold only at the SAM door, starting at 5:30 p.m., for $10 each. For information, call (206) 654-3100.

Cloepfil formed the Portland-based firm Allied Works Architecture in 1994. Allied Works has been recognized for the completed Maryhill Overlook in Goldendale; Wieden + Kennedy's office in Portland's Pearl District; Blue Lake House in Oregon's Cascades; the Forum for Contemporary Art in St. Louis; and for its latest project, the Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas.

Attempting to identify the architects who are setting the pace for the future, Phaidon Press asked 10 critics to each select the 10 architects they felt were producing the most exceptional work today.

Terry Riley, chief curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York said of Cloepfil, one of his selections: "Brad Cloepfil's work bridges a number of gaps in current architectural culture. The Maryhill Overlook engages architecture and the landscape in an astoundingly provocative way. Alternately, the project frames distant panoramas, provides shelter, serves as a viewing platform and acts as a metaphor for the desert landscape in eastern Oregon.

"As with all architects who have a real feel for the relationship between theory and practice, Cloepfil reminds us through his work that tectonics is first and foremost a visual phenomenon, to which function and technology are secondary. Furthermore, his natural tendency is to fulfill the potential of any theoretical project, to realize it in such a way as to test and perfect the building art."

Bellevue 2020 plan on display this week

CollinsWoerman, in conjunction with Street-Works, has teamed with the city of Bellevue to develop a new downtown Bellevue 2020 plan.

CollinsWoerman will be exhibiting the urban design component of the plan through May 7 in Gould Court, on the first floor of Gould Hall at the University of Washington's College of Architecture and Urban Planning.

CollinsWoerman will also be introducing the plan in a series of three presentations. The presentations will be hosted at Gould Court from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Monday.

The presentations will be free and open to the public. Those planning to attend should RSVP to bnolander@collinswoerman.com.

SW Washington AIA has new quarters

The American Institute of Architects Southwest Washington Chapter has moved to 1201 Pacific Ave., Fountain Court Level, Suite C-4, Tacoma, WA 98402. E-mail (karin@aiasww.org), phone (253) 627-4006) and fax (253) 572-2634 will remain the same. The move provides increased exposure to the general public and an opportunity to display architectural projects.

Design Detailings: Local firm revamps Florida ship design

Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group recently completed contract design for a fourth passenger-vehicle ferry for Fisher Island, Fla. EBDG was contacted about an upgrade to the initial vessel design, which was completed by its predecessor firm, Nickum & Spaulding, in 1980. Two vessels were built in 1981, the M/V Eagle & M/V Pelican, and a third vessel, the M/V Flamingo, was constructed in 1987.

The fourth vessel to join the Fisher Island fleet will vary from the original 1980 vessel design. According to EBDG project manager Will Nickum, design changes include an aluminum superstructure and bulwarks, enclosed sponsons, revised engine room and pilothouse access, and an enlarged pilothouse. The vessel will feature a revised stack and mast configuration as well as relocated engine air intake. The 120-foot vessel can take 100 passengers and has 450 horsepower.

With the design package complete, EBDG will act as construction liaison on behalf of the owner. In December 2001, Fisher Island Community Association signed a contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., to construct the new vessel. Vessel construction should take about eight months.

WSU professor named design-build 'professional'

Darlene Septelka, a Washington State University Spokane faculty member, has been named a charter professional in the new Design-Build Institute of America designated design-build professional certification program.

Septelka, associate professor of construction management and coordinator of the graduate design-build management track, is one of only 85 charter members named out of 1,082 institute members reviewed for nomination. Charter members will be honored tomorrow at a convocation ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Septelka created the design-build track within the master of science in architecture program at WSU Spokane in 2000 to fill a need in the industry. Since then, the program -- which is geared toward working professionals -- has grown from three students to a dozen. The field of study is housed within WSU Spokane's Interdisciplinary Design Institute, which brings together design and construction students to study in an atmosphere that encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The institute established the designation to serve as an accepted and recognized educational standard for practitioners who possess a qualified and quantified level of expertise in design-build. An individual who successfully completes the requirements is recognized as a Designated Design-Build Professional and earns the right to display "DBIA" after his or her name.

The designation indicates that the individual is a professional in the design-build field.

Septelka previously received DBIA's Special Recognition Award at its annual conference in October 2001. She received the award in part because of her research in alternative delivery and promotion of design-build, and her establishment of the design-build management track within WSU Spokane's master of science architecture program.

For more information, contact Septelka at (509) 358-7910, septelka@wsu.edu, or see www.designbuild.spokane.wsu.edu.

Design Detailings: SMPS luncheon for client connections

The Seattle Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services holds its annual luncheon, "Client Connections," 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Tuesday, April 23. The program is an opportunity to interact one-on-one with the region’s top agencies and organizations that use architectural, engineering and environmental consulting services.

The event’s featured clients include representatives from the city of Seattle, Executive Service Department; Department of Corrections, TEAM Program; the Navy’s Engineering Field Activity Northwest; Federal Aviation Administration; Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport; Port of Tacoma; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and the state Department of Transportation.

The cost is $30 for SMPS members, $35 for member firms and $40 for non-members. To register, contact Grace Vigil at Reid Middleton, (425) 741-3800 or visit www.smpsseattle.org.

WSU professor named design-build 'professional'

Darlene Septelka, a Washington State University Spokane faculty member, has been named a charter professional in the new Design-Build Institute of America designated design-build professional certification program.

Septelka, associate professor of construction management and coordinator of the graduate design-build management track, is one of only 85 charter members named out of 1,082 institute members reviewed for nomination. Charter members will be honored tomorrow at a convocation ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Septelka created the design-build track within the master of science in architecture program at WSU Spokane in 2000 to fill a need in the industry. Since then, the program -- which is geared toward working professionals -- has grown from three students to a dozen. The field of study is housed within WSU Spokane's Interdisciplinary Design Institute, which brings together design and construction students to study in an atmosphere that encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The institute established the designation to serve as an accepted and recognized educational standard for practitioners who possess a qualified and quantified level of expertise in design-build. An individual who successfully completes the requirements is recognized as a Designated Design-Build Professional and earns the right to display "DBIA" after his or her name. The designation indicates to design-build end users and the community at large that the individual is a professional in the design-build field.

Septelka previously received DBIA's Special Recognition Award at its annual conference in October 2001. She received the award in part because of her research in alternative delivery and promotion of design-build, and her establishment of the design-build management track within WSU Spokane's master of science architecture program. For more information, contact Septelka at (509) 358-7910, septelka@wsu.edu, or see www.designbuild.spokane.wsu.edu.

See trains levitate at UW demonstration

Robotics demonstrations, liquid nitrogen ice cream, the largest subsonic wind tunnel in the Northwest, telephones that communicate on beams of light, computer animation and levitating trains are on the agenda for the engineering open house at University Washington April 26-27.

More than 100 activities and exhibits will be located at various sites in the university's engineering buildings. The main tent, with schedules and maps for open house happenings, will be located outside Loew Hall. The annual free event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27. For more information, call (206) 685-1785.

Design Center hosts storage space forum

For its Third Thursday event, Seattle Design Center presents "Customize Closet and Pantry Design" on Thursday. Revisit the fundamentals of designing exceptional storage spaces. This seminar will cover everything from measuring basics to new and innovative options in closet and pantry design. Learn how to create a custom storage solution to fit nearly any need. It will be held 9-10 a.m., at Seattle Design Center, 5701 Sixth Ave. S.

The Seattle Design Center is also hosting a special evening open house for the general public from 4-7 p.m. today. The showrooms will showcase the new furnishings introduced during Nordex last month. In addition to browsing the showrooms, guests have a choice of two seminars -- furniture arranging or the principals of Feng Shui. For information, contact Renee Gastineau at (206) 282-3371 or reneegas@qwest.net to reserve your space.

Design Detailings: A "late evening" with Rem Koolhaas

Koolhaas

Rem Koolhaas, 2000 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate and designer of Seattle’s downtown library, will discuss his current projects at 8 p.m. Thursday at the University of Washington, Kane Hall, Room 130. The public will be invited to ask questions during the free presentation.

"Late Evening with Rem Koolhaas" is being presented as part of Praxis@CAUP -- the Lecture Series of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Washington.

Koolhaas, principal and founder of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam, will show slides of his work, including the new library at 1000 Fourth Ave. The 362,987-square-foot Central Library was designed by OMA in a joint venture with Seattle-based LMN Architects. The building is scheduled to open in late 2003.

The new library features 10 floors spanning five main platforms or levels that are designated for primary library functions. The structure’s exterior will consist of insulated glass panels that enclose an aluminum mesh layer, creating soft interior light to enhance reading areas and protect against heat and glare.

Other Koolhaas projects under way include commissions from the Samsung Corporation Centre for Social Studies, Museum of Korean Art and Seoul National University Museum in Korea; a master plan for Universal Studios in Los Angeles; and a master plan for the City Centre of Almere, Netherlands.

For more information about OMA and Koolhaas, visit the following pages on the library’s Web site: www.spl.org/lfa/central/oma/koolhaas.html and www.spl.org/lfa/central/oma/oma.html.

For more information about "Late Evening With Rem Koolhaas," contact the UW at (206) 616-2441, or visit www.caup.washington.edu/praxis.

One-day seminar on seismic evaluation

The University of Washington Department of Civil Engineering and the Structural Engineers Association of Seattle will sponsor a one-day seminar Saturday on seismic evaluation and how to retrofit structures according to nationally developed consensus documents.

Presenters will be engineers Mark Pierepiekarz, Andy Taylor, Michael Valley and Peter Somers. They will discuss document methodology and illustrate application with examples for several common building types. Rehabilitation of structures to various performance objectives will also be discussed. Attendees will receive a binder with presentation notes and selected reference materials.

Documents are available free directly from FEMA, and will not be provided at the seminar. Seminar attendees may contact the FEMA distribution center directly at (800) 480-2520 to request their own copies of FEMA 310 and FEMA 356.

The seminar, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be at room 120 Kane Hall, University of Washington. Lunch will be provided. Registration is $120. For more information, call (206) 682-6026, or go to www.seaw.org.

ASCE looks at design/build/operate

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the April section tonight at the West Coast Bellevue Hotel, 625 116th Ave. N.E. The technical program will feature Brian Tarbuck, with Azurix, facility manager for the Tolt Treatment Facility and Pat Tangora of R.W. Beck, who will speak on the Tolt Water Treatment Facility and the design/build/operate contract. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $25. For information, call (206) 926-0482.

SAME luncheon -- "Meet the Navy"

The Seattle American Military Engineers hosts a Tuesday, April 16, luncheon titled "Meet the Navy," at 11:30 a.m., Subase Bangor, Silverdale. Individual groups within the Naval Command have been invited to present their current programs and future opportunities. The Seattle Post will also be arranging a field trip after the luncheon to tour a base project. Price is $15 (cash or check) at the door; $10 for military/government. Register with Lynn Carroll at (206) 438-2055.

Design Detailings: DOT workshop looks at community partnerships

The state Department of Transportation sponsors "Safety, Aesthetics and Community Partnerships: Context-Sensitive Solutions," a workshop April 30 and May 1. Learn how others around the region, nation and internationally are balancing safety, mobility, aesthetics, economics and community values into projects that are civic legacies or serve multiple purposes. Find out how pilot states have paved the way in building community partnership projects and learn what the Federal Highway Administration and American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials roles are in implementing this post-interstate-building-era philosophy.

Planning processes and community involvement, design creatures, operational features and case studies will be integrated into the following tracks: urban/suburban; small towns; rural and scenic corridors and special issues. The event will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30, and 8 a.m. to noon May 1, at West Coast Grand Hotel, 1415 Fifth Ave. Cost is $100. For information, call (206) 543-5539, or e-mail uw-epp@engr.washington.edu.

Roundtable discusses minority role in design

AIA Seattle sponsors a discussion on the new book, "Designing for Diversity: Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Architectural Profession," at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, at Lowell's in the Market on the third floor.

AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable chair Keli Hagen and Salone Habibuddin will host the discussion. AIA Seattle established the Minority Membership Committee in 1989. The group usually meets on the first Thursday morning of the month at Lowell's in the Market. For more information, call (206) 623-3344.

Bell Square masonry wins national award

Bellevue Square and Sclater Partners Design won the People's Choice Award last month at the National Masonry Showcase 2002 in Phoenix. Sclater won for its work on the Corner at Bellevue Square. The design firm's work on the Corner also won an International Excellence in Masonry award in the commercial/institutional category.

The competition showcases companies who design and build with masonry.

The Corner Building was built by Baugh Construction. Fairweather Masonry was the masonry contractor. The Corner Building also won an Honor Award and Best in Show, the top overall honor, at the Masonry Institute of Washington's 2001 Excellence in Masonry Design Awards in November.

The judges relied on overall impression, including integrity, setting, creativity and balance; design concept; inventive use of masonry; appropriate use of masonry; aesthetic masonry details; and technical utilization and constructability.

Sclater has provided design services to Bellevue Square for 25 years.

Design Detailings: MulvannyG2 teams with Planet Retail

Scott Truitt, Eduardo Alfonso, Bryan Berg and Alexandra Ramsden recently joined MulvannyG2.

Planet Retail Studios, a Seattle design company specializing in retail branding, recently merged with MulvannyG2 Architecture.

"The addition of Planet Retail Studios to our firm is a strategic business decision to expand our specialty retail capabilities," said Mitch Smith, MulvannyG2 president. "Planet Retail Studios' branding and imaging expertise will be an immediate resource to our retail clients."

The design goals of this new specialty studio are to increase sales-per-square-foot for retail clients and increase their brand equity in the marketplace. The combination of Planet Retail Studios' branding expertise with MulvannyG2's retail experience will expand the services MulvannyG2 offers its clients.

One of Planet Retail Studios' clients that the new MulvannyG2 specialty retail studio will continue to do work for is the Seattle Seahawks. The studio will help position the Seahawks' retail products in the team's new stadium store so they appeal to a wider audience.

"We design strategically from the inside out, where traditional architecture firms design from the outside in," said Eduardo Alfonso, director of branding for the new retail studio.

Planet Retail Studios recently completed work for Office Depot to revitalize its brand and interior space. The Office Depot design solutions included making the store easier to navigate by using colors, materials and fixtures to communicate improved technology. Other clients included the Seattle SuperSonics, Miller Brewing Co., Nike, Great Harvest Bread and Wizards of the Coast retail stores.

The staff of Planet Retail Studios will move to MulvannyG2's Bellevue corporate headquarters to help form MulvannyG2's new specialty retail studio, which will specialize in new concept and prototype retail design.

This new studio will combine the prototype design talents of Planet Retail Studios' staff with the roll out retail horsepower of MulvannyG2.

SMPS's relationship-building luncheon

The Seattle Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services on Thursday hosts a luncheon, "How to Build Quality Working Relationships." The interactive session will be held at the Washington Athletic Club from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The event will feature Vanna Novak, a speaker and seminar leader on persuasive presentation skills and skills to build quality work relationships. Based in Seattle, she is the president and owner of MC Communications.

Cost is $30 for SMPS members, $35 for member firms, and $40 for non-members. To register, contact Tosha Vandegrift at Berger/ABAM Engineers, (206) 374-9795 or visit www.smpsseattle.org.

April discussion of geotechnical issues

Learn how understanding basic geotechnical issues could save your next project at the April program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane. The presentation will be made by Allen Gifford. A principal at GeoEngineers, Gifford has 15 years of geotechnical engineering experience in the Spokane area.

The meeting will be at noon Thursday, April 11, at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, 245 W. Main St. in Spokane. The cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. Reservation deadline is April 8. For membership information or to make a reservation, contact MAS vice president Richard Myracle at (509) 459-9220.

Callison gets Sea-Tac retail job

The Port of Seattle recently selected Callison Architecture to develop new retail design and graphics guidelines for the redevelopment of retail facilities at the Sea-Tac. The concessions program is comprised of approximately 45 retail locations that are part of new terminal improvements as well as 52 existing retail locations.

Callison will work with the Port of Seattle to create a retail design that reflects the region and provides a cohesive architectural design standard. The enhanced retail program will also take into consideration changing security points and procedures.

Work on the concessions program began in December.

Berger expands Las Vegas offices

Berger/ABAM Engineers Inc. recently opened a third branch office in Las Vegas. The new office is located at 500 Amigo Court, in the same building as Berger/ABAM affiliate, the Louis Berger Group. The two firms will provide multidiscipline engineering to local area clients. The Berger/ABAM Las Vegas staff will focus on structural engineering services for transportation-related structures and facilities.

The office is managed by Gary Graff, a 20-year veteran of the architectural and engineering industry. Graff’s background is in the management and design of bridge, industrial and building projects. Graff received his bachelor’s in civil engineering and his master’s in structural engineering from the University of Washington.

Berger/ABAM specializes in building, public works, special structure, transportation and waterfront projects, with headquarters in Federal Way and branch offices in Seattle and Portland.

Bell Square masonry wins award

Bellevue Square and Sclater Partners Design won the People's Choice Award last month at the National Masonry Showcase 2002 in Phoenix. Sclater won for its work on the Corner at Bellevue Square. The design firm's work on the Corner also won an International Excellence in Masonry award in the commercial/institutional category.

The competition showcases companies who design and build with masonry.

The Corner Building was built by Baugh Construction. Fairweather Masonry was the masonry contractor. The Corner Building also won an Honor Award and Best in Show, the top overall honor, at the Masonry Institute of Washington's 2001 Excellence in Masonry Design Awards in November.

The judges relied on overall impression, including integrity, setting, creativity and balance; design concept; inventive use of masonry; appropriate use of masonry; aesthetic masonry details; and technical utilization and constructability. Sclater has provided design services to Bellevue Square for 25 years.

Gresham church goes to FWL

FWL Architects of Portland will generate a six-phase master plan for the Gateway Presbyterian Church in Gresham, Ore. The project will include a new worship center to expand seating from 350 to 1,000. The master plan is the result of an expansion feasibility study prepared by FWL. Parking will be added, and the estimated completion cost of the master plan is $8 million.

FWL is a Portland-based firm recognized for design of churches, church schools and related facilities.

Design Detailings: Shannon & Wilson and Fujitani merge

Fujitani Hilts, a Portland-based geotechnical and environmental firm, recently merged with Shannon & Wilson, Inc. Fujitani Hilts is still practicing from its Canyon Road offices, but has changed its name to Shannon & Wilson.

Frank Fujitani, vice president and Portland branch manager, said the merger will allow better client services by adding technical specialists.

In addition to having similarities in expertise, the two firms have worked on similar projects. Fujitani’s firm has been involved in several portions of Portland’s Tri-Met including the Hillsboro extension and Westside light rail and has provided services to airports, schools and universities and transportation projects. Shannon & Wilson has been involved in many major transportation projects, including Sound Transit facilities, Alaskan Way Viaduct studies and bridges throughout Washington state.

Shannon & Wilson has 220 professionals located in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon and Washington. The corporate headquarters is in Seattle.

Engineering Council honors 4 engineers

The Puget Sound Engineering Council honored several local outstanding civil and electrical engineers at its recent Annual Awards at Seattle’s College Club. The annual banquet is the concluding event of National Engineer’s Week. The award recipients were as follows:

Charles W. Roeder was honored as 2002 Academic Engineer of the Year. As a University of Washington Civil and Structural Engineering professor, he has mentored hundreds of professional engineers both locally and nationwide. He worked on a steel materials team in connection with a seismic rehabilitation project. He served as team leader for evaluating the failure of special steel moment resisting frame structures in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. He has served on several ASCE technical committees including the Seismic Effects Committee and the Dynamic Effects Committee and is leading the 2003 ASCE Structures Congress organizing committee for the 2003 Seattle conference.

Col. Ralph H. Graves is 2002 Government Engineer of the Year. Graves is the 44th commander and district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District, responsible for military construction and civil works programs throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. He taught civil engineering at West Point and is president of the Society of Military Engineers.

Edward R. Schild is 2002 Industry Engineer-of-the-Year. Schild is director for Energy Production and Storage for Puget Sound Energy where he has implemented Total Quality Management principles.

Roger C. Young was honored as 2002 Professional Engineer of the Year. He spent two years working for Aramco in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Seattle to start and develop Elcon Associates to a 22-employee electrical engineering firm. He assisted in the design of electrical and control systems for the Sea-Tac Airport expansion as well as performing systems engineering for the light rail system. He has served as president for the Washington Society for Professional Engineers.

Jon Magnusson of Skilling, Ward, Magnusson, Barkshire gave the keynote address on several of the city's unique structures, including Freeway Park, convention center, Bank of America Tower, Safeco Field, Experience Music Project and the new Central Library.

Puget Sound Engineering Council (PSEC) represents more than 30 different engineering societies throughout Puget Sound.

Panel looks at how to boost engineers' image

Are engineering services perceived as a value-added service or a commodity? What is the current perception of the engineering services industry? What are the key roadblocks to increasing the perceived value of design professionals in the marketplace? How can engineers overcome these roadblocks?

These questions will be addressed at a panel discussion tonight from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Rock Salt Steak House, 1232 Westlake Ave. N.

One of the critical issues facing engineers today and in the future is whether their services are perceived as a value-added service or as a commodity. Panelists will discuss the importance of changing industry perceptions to retain and attract design professionals.

They will also address the need to understand the value of engineering services, how engineers can impact the value of services and how engineers can manage and enhance industry perceptions.

Panelists include Jack Locke, city of Auburn, past president ASCE Seattle Section, past board of directors APWA, and previously principal of Gardner Engineers; Steven Haluschak, RoseWater Engineering, Inc., surface water team manager, Northwest regional director of ASEM; and Lynn Guttmann, head of management consulting services for HDR Northwest Region. The facilitator is Timothy Lowry, King County Metro.

Cost is $30. For information, call (206) 695-6670, or write lkd@shanwil.com.

Design Detailings: Quake experts speak tonight at UW

Hiroo Kanamori, geophysics professor at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, and one of the world's most highly regarded seismologists, will speak at 7 tonight in Kane Hall, Room 210, University of Washington.

Kanamori will deliver the Mindlin Lecture just weeks after the first anniversary of the Nisqually earthquake that shook western Washington. Though it registered at magnitude 6.8, the effects of the Nisqually earthquake were relatively modest by comparison to what could happen in a quake on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which lies off the coast of Washington, Oregon and northern California. The Cascadia zone is where the Pacific tectonic plate dives beneath the North American plate.

It was Kanmori's work in the 1980s that first quantified the size and likelihood of a future subduction zone earthquake here. His lecture will review progress made in understanding the basic physics of earthquakes that allows seismologists to forecast the overall long-term seismic activity and lets policy makers anticipate damage in order to formulate response plans.

The event is free. For information, contact the UW at (206) 543-6505.

NY Port official looks at 9/11 impact

The Fast Start Program and FEMA luncheon on Tuesday will include guest speaker Achille Niro, P.E., assistant chief engineer for program management for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Niro will discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what operational impacts to emergency response programs are being implemented by the port in light of recent events, such as 9/11. John Pennington, director of FEMA Region 10, will speak on FEMA’s Regional Readiness Program. Luncheon price is $15 (cash or check) at the door; $10 for military/government. The luncheon will be held at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office, 4735 East Marginal Way.

Quake experts discuss Olympia

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers holds its section meeting 5:30 tonight at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W. The program will feature Mike Wright of Swensen Say Faget, Bill Perkins and Bob Mitchell of Shannon & Wilson speaking on the Legislative Building Seismic Rehabilitation.

The presenters will be discussing the seismic aspects of the $90 million rehabilitation of the Legislative Building in Olympia which sustained substantial damage during the Nisqually earthquake. Damage required that the building be red-tagged,and the State Legislature temporarily vacate the structure. The presenters assessed the short-term risk to the structure prior to repair work, assisted with emergency repairs and provided design for the long term seismic rehab. Tasks ranged from ground motion studies to detailed structural evaluations and design of anchorages for the massive exterior stones. Cost: $21 per person. For information, call (206) 926-0482.

Arts Commission seeks indie artists

The Seattle Arts Commission is accepting applications for a new funding program, Arts Projects. Arts Projects funds the presentation of finished work by an independent, individual artist or collective of individual artists, in any discipline, based in Seattle. Application materials are available at the Arts Commission Web site atcityofseattle.net/arts/funding/calls.htm.

MulvannyG2 moving its Seattle staff to Bellevue

MulvannyG2 Architecture has moved its Seattle office staff to its new headquarters at the One Twelfth @ Twelfth office campus in downtown Bellevue.

"It's a positive step forward for the future growth and success of our firm, and our clients," said Mitch Smith, MulvannyG2 president.

Several factors contributed to the firm's decision to make this move. The firm's new headquarters at the One Twelfth @ Twelfth campus has ample additional expansion space. This space allows MulvannyG2 to merge the two offices and combine architectural, space planning, and interior design services in one central location. The economics of having one Puget Sound location also played a role in this move.

The 480,000-square-foot One Twelfth @ Twelfth office campus, designed by MulvannyG2, has three six-story buildings and opened in April 2001.