Design Detailings: Top A/E posts still hard to fill

There may be a recession on, but hiring good people in top jobs in design firms is still difficult.

"Three years ago, firms were hiring just about anybody who was warm and breathing to keep up with demand," said John Kreiss, principal and manager of the Executive Search Group, part of Massachusetts-based ZweigWhite, a construction industry management consulting firm.

"Today, companies are much more selective with their hiring," he said. "While entry-level positions may seem easier to fill, firms are still having trouble filling their top-level positions with the right people. Senior level people who specialize in a particular market niche or market sector -- the leaders in those areas -- are still very difficult to find," Kreiss says.

He added that specialty areas where there's a dearth of qualified candidates include laboratory/life sciences, health care, education, and residential design and construction services.

UW to train firm leaders

The University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning will offer a certificate program in design firm leadership and management, as part of fall term. Topics covered in the course include: practice management, leadership, financial management, technology management, business strategy and risk management.

The program consists of three courses. The first, "Design Firm Management," focuses on balancing three critical aspects of firm management: planning, managing and producing. It runs Sept. 30 through Dec. 9. In the second, "Leadership," participants will explore the concept of leadership through extensive discussion and analysis of case studies with active practitioners. It runs Jan. 6 through March 17. The third, "Strategy and Marketing," will involve directing the vision of an organization, developing a strategy for the future and skills for aligning the strategy with the marketplace. It runs March 31 to June 9. All sessions meet 6 to 9 p.m. Monday.

Instructors for the course include Hugh Hochberg, a partner with the Coxe Group, Richard Hobbs, president of Strategy Design; and Ann Hearle, principal of DesignMatters. In addition to consulting in management and marketing, Hochberg has lectured at Harvard and the universities of Pennsylvania, Cal Poly/Pomona; Wisconsin, Kansas and Rensselaer. Hobbs, an advisor to the professional design community, has served for 10 years as vice president for professional practice with the American Institute of Architects. He is marketplace research advisor for the AIA and an advisor for the Tom Peters Co.: Research on Innovation in the Professional Service Firm. Hearle is the former director of new business development for Girvin Strategic Branding and Design, now principal of DesignMatters, a strategic consulting firm that advises creative groups on business issues.

Applications will be accepted until Sept. 9 and afterward on a space-available basis. Each term is $1,500. For more information, call (206) 543-2320.

Pacific Land becomes PacLand

Pacific Land Design has changed its name to PacLand. PacLand does land design and provides comprehensive development services which include planning, land-use approval processing, design and project management. PacLand is at 9709 Third Ave. N.E., Suite 203, Seattle 98115. The phone is (206) 522-9510.

Rice Fergus wins two contracts

Rice Fergus Miller has recently signed two contracts to provide architectural services. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, in Tacoma, has hired Rice Fergus to design and construct two new fire stations; and Rice Fergus has teamed with lead firm MacLeod Reckord to provide architectural services for the Kitsap County Special Events Center at the Fairgrounds. Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning is located in downtown Bremerton.

Design Detailings: Exhibit blurs architectural boundaries

The Center on Contemporary Art hosts "Blurred" through Sept. 13, at 1420 11th Ave. "Blurred" is CoCA's inaugural architecture show, which explores the breadth and depth of architectural possibility, expanding the traditional definition of architecture in the Northwest. The participants, who represent Portland and Puget Sound, use CoCA's new gallery space to express their thoughts and hone their research through site-specific installations.

Participants include landscape architects, game designers, sole practitioners, artist architects, and graphic designers. The show features newcomers to the profession, as well as veterans who focus on the subtle nuances of the field. The exhibit will confront what blurs architecture's boundaries. Contributing artists/designers include Iole Alessandrini; Michelle Arab; Mike Barrette; Michael Culpepper; Marc Dombrosky; James Harrison; John Jenkins III; and Mark Johnson. For more information, go to blurred@cocaseattle.org or view www.cocaseattle.org.

Pacific Land becomes PacLand

Pacific Land Design has changed its name to PacLand. PacLand does land design and provides comprehensive development services which include planning, land-use approval processing, design and project management. PacLand is at 9709 Third Ave. N.E., Suite 203, Seattle 98115. The phone is (206) 522-9510.

Rice Fergus wins two contracts

Rice Fergus Miller has recently signed two contracts to provide architectural services. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, in Tacoma, has hired Rice Fergus to design and construct two new fire stations; and Rice Fergus has teamed with lead firm MacLeod Reckord to provide architectural services for the Kitsap County Special Events Center at the Fairgrounds. Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning is located in downtown Bremerton.

Candela's brochure takes 1st place

Candela, an architectural lighting consultant firm, received first place for Best Brochure in the national 2002 Marketing Communication Awards Program sponsored by the Society of Marketing Professional Services. The Marketing Communication Awards Program recognizes excellence in A/E/C/ firm marketing materials. Kristy Alley, marketing manager, accepted the award on the firm's behalf at the awards gala held July 29 at the SMPS National Marketing Conference in Chicago.

A national panel of judges, including editors from major design industry publications, praised the brochure for its concise message, use of light, and market-focused approach. "This brochure effectively captures our diverse lighting design applications," said Denise Fong, Candela principal. "The response from our clients has been phenomenal."

Candela's services include lighting design in the corporate, health care, hospitality, retail, public/civic, museum, institutional, and residential markets. Specifically targeted to architects and owners, the brochure was introduced at 10 client events hosted by Candela. Since its distribution last year, Candela's revenue increased by 18 percent, with a 12 percent increase in its architectural client base and a 10 percent increase in national work.

"We wanted the brochure to reflect the innovation and creativity that our clients embrace, and to communicate that Candela's designs travel beyond the present and into tomorrow," Alley said.

Using a photographic portfolio approach, the brochure combines striking project photos and sketches with quotes that emphasize the power of light. The photography is supported by custom-created backgrounds illustrated by the lighting designer's tools of light, shadow, and texture. These backgrounds create dimension that "pops" the images off the page. Award-winning projects are subtlety noted on the back credits page. A velum casing finishes the piece.

Prakash new U.W. Architecture chair

Vikram Prakash, former associate dean for external affairs at University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning, was appointed chair of the Department of Architecture at University of Washington in July. Prakash taught at Arizona State University before joining the U.W. Architecture faculty in the fall of 1996. He also serves on the faculties of the Department of Urban Design and Planning and the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. He replaces Jeffrey Ochsner, who stepped down after six "highly successful years," he said. Ochsner will take a year's sabbatical, and return to teach at the university.

Prakash's specialties are in international design, modern architecture and global history. He has been active in a number of professional organizations, including serving on the AIA Seattle Board of Directors. He has also presented at and chaired several professional conferences in the United States and abroad.

Prakash's new book, "Chandigarh's Le Corbusier: The Struggle for Modernity in Postcolonial India," has just been co-published by the University of Washington Press (U.S.) and Mapin Publishing (India). He is currently working on "A Global History of Architecture," co-authored with Professors Francis D. K. Ching of U.W. and Mark Jarzombek of M.I.T.

Prakash received his B.Arch. from the Chandigarh College of Architecture, India (1986), and his M.A. (1989) and Ph.D. (1993) from Cornell University.

Design Detailings: AIA Southwest conference Aug. 7-11

The American Institute of Architects Southwest Washington Chapter is the host for this year's AIA Northwest & Pacific Regional Conference, Aug. 7 through Aug. 11. Two hundred architects from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Hong Kong are expected to attend.

"The A02 Urban Adventure: Remaking a City" conference includes tours of major new architectural projects in Tacoma and the retrofitting of the Capitol Building in Olympia. Projects will be discussed on site with at least one of the lead architects from the design team.

John Ruble of Moore Ruble Yudell will speak on the design process of the University of Washington Tacoma Campus; Arthur Andersson of Andersson Wise speaks on the Washington State History Museum; and Scott Allen of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen discusses the Tacoma Art Museum. Other speakers include Dale Chihuly; Mahlon Clements; Ilmar Reinvald of Thomas Cook Reed Reinvald and Arthur Erickson. The tour will culminate in a "fireside chat" with all of the speakers mentioned above, moderated by Mark Hinshaw.

Optional tours include the city of Olympia’s Percival Landing, Olympia Farmers Market, Heritage Park and the inside of the State Capitol Building, which is currently undergoing restorative construction; Lakewold Gardens, an estate garden on 10-acres adjacent to Gravelly Lake; and Thornewood Castle, otherwise known as Steven King’s "Rose Red."

There will be a practice and products fair, co-sponsored by AIA Washington Council on Friday at the Sheraton Tacoma Convention Center with national, regional and local suppliers. The products fair is open to other design related professionals.

The cost for the whole conference is $345 for AIA architects, and $395 for non-AIA architects and design professionals. For information about times and places, visit http://www.aiasww.org or call Karin Poppy McCarthy at (253) 627-4006.

Yudelson gives green talk in Oslo

Interface Engineering recently announced its sustainability director, Jerry Yudelson, has been selected to present a talk on "Value Propositions for Green Buildings," at SB02 -- the largest ever international conference on sustainable buildings. The conference will be held Sept. 23-25 in Oslo, and will feature 144 presentations by speakers from around the world. (http://www.sb02.com).

There are only seven U.S. presentations among 144 from around the world, according to Yudelson, who has 20 years experience with renewable energy systems. He is the only speaker selected from the Pacific Northwest to present at the conference.

"What I look at in my paper is how different owners value green buildings differently, depending on how long they plan to own the building, how strong their internal and external sustainability constituencies are, what values they are trying to embody in the building, and what other benefits the green building can bring to the organization or business," said Yudelson. "If you’re an architect trying to persuade an owner to build green, this paper helps you to assess how to make the case."

Yudelson will be making a similar presentation at the First Annual International Green Building Conference and Exhibition in Austin, Texas, in November. The event is sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council and will feature about 185 presenters.

Elliott Bay Design wins ferry contract

Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group secured a four-year level-of-effort contract with Washington State Ferries. This is the fourth such contract awarded the firm. Recent projects completed under the previous contract include a Fleet-Wide ADA Compliance Survey and the M/V Spokane and M/V Walla Walla generator replacement project.

DBIA design-build forum today

The newly formed chapter of the Northwest Chapter of Design Build Institute of America will hold its first event -- the Design-Build Forum and chapter meeting today, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The event will be held at the West Coast Grand Hotel, 1414 Fifth Ave., Seattle.

The Design-Build Forum includes a panel discussion: Does Design-Build Work? Each owner on the panel will give an overview of his organization’s experience with design-build, with an eye to the advantages or disadvantages of using design-build as a project delivery system. Panel members include Scott Haskins, resource management branch director, Seattle Public Utilities; Chris Hunt, purchasing agent, city of Boise.

The session will be moderated by Ed Wundram, The Design Build Consulting Group. The luncheon program will include a presentation on "How a Design-Build-Operate Partnership can Create Value for a Building Owner" by Clete Casper, managing director for Seattle/Portland region, CarrAmerica Realty Corp., and Dean Allen, president, McKinstry Co.

For information, call (202) 682-0110. The cost for the event and lunch is $55 for DBIA member and $65 for non-members.

Following the form and chapter meeting, DBIA will be presenting two courses in Seattle on Aug. 1 and 2 at the West Coast Grand: "Successful Design-Build Project Delivery" and "Design-Build Contract and Risk Management." Registration can be made on line at http://www.dbia.org or by calling the number above.

Law firm puts up AEC Web site

ConstructionWebLinks.com, a guide to construction, engineering and architecture resources, has drawn more than one million user sessions, according to the New York-based law firm Thelen Reid & Priest, LLP. The site indexes, profiles and links to more than 5,000 Web sites of interest to construction industry professionals.

Thelen Reid & Priest launched ConstructionWebLinks.com to help professionals in the construction, engineering and architecture communities locate information on the Internet.

'Tenacious' WSU students help Boeing

A new method for measuring the exact thickness of a coat of paint, designed as part of a student senior project at Washington State University, is generating interest at the Boeing Co.

Because specifications are so detailed on plane orders, some components made of composite materials are often just under the required weight limitations. Adding a few extra paint strokes and going over the weight limit means workers have to dismantle the components, remove the paint and redo it. The process takes days of extra work, costing the company time and money. For composite materials used in modern airplanes, there hasn't been an effective method of measuring very thin layers of paint.

"It happens often enough that it has been identified as a problem that needs to be taken care of,'' said Edward Sergoyan, a lead engineer for Boeing.

Working with Bob Olsen, a WSU professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Sergoyan suggested that students do a feasibility study to come up with potential solutions as part of a senior design project. Working on the year-long project, the four-person team of students came up with two potential approaches, said Sergoyan.

In the first method, called the resonance method, the students inject a small microwave signal into a box with an open side. The changes that occur when the open side came into contact with the paint determine the paint thickness. In the second method, called the capacitance method, students put two electrodes on top of the paint and connected a voltage between the two electrodes. An electric current is created, and the students determined that the impedance, or how much current can't get through, depends on the thickness of the paint.

The system they devised would not require taking apart the plane to measure paint thickness. Instead, the system could be used directly on the aircraft after assembly.

"Compared to re-painting and taking the plane apart, this is dirt cheap,'' said Olsen, the students' adviser. "These students were innovative, and they worked well together. They were tenacious."

Boeing is evaluating reports and the test data. The company will then see if it is appropriate to build a prototype tool, which may be a project for next year's senior designers, said Sergoyan.

Design Detailings: AELC's golf tourney Sept. 25 at Echo Falls

The fifth annual Architects & Engineers Legislative Council Golf Fundraiser will be held Friday, Oct. 24, at Echo Falls Country Club. Deadline for registration is Sept. 25.

Eight trade associations and professional societies comprise AELC, including the American Council of Engineering Companies of Washington; AIA Washington; American Society of Civil Engineers; Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; Structural Engineers Association of Washington; and Washington Society of Professional Engineers. AELC provides an organization for associations and/or organizations of architects and architectural firms, engineers and engineering firms in Washington to work on legislative objectives and issues for the improvement of business conditions.

The cost is $150 and includes golf, cart, lunch and prizes. Sponsors receive recognition on all tournament material, a sign on the course and a sponsor's gift. Sponsorship levels are: $100 for hole sponsor if foursome also golfing ($150 if not); $250 for long drive sponsor; $500 for closest to the pin sponsor; $500 for beverage cart sponsor; and $1,500 for tournament sponsor. Mail form and entry fee to AELC Golf Tournament, 700 112th Ave. N.E., No. 207, Bellevue, WA 98004. For information call (425) 453-6655.

ADA expert updates signage guidelines

Noted Americans with Disabilities Act expert Ken Ethridge will host a seminar from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 31. The event will be held at Henry Art Gallery Auditorium. Participants in the program will gain an understanding of the aims and structure of the ADA. They will also gain specific knowledge of the signage aspects covered by the ADA's Accessibility Guidelines.

Ethridge is vice-president, corporate communications for ASI Sign Systems, Dallas. He represents the Society for Environmental Graphic Design to the ANSI 117A Committee on site and facility accessibility. He was a co-author of the society's ADA white paper. He also represented the society as an advisor on signage to the Federal ADAAG Review Committee. More information about SEGD can be found at www.segd.org. AIA continuing education credits are available for this seminar. Cost for the event is $10 for society members and students, and $15 for non-members.

Design Detailings: A look into the art of a curator

Corrin

Lisa Corrin, SAM's deputy director of art, and Jon and Mary Shirley, curator of modern and contemporary art, will present a free lecture at SAM downtown at 7 p.m. Thursday. They will discuss the innovative thinking of several artists, curators and institutions who have made the museum the subject of their work.

Prior to her arrival at SAM in September 2001, Corrin was chief curator of London's Serpentine Gallery, one of Europe's premier venues for modern and contemporary art. Corrin has curated exhibitions of the work of distinguished figures such as Brice Marden, Bridget Riley and Felix Gonzalez-Torre. Corrin also served as chief curator and educator of The Contemporary Museum in Baltimore, which she developed with its founder George Ciscle in 1989.

Fromherz wins as Young Engineer

Transpo Group transportation engineer Kerensa Swanson Fromherz has been named by the Washington State Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers as this year's Outstanding Young Engineer for her hard work in the field.

Holly Parsons, one of Transpo’s principals, presented the award in her capacity as past president of the ITE Section. Parsons highlighted Fromherz's recent project accomplishments at Transpo, her service to ITE at the local and national levels and her leadership in the Women’s Transportation Seminar.

Fromherz has been an active member of the Women’s Transportation Seminar since 1997, and was awarded the Puget Sound Chapter’s Annual Achievement Award in 1999. She is currently serving her second term as chapter president. Her work as a traffic engineer at The Transpo Group includes traffic impact analysis; intersection control and operations analysis; channelization and traffic signal design; traffic calming; and multimodal and non-motorized system planning, analysis, and design. Kerensa has worked for a variety of both public and private clients.

Design Detailings: Harris on ENR's Top 25 list

Seattle-based consulting engineering firm Harris Group Inc. made Engineering News-Record's list of the Top 25 in Fossil Fuel for the first time, based on its 2001 revenues in the industry. With $14.4 million in revenue from its work on natural gas- and coal-fired power plants, Harris Group ranked 22nd in the U.S. according to ENR's The Top 500 Design Firm Sourcebook 2002.

Harris Group's Denver-based energy business unit provides engineering and design for new and existing power plants. Its financial consulting group provides due diligence and independent engineering for new and operating power plants around the world. Harris Group maintained its fifth ranking among design firms serving pulp and paper mills according to ENR. With $19.3 million in revenue from its forest industries customers, Harris Group was the only pure design firm -- no construction services -- listed in the top 10.

Harris Group was also ranked 23rd in industrial process and manufacturing, and fifth in pulp and paper mills by ENR. Company revenues in 2001 were $51.9 million.

Harris Group Inc. provides engineering and design to five market sectors: energy, ethanol and biomass, forest industries, industrial manufacturing and microelectronics.

Join in AIA's national conversation

The American Institute of Architects Southwest Washington Chapter is hosting a series of informal lunch discussions for architects. They are held on the second Friday of every month, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the meeting room of Johnny's Dock Restaurant, 1900 E. D St., Tacoma.

The next discussion will be Friday, and will include viewing and discussing two video presentations. The first is a half-hour video Jim Merritt brought back from the AIA National Convention, "AIA: A National Conversation." It covers contemporary issues and changes faced by the architectural profession that were identified in the latest national AIA firm survey.

There will also be a five-minute video introducing events of the 2002 AIA Northwest & Pacific Regional Conference, "A02 Urban Adventure: Remaking a City," which the AIA/SWW Chapter is hosting Aug. 7-11 in Tacoma. The conference offers numerous educational and social events, with architects from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam and Hong Kong in attendance. For more information visit the Web site at aiasww.org.

Non-AIA members are encouraged to attend. For information contact Karin Poppy McCarthy at the AIA/SWW chapter office: (253) 627-4006, karin@aiasww.org.

King County seeks artists

The King County Public Art Program has released three calls for artists. Full application information is available on this Web site link www.metrokc.gov/exec/culture/callsforartists.

General Portable Works: deadline July 15. Open to artists living in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. Existing artworks will be purchased for the King County Collection. Total purchase budget is $50,000.

King County International Airport Portable Works: deadline Sept. 5. Open to artists residing in Washington state. Existing artworks will be purchased for the King County International Airport. Total purchase budget is $34,000.

Poetry on Buses 2002: Sept. 30. Open to residents from King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Enter poems to be considered for publishing on the interiors of King County Metro Buses. Selected poets' fee: $125.

Design Detailings: Miller/Hull displays new library design

Miller/Hull's North East Library is on display July 10.

The public is invited to see the design for the 8,000-square-foot expansion of the North East Library from 4 to 7 p.m. July 10, at the North East Library, 6801 35th Ave. N.E. Architects from The Miller/Hull Partnership will be present to explain the design and answer questions.

The $4.6 million project will feature an updated collection of books and materials, more seating, new computer work stations and instructional areas, a meeting room, better lighting, upgraded technology services and equipment, new carpeting, better seismic safety, more parking and energy-efficient windows. The library, which opened in 1954, will expand to 15,000 square feet.

Elliott Bay's Complita receives license

Elliott Bay Design Group announced staff naval architect Michael J. Complita passed his professional engineer's examination and will receive his engineer's license in naval architecture and marine engineering from the state. Projects which Complita has been involved with include design and construction supervision of the 63-foot passenger/vehicle ferry, Daniel Matheny V, for the Oregon Department of Transportation, design of three cable ferries for the state of Montana, and various design support projects for Coastwise Engineering.

Parametrix makes Washington CEO list

Sumner-based Parametrix was listed as one of the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For in the June edition of Washington CEO Magazine. The list includes 100 top-ranked companies in Washington State who are leading the way in the areas of leadership, communication, hiring, training, rewards and recognition, responsibilities, standards, benefits and work environment. Parametrix scored in the top 5 percent in the medium-sized company category.

The themes apparent across each of the winning companies were trust, a sense of family, participative culture, open honest communication, mutual respect between management and employees, and commitment to workers.

Founded in 1969, Parametrix is a 100 percent employee-owned engineering, environmental sciences, and architectural company. The firm’s 390 employees are located in eight offices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Harris on ENR's Top 25 list

Seattle-based consulting engineering firm Harris Group Inc. made Engineering News-Record's list of the Top 25 in Fossil Fuel for the first time, based on its 2001 revenues in the industry. With $14.4 million in revenue from its work on natural gas- and coal-fired power plants, Harris Group ranked 22nd in the U.S. according to ENR's The Top 500 Design Firm Sourcebook 2002.

Harris Group's Denver-based energy business unit provides engineering and design for new and existing power plants. Its financial consulting group provides due diligence and independent engineering for new and operating power plants around the world. Harris Group maintained its fifth ranking among design firms serving pulp and paper mills according to ENR. With $19.3 million in revenue from its forest industries customers, Harris Group was the only pure design firm -- no construction services -- listed in the top 10.

Harris Group was also ranked 23rd in industrial process and manufacturing, and fifth in pulp and paper mills by ENR. Company revenues in 2001 were $51.9 million.

Harris Group Inc. provides engineering and design to five market sectors: energy, ethanol and biomass, forest industries, industrial manufacturing and microelectronics.

Design Detailings: Landmarks board seeks A/E members

The city of Seattle is looking for applicants to serve on the Landmarks Preservation Board in the following positions: architect, historian, real estate, structural engineer and at-large.

The 11-member Landmarks Preservation Board makes recommendations to the City Council for landmark designation and reviews all proposed physical alterations to designated features of landmark properties.

The board is composed of two architects, two historians, one structural engineer, one representative each from the fields of real estate and finance, one member from the City Planning Commission, and three members at-large. All appointments are made by the mayor, subject to city council confirmation.

Board meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 3:30 p.m. The architect members also serve on the Board’s Architectural Review Committee. Board members generally must commit approximately 10 hours per month to board business.

Interested applicants must be Seattle residents. Board members serve without compensation. Those interested in being considered should send a letter of interest and resume by July 8 to Alex Field, Mayor's Office, 600 Fourth Ave., Seattle 98104-1873.

Engineers institute honors Ahmed

Mujib Ahmed, managing principal of Parametrix, received the 2002 Outstanding Service Award from the Washington state section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

Ahmed has been a member of ITE since 1981 and served on various committees and in section officer positions including president in 1989/90. During his tenure, the ITE section grew as new members joined and popular technical programs were introduced.

Ahmed is responsible for Parametrix operations in Boise and business development in the Pacific Northwest.

How to win state GA contracts

Find out what it takes to win contracts with the Division of Engineering and Architectural Services of the Washington State Department of General Administration. The July program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane will include a presentation by John Lynch, assistant director for E&A Services.

The meeting will take place on Thursday, July 11, at noon at the Kress Gallery on the third level of River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave., Spokane. The cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. Reservation deadline is July 8. For membership information or to make a reservation, contact MAS President Richard Myracle at (509) 459-9220 or see the MAS Web site at http://www.maspokane.org.

Delridge Library opens Saturday

Stickney Murphy Romine Architects' new $3 million Delridge Library, at 5423 Delridge Way S.W., opens its doors at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29.

The 5,600-square-foot library anchors the first floor of a three-story building. Walsh Construction Co. was the contractor. This mixed-use project was developed in conjunction with the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. Nineteen apartments are located above the library.

The library features a collection of 20,000 books and materials, reading and study areas, modern technology services and equipment, special areas for children and young adults, a meeting room and computer work stations.

CPL seeks bookshelf designers

Coughlin Porter Lundeen invites architects and designers to rise to a creative challenge -- designing bookshelves -- to help this year’s Page Ahead book drive. Page Ahead is a statewide children’s literacy non-profit based in Seattle. Founded as Books for Kids in 1990, Page Ahead helps at-risk children reach their full potential by providing them with the inspiration to read. To achieve this, Page Ahead provides new books to at-risk children to choose; encourages parents, caregivers, and community volunteers to read with children; helps schools & social service agencies to run successful literacy programs; and holds reading motivation events to inspire children's love of reading. Since 1990, Page Ahead has placed 725,000 new books into the hands of 265,000 at risk children in Washington State who would otherwise have no books at home.

The project is to create a series of unique bookshelves to display books from book drives and raise funds through their sale to support Page Ahead. The bookshelves will be placed in selected Starbucks stores, then auctioned to buy more books. Bookcases will be featured on Amazon.com Auctions.

The bookshelves should be durable and contain no toxic materials. There is no restriction on theme although designers are encouraged to think of ideas that might inspire children to explore, discover and read. There is no cost associated with entry other than time and materials to complete the design. Final designs must be ready for transportation Aug. 28. On Sept. 1-30, the bookcases on display in major Starbucks stores in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. For information, contact Jill Jago at Coughlin Porter Lundeen, (206) 343-0460.

Design Detailings: Architects craft artistic reflections

At this year’s Poncho Gala Auction, a group of Northwest architects participated in the first Poncho Invitational Architects' Hall of Mirrors. More than a dozen architecture firms designed and produced unique wall mirrors sold at the 40th Anniversary Poncho Gala Auction on May 11.

"The complexity, thought and artistic flare represented in these 16 mirrors created a strong visual addition to this year’s gala auction," said Carol Evans Munro, Poncho executive director. Poncho trustee Mark Woerman, principal at the Bellevue-based architecture, urban and interior design firm CollinsWoerman, spearheaded this year’s project.

The values of the mirrors ranged from $500 to $2,500.

The following local architects donated their time and resources: Arai/Jackson Architects; Bumgardner; CollinsWoerman; William J. Chester, architect; ENM Architecture; Freiheit & Ho Architects; Fuller/Sears Architects; HOK/Burgess; Huntley Architects; LMN Architects; MulvannyG2 Architecture; Northwest Architectural Co.; Studio Meng Strazzara Architects; TCA Architecture-Planning.

The call for designers for next year's Poncho Invitational Architects' Project is underway. For more information, contact the Poncho office at (206) 623-6233.

Designing against terrorism

The June American Society of Engineering Management meeting tonight will address the topic, "Facility and Design Elements for Anti-Terrorism and Personnel." Bob Galteland of Reid Middleton will address factors that engineers must start to take into consideration on future projects.

The meeting will be held 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Rock Salt Steak House at Latitude 47, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $30. Call Shannon & Wilson at (206) 695-6670.

This is the last meeting for the season. The ASEM is seeking new members for the board of directors. For more information, contact Mohammed Kashani at m.kashani@co.snohomish.wa.us.

CityDesign hones open space plan

CityDesign hosts a presentation and discussion 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Center City Open Space Strategy, released in first draft form last year. Since its release, CityDesign has received comments and recommendations for carrying the project forward, and has been revising the content and the format of the document. CityDesign has also drafted recommendations for the 10-year implementation strategy.

The event will be held at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall.

New exam targets architectural engineers

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying has approved a long-awaited exam that could elevate the profession of architectural engineering.

The Architectural Engineering Professional Engineers Exam is the first that covers the key areas of engineering education that an architectural engineering graduate receives at the undergraduate level.

The exam, developed by the Architectural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers, will be available to state licensure boards as part of the package of exams offered by the national council for April 2003.

Traditionally, architectural engineers have taken the principals and practice exams of other disciplines such as civil, electrical and mechanical. However, these exams cover topics that are not part of the architectural engineering undergraduate curriculum and are not used by architectural engineers in professional practice.

The exam was developed by the Architectural Engineering Institute under the guidance of the Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. It has been in development for 10 years and will cover the analysis and design of structural, electrical and mechanical systems for commercial, industrial and institutional facilities as well as construction management. For more information, contact Patricia Brown at (202) 785-6420.

ASCE honors Reid Middleton, CH2M Hill

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers last week announced its 2001 Outstanding Project Award winners. In the structural category, Reid Middleton won an Honor Award for the DCLU Emergency Services, post-Nisqually earthquake, and Grays Harbor County Courthouse seismic retrofit.

The Outstanding Project Award went to CH2M Hill for the West Gayler Street Flyover Ramp. The Honor Award in the Small Projects category went to Oyster Creek Inn, by Shannon & Wilson. The Outstanding Project Award went to Reid Middleton's Tester Road Roundabout.

Old building new home for Thomas Hacker

The Portland architectural firm Thomas Hacker Architects recently relocated its design studio to the newly renovated Balfour-Guthrie Building at 733 S.W. Oak St. The building was purchased jointly by Thomas Hacker Architects and Gray Purcell Inc., general contractor, of Tigard, Ore.

The intent of the renovation was to restore as much of the original character of the exterior as feasible and use the street and lower levels to create a studio-based architectural office.

Designed by architect Morris Whitehouse, the Balfour-Guthrie Building was built in 1913, during a period of expansion in Portland from 1900 to World War I. During his 36-year Portland practice, Whitehouse was the principal designer or a significant collaborator for a number of Oregon's public buildings, country clubs and private residences.

Thomas Hacker Architects provided architectural design services for the renovation, with structural engineering support from Associated Consultants Inc., of Portland.

Design Detailings: Kirkland's innovative housing forum

Photo courtesy of Ross Chapin Architect The Third Street Cottages in Langley, Whidbey Island.

A presentation and discussion about innovative housing styles will be held Monday at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Kirkland City Hall, 123 Fifth Ave. The event is sponsored by the city of Kirkland as part of the Community Lecture Series and as the kick-off event for an innovative housing program.

Housing styles the city will be considering for single-family neighborhoods include cottages, compact single-family homes on smaller lots, and duplexes and triplexes designed to look like single family homes.

Featured speakers will be Jim Soules, cottage housing developer, and Art Sullivan, ARCH (A Regional Coalition Housing) program manager. They will discuss how single-family homes, accessory dwelling units, cottages and duplexes can all fit in one neighborhood. For more information, call Dawn Nelson at (425) 828-1131.

SMPS hosts Markee Awards June 19

The Seattle Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professionals will honor local marketers at its annual Markee Awards ceremony at 5 p.m. June 19.

The event, which will award marketers in the categories of Marketer of the Year, Corporate Marketing Achievement, Marketing Communications Achievement, Special Event Achievement and Client of the Year, will be held at the Big Picture, 2505 First Ave. SMPS will also pay tribute to the inspirations and success of four marketers and the unique vision and communication of one notable client.

The cost is $50 for SMPS members, $65 for non-members. The event includes appetizers, dessert, drinks and music. To register, contact Grace Vigil at Reid Middleton, (425) 741-3800 or visit http://www.smpsseattle.org.

Four firms vie for Southwest Library

An architect selection advisory panel has recommended Carlson Architects, Koppe/Wagoner Architects, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects and The Portico Group be considered for the job of designing the 7,400-square-foot expansion to the Southwest Library.

Panel members evaluated 14 firms before selecting the Seattle-based finalists to interview and introduce to the public. A total of 17 firms applied for the job.

A public reception for the finalists is set for 7 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 9, at the Southwest Library, 9010 35th Ave. S.W. The architects will display examples of their work and be available to answer questions. For more information, contact Justine Kim, Library project manager, at (206) 615-1329 or justine.kim@spl.org.

The $4.4 million expansion project will feature an updated collection of 66,700 books and materials, new seats and shelves, improved program, service and work areas, new computer work stations and study areas, a meeting room, upgraded technology services and equipment, more electrical, communications and computer connections, better lighting, a modern mechanical system, improved seismic safety, and more accessible and safer parking.

The project is expected to be completed in 2004. The current 7,500-square-foot library was built in 1961.

The panel will interview each firm. The Seattle Public Library board of trustees is expected to hear comments from the advisory panel and select an architect at its meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, 2021 Ninth Ave.

Xorel recognized for what it's not

The Washington chapter of the International Interior Design Association and Environdesign6 recently paired green product manufacturers with Northwest designers for the 2002 Greenworld Product Exhibit competition.

As a part of Greenworld, an educational forum on sustainable design, the competition charges manufacturer/designer teams to come up with building exhibits that best illustrate the manufacturer’s "green story" and engage people to learn more about the environmental benefits of the product. Out of more than 30 entries, judges selected first, second and third place winners.

Dupont Flooring Systems and NBBJ received first place honors. Second place was awarded to Carnegie/Xorel and DLR Group. Third place went to DesignTex and Gensler.

Xorel is an environmentally sound alternative to textiles for walls, upholstery and panels. Xorel was developed by Carnegie Fabrics in 1981, and has since been recognized as one of the leading textile advances of the last two decades.

"We began brainstorming about what makes Xorel fabrics especially green," said Dave Walsh, LEED certified architect at DLR Group who paired with Carnegie/Xorel for the competition. "Production of Xorel uses very little water or energy, and no hazardous materials. It produces no VOCs. It’s chlorine free and plasticizer free. We discovered that what makes a green product is what it’s not. What we chose to single out about it, for the purposes of a display design, was its versatility."

The Carnegie/Xorel exhibit was a sculptural narrative of Xorel's best qualities. A sphere of the material rests on a cylindrical wood-frame base. The exhibit is lit from within by low-power-consumption LED lights in the sphere, and compact fluorescents in the base.

"In all," said Walsh, "the illumination consumed less power than an average light bulb." A first-person graphic narrative, told from Xorel’s point of view, ripples across the top of the cylinder from under the sphere, while the LED lights shift through the hues of the rainbow.

"The design became an organic representation of the product," said DLR Group designer Stephanie Deshaies. "It’s recyclable, it breathes, it’s friendly to fish. I think the organic play of forms and light evoked Xorel’s invisible qualities."

Other displays ranged from graphic display panels to interactive, walk-through exhibits.

Design Detailings: Murphy honored for preservation

King County Executive Ron Sims recently honored Ron Murphy, a Seattle architect who has made a 30-year contribution to historic preservation in this region. He received a Certificate of Distinction for outstanding preservation work.

Murphy, who is a partner in the firm of Stickney Murphy Romine Architects, was recognized for 30 years of professional and volunteer commitment to historic preservation. One of his first projects was the Pioneer Building on Yesler Street in Pioneer Square, which became a catalyst for preservation efforts throughout the area. He is also considered an expert in creating affordable housing in historic buildings.

As a volunteer, Murphy has served on national, state, local organizations and boards to promote preservation. He also taught at the University of Washington for many years -- helping to educate a new generation of architects and historic preservationists.

The Spellman Award for Exemplary Achievement went to Dale and Susan Sherman, who restored the historic McGrath Hotel in North Bend. Not long ago, the building was so deteriorated that it was considered an eyesore by many, and hardly anything remained of the once-elegant lobby. "Within 16 months of purchasing the run-down 1922 hotel, the Shermans returned the McGrath to its former glory," said Sims.

ASCE hosts engineering winners

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites all ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the section meeting held Wednesday, June 12, at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W. The technical program will feature the 2001 Outstanding Project Awards Ceremony, recognizing 10 projects in the structural engineering and small projects categories. Awards will be given to the top project in each category. The competing projects are:

Structural Engineering: Grays Harbor County Courthouse Seismic Retrofit by Reid Middleton; DCLU Emergency Services, post-Nisqually earthquake by Reid Middleton; West Galer Street Flyover by CH2M Hill; Fatigue Technologies New Manufacturing Facility and Corporate Offices -- DCI Engineers.

Small Projects: Rehabilitation of West Wall Bulkhead by PanGEO, Inc. & Port of Seattle; Tester Road roundabout by Reid Middleton; Oyster Creek Inn -- Shannon & Wilson, Inc.; vertical movement detector system by Shannon & Wilson. Inc.; Willapa Bay Fish Ladders by Golder Associates; and Union Slough Mitigation Bank by Reid Middleton.

Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is served at 6:30. Cost is $21. The reservation line is (206) 926-0482.

Degenkolb's 5 years in the NW

Degenkolb Engineers is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its first Northwest office in Portland. The Bay Area-based structural engineering firm expanded to the Northwest to continue its growing practice with Hewlett-Packard and Kaiser Permanente.

In five years, the office has grown to 20 employees in several market sectors. Chris Thompson leads the office’s health care, higher education and local government markets. Dave Roggenkamp leads commercial office buildings, residential, retail and construction means and methods. Stacy Bartoletti, now heading Degenkolb’s Seattle office, leads the microelectronics and federal government markets.

The Portland office offers services including structural design of new buildings, seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings. Degenkolb’s client base includes architects, building owners, institutions, contractors and large corporations. Seismic upgrade work includes 29 Portland fire stations, 12 branch libraries for Multnomah County, four buildings at Oregon Health & Science University and seven buildings at Hewlett-Packard’s Corvallis and Vancouver campuses.

Sharpening your client focus

The Marketing Associates of Spokane, an educational and networking association of the area's professional marketers, sponsors a luncheon Thursday, June 13.

The luncheon will address questions such as are you winning jobs rather than clients, do you have the skills to profitably connect your corporate culture with your customers' culture and how effectively do you relate to clients and peers? Randy Tuminello of TrustBuilders International will speak.

The meeting will take place noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Kress Gallery on the third level of River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave. in Spokane. Cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. For information, contact Richard Myracle at (509) 459-9220. Deadline is June 6.