Design Detailings: Schacht/Aslani to show library design

Schacht/Aslani designed the $4.8 million expansion of the Douglass-Truth Branch library.

Schacht/Aslani Architects' design for the expansion of the Douglass-Truth Branch of the Seattle Public Library will be on display from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, at the Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way.

Frank Coulter, library project manager, and designers from Schacht/Aslani will be there to explain the design. Plans call for the expanded branch to be 16,493 square feet. The 8,008-square-foot Douglass-Truth Branch opened in 1914. Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board voted in November 2001 to designate the branch as a landmark building.

The $4.8 million expansion project will feature an updated collection of books and materials, more room and better accessibility for the African-American Collection, a new children’s area, more seating and computers, larger and more efficient staff work areas, and upgraded electrical, mechanical and ventilation systems. For more information, contact Coulter at (206) 615-1621, or frank.coulter@spl.org.

Affordable housing lecture Thursday

Architects Respond: Lectures on Design Community and Affordable Housing presents Johnpaul Jones of Jones & Jones on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The presentation will be held at Bainbridge Island Playhouse -- a short walk from the Bainbridge ferry terminal. The lecture is sponsored by Housing Resources Board. For more information call (206) 842-1909.

Catch Steve Holl speech on the Web

If you missed Steven Holl's sold-out presentation at Benaroya Hall on May 8, a streaming audio version of his lecture is available on the Praxis Web site: http://www.caup.washington.edu/praxis/sholl.html.

Spokane talk on attracting clients

The June program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane will be presented by Jolene Barrington of Fruci and Associates. Barrington will discuss three ways to get your foot in the door with potential clients, to introduce a new service, enter a new geographical area or differentiate yourself from competitors.

The meeting be held at noon Thursday, June 12, at Red Lion River Inn, 700 N. Division St., Spokane. The cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. Reservation deadline is Monday. For information or to make a reservation, contact MAS Vice President David Dowers at (509) 536-3853 or see the MAS Web site at http://www.maspokane.org.

SU students show engineering ideas

On Friday, teams of seniors in Seattle University's School of Science and Engineering will demonstrate projects in partnership with local corporations and agencies, including Boeing, Kenworth, Microsoft and the city of Seattle.

Projects include the Fremont Bridge north approach span replacement. Students produced a structural design for a new concrete bridge to replace the existing north approach spans of Seattle's Fremont Bridge. The team worked with Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas.

Another project is dual purpose aero panels. The team worked with the Kenworth Truck Co. to develop a cab extender system called Dual Purpose Aero Panels. The DPAP system automatically closes the gap between the tractor and trailer at highway speeds to reduce drag and reconfigures itself to assist during high speed braking.

The event will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Student Center, at 12th and Cherry.

Design Detailings: Action: Better City's 'Viaduct' film June 4

On June 4, Action: Better City will premiere its film "Viaduct? What Viaduct?" as a catalyst for discussing options for Seattle’s waterfront.

The documentary looks beyond the Alaskan Way Viaduct to examine the potential waterfront environment and was is the best solution for the citizens. What legacy will today's leaders leave future generations?

Action: Better City is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and exploring the ideas that link Seattle and its environment, the connections of its downtown neighborhoods and the potential for unique public spaces.

Doors open at 5:30, and the film starts at 6:15, with a discussion to follow. It will be shown at Seattle Art Museum. The suggested donation is $5.

Capitol Hill library reopens Saturday

The 11,215-square-foot Capitol Hill Library will reopen Saturday.

The Seattle Public Library celebrates the opening of the Capitol Hill branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E., from 11:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The $5 million branch, designed by Johnston Architects and Cutler Architects, is the fourth project completed under the 1998 Libraries for All building program.

The 11,215-square-foot branch replaces the 4,904-square-foot building constructed in 1954. The new branch features 40,200 books and materials, more seats, program areas for children and teens, computer work stations, a meeting room and underground parking. A 400-square-foot neighborhood service center is included on the mezzanine level of the new branch.

Speakers will include Seattle City Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs, Mayor Greg Nickels and Seattle City Council President Peter Steinbrueck. Architects Ray Johnston and James Cutler, and building artist Iole Alessandrini also will be present.

Early design unveiled for Fremont Library

The public is invited to see early designs of the renovations planned for the Fremont Branch of the Seattle Public Library from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, at 731 N. 35th St. Designers from Hoshide Williams Architects will be on hand to explain the design.

The $566,094 renovation will include converting a 780-square-foot storage area into space for the public and staff. The project also will feature an updated collection of 27,000 books and materials, more seating and computers, ventilation, and more efficient lobby, circulation desk and work areas.

The library is coordinating the renovation with Seattle Parks and Recreation, which is developing a park next door. The existing library, which opened in 1921, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board voted in December 2001 to designate the branch as a landmark building. The branch is expected to close in late 2003 for the renovation and reopen in the second half of 2004. The books and materials will be carefully packaged and stored during construction.

Value engineering class June 3-6 in Scottsdale

In a joint venture presentation, SAVE International, the professional society for value engineering, with MENG Analysis and D.H. Australia, is offering a 40-hour Module I Value Engineering training workshop June 3-6 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The training workshop will be conducted in accordance with the standards established by SAVE International for a Module I (40 Hour) course of basic instruction. This course provides basic educational requirements for individuals wishing to pursue certification as a Value Methodology Practitioner, Associate Value Specialist or Certified Value Specialist as well as American Institute of Architects and other continuing education credits for many other professional organizations.

This workshop includes training in both value engineering theory and how to apply it with hands-on experience from real projects.

For more information on SAVE International and to register online for the 40-hour Module I Training, visit www.value-eng.org or call Ashley Carson, project coordinator of MENG Analysis, at (206) 587-3797.

Design Detailings: June seminar: risk-based estimating

On June 20, the Washington Society of Professional Engineers will sponsor a seminar on risk-based estimating. Public agencies are trying to find alternatives to conventional estimating. Among the new methods is the "cost estimate validation process" that has been used by the Washington State Department of Transportation. This seminar will address the principles of risk-based estimating as well as how to produce a conceptual estimate.

Speakers will include Jennifer Brown of WSDOT, Dwight Sangrey of Golder Associates and Dennis Teschlog of KJM Associates. The seminar will be for engineers, architects, public officials, cost estimators, project managers and construction managers.

The seminar will be held at the Ramada Inn, Governors House, 621 S. Capitol Way, Olympia, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration is due by Friday, June 13. Contact Bill Breneman, 1103 S. Skyline Drive, Moses Lake, WA 98837-2350; call (888) 829.2852; or write to wspe@washingtonengineer.org.

Cost is $75 for WSPE members and $125 for non-members. For firms with three or more individuals attending, there will be a $15 discount per person.

EES celebrates 25 years

Economic and Engineering Services of Bellevue recently introduced a new logo, as the firm celebrates its 25th anniversary.

EES has been serving the Northwest since 1978 as a multi-disciplinary engineering firm, providing everything from financial expertise to infrastructure design and construction for utility clients. EES began with one office and now has five offices throughout the Northwest: Bellevue, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Portland and Tri-Cities. For more information, view the Web site at www.ees-1.com.

Brumbaugh honored for Redmond work

Seattle landscape architecture firm Brumbaugh & Associates recently won three awards from the city of Redmond's Design Review Board. The awards were two Superior Design Awards for the Safeco Redmond Campus, and an Honor Design Award for the Microsoft St. Andrews Campus.

Festival to show Louis Kahn film

"My Architect," a film about Louis Kahn, will be part of the Seattle International Film Festival. Kahn left a legacy of brilliantly designed and engineered buildings. Kahn's personal life was even more mysterious, and his death, alone and unidentified in Penn Station in 1974, revealed that he led not a double but a triple life. His son, Nathaniel, takes audiences on a personal journey to consider the contradictions of a complicated genius and eccentric parent.

"My Architect" shows May 24 at 6:30 pm, at the Harvard Exit and May 26 at 4 p.m. at Pacific Place Cinemas. Buy tickets online from www.seattlefile.com or from the box office.

New digs for Koppe Wagoner

Koppe Wagoner Architects recently moved from Western Avenue to 811 First Ave., Suite 615, Seattle, WA 98104. The phone and fax remain the same: (206) 344-5788, and fax (206) 344-5789.

Who pays for green engineering?

American Public Works Association's Management and Public Administration Committee will host a discussion of green engineering May 28.

The third annual Engineering for the Environment panel discussion will focus on incorporating LEED certification, green engineering and sustainable design concepts in past and future public works projects. From project costs to true costs -- who pays and who gains? As green engineering projects have become common, case studies are now available to examine of project, societal and environmental issues.

Featured speakers will be Paul H. Berry, senior capital project coordinator of the city of Seattle's Architecture, Engineering and Space Planning Division; Clarissa Easton, project manager of the city's Facilities Management Division; and Deanna Seaman, senior planner with Solid Waste Management at Snohomish County Public Works.

Cost is $25, and the event will be held at Rock Salt Steak House at Latitude 47, 1232 Westlake Ave. N. For more information, call or e-mail reservations to Robb Ashton, MRSC, (206) 625-1300, rashton@mrsc.org.

Design Detailings: MulvannyG2 acquires Cornerstone

MulvannyG2 Architecture recently acquired Cornerstone Architecture, a north Seattle design company specializing in health care.

Cornerstone Architecture was founded in 1993. The main focus of the firm has been senior care and housing facilities, as well as health care projects for clients such as Overlake Hospital and Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center and Providence St. Peter Hospital.

"The addition of Cornerstone to our firm is a strategic business decision to expand our health care capabilities," said Mitch Smith, MulvannyG2 president. "Cornerstone’s expertise will be an immediate and invaluable resource to our health care clients."

Phil Case, president of Cornerstone, will be the principal-in-charge of MulvannyG2’s Healthcare Studio. The new studio will operate within the company’s Community Studio, led by William Turner.

"Health care architecture is a very specific field and he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge critical to our clients and their patients," said Turner.

Case worked on several projects, including Overlake Hospital’s Emergency Department remodel and Behavioral Health Services relocation and remodel, and a retirement housing project for LifeStyles in Vancouver, among others.

Bell speaks on Design Corps

Architect and author Bryan Bell, who has spent the last decade working to make architectural services available to a greater part of the general public, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. There is no charge for the speech, to be held in Room 147 of University of Washington's Architecture Hall.

Bell will speak about his upcoming book, "Designing for the 98 Percent: Good Deeds, Good Design," to be published in August by Princeton Architectural Press.

With degrees from Princeton and Yale, Bell worked briefly for Stephen Holl. He worked with non-profit agencies that specialized in serving the very low-income. In 1991, he founded a non-profit agency, Design Corps, whose mission was to provide the benefits of architecture to those typically unserved by the profession.

From 1998 to 2000, Bell taught at the Auburn Rural Studio, teaching 22 thesis students for 12 design/build projects, including the Greensboro Children’s Center and the Mason’s Bend Community Center. Work by Design Corps will be included in 2003 in the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Design Triennial exhibit.

SAME hosts Student Paper Night

Tonight's meeting of the Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers will feature Student Paper Night, at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W.

The program will feature two finalists from a student paper competition held May 7. The Seattle University presentation will concern the Fremont Bridge expansion and the University of Washington presentation will discuss state Route 520.

Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $23 per person, with dinner. For information, call (206) 926-0482, or e-mail house@seattleasce.org.

Seattle: Venice of the Pacific?

"Vancouver and Seattle: Which of these cities will become the Venice of the Pacific?" is the topic of the May 21 Allied Arts Beer and Culture meeting.

Does Vancouver have a head start? The discussion will explore how Seattle compares with Vancouver, the mix of activities on their waterfronts and what forms of housing, retail and public amenities each has.

Former Vancouver City Commissioner Gordon Price and Seattle City Council member Heidi Wills will be among the guests on the panel. The meeting will be held at 7 to 9:30 p.m. at 1041 Summit E. Suggested donations is $25, $15 for members of Allied Arts. For information, call (206) 624-0432.

Seminars on interior/outdoor design

Seattle Design Center's Third Thursday Seminar Series continues at 9 a.m. Thursday. Third Thursday seminars are free and open to members of the design trade only.

There are two seminars being offered in May. "The Business of Interior Design," will be held From 9 to 10 a.m. Faith Sheridan, president elect of the Oregon state chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, will discuss the business aspects of interior design including tools for building profit into invoices and different approaches to purchasing and resale.

"Creating Outdoor Living Spaces" will be held 11 a.m. to noon. Award-winning interior designer Steven Hensel of Hensel Design Studios will discuss how to design and specify outdoor living areas so they are true extensions of the home. Hensel will also offer tips for entertaining outdoors and designing an outdoor space that feels like an indoor retreat. Seattle Design Center is located at 5701 Sixth Ave. S. Contact (206) 282-3371 or reneegas@qwest.net to reserve a space or for information.

ECS's Ziesmer Engineer of the Year

Brian Ziesmer of ECS Engineering has been named 2003 Engineer of the Year by the Wenatchee Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Ziesmer, an electrical engineer, is the managing engineer for ECS's Wenatchee office. The honor was awarded as part of the recent National Engineer’s Week.

Ziesmer, an electrical and control systems engineer, specializes in municipal and industrial control system projects. He most recently worked on replacing monitoring and controls equipment at three central Washington fish hatcheries for Chelan County PUD, and upgrade of the Brewster and Leavenworth waste water treatment plants. Ziesmer is currently starting control system upgrades at several Wenatchee area water pump stations and reservoirs.

Design Detailings: May 14 meeting on green building

The Northwest Chapter of the American Institute of Architects will present a discussion from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, on the use of sustainable materials in buildings. Sponsored by the Associated General Contractors, the program will focus on health, safety, and welfare, as well as environmental and financial costs of alternative materials.

Chris Morgan, who taught design and architectural technology at the University of North Carolina, will lead the discussion. He will address questions such as: are glass buildings the SUVs of the building industry, and does the increased cost of environmental materials preclude their use?

The event will be held at 211 Rimland Drive, Bellingham. RSVP is required by Monday. Contact Tom Entrikin, executive director of AIA Northwest Washington, P.O. Box AB, Bellingham WA 98227, or call (360) 671-9555.

Erickson speaks at Glass Museum

Erickson

Tacoma Museum of Glass architect Arthur Erickson will come to the museum for a lecture from 5 to 9 pm Friday, May 16. Joining Erickson will be Christopher Macdonald, director of the University of British Columbia's Department of Architecture, and William Saunders, editor of Harvard Design Magazine. The event is sponsored by Harvard Design Magazine and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and will include a guided tour of the museum.

Seminar attendees can receive AIA continuing education units. Readings will be mailed to participants prior to the course. The tuition is $295. Enrollment is limited to 35. Participants will be able to take part in the discussion. Preparatory readings will be mailed to participants in advance of the seminar.

Register by calling or sending an e-mail to Meghan Ryan at (617) 495 7814, or hdm-events@gsd.harvard.edu by May 12.

Hargreaves/Mithun to show park design

Seattle Parks and Recreation will hold a meeting to review schematic design for the reorganization of South Lake Union Park on Wednesday, May 14, from 5:45 to 8 p.m., at the old Naval Armory Building at South Lake Union, 860 Terry Avenue N.

Starting at 6, park designers Hargreaves/Mithun will present the proposed park design and discuss the design process. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.

The proposed design is the result of six months of effort guided by public input and a project advisory team representing neighborhood stakeholders. The park is intended to accommodate large public celebrations, improve access to the lake and enhance maritime heritage and preservation organizations associated with the park.

For more information, contact Steven Wright, Seattle Parks and Recreation project manager, at (206) 684-7054 or by e-mail at steven.wright@seattle.gov.

Berger wins for Islandwood

Berger Partnership was honored for conserving trees at IslandWood.

The Berger Partnership, a landscape architecture and site planning firm, recently received the Arbor Day Foundation special award -- Integration of Education and the Environment -- for their work on IslandWood, A School In The Woods. The annual Awards of Excellence honors projects that best exemplify tree conservation.

Judging criteria included creativity in protecting and planting trees, providing long-term tree care, having a tree professional on the development team and adhering to tree protection goals throughout construction.

The project, located on Bainbridge Island, formerly know as the Puget Sound Environmental Learning Center, provides children, adults and families with hands-on learning experiences that combine science, technology and the arts. IslandWood was designed by Mithun. Rafn was the general contractor and the arborist was Northwest Arborvitae.

Ziesmer of ECS is Engineer of the Year

Brian Ziesmer of ECS Engineering has been named 2003 Engineer of the Year by the Wenatchee Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Ziesmer, an electrical engineer, is the managing engineer for ECS's Wenatchee office. The honor was awarded as part of the recent National Engineer’s Week.

Ziesmer, an electrical and control systems engineer, specializes in municipal and industrial control system projects. He has most recently worked on replacement of monitoring and controls equipment at three central Washington fish hatcheries for Chelan County PUD, and upgrade of the Brewster and Leavenworth waste water treatment plants. Ziesmer is currently starting control system upgrades at several Wenatchee area water pump stations and reservoirs.

Design Detailings: Holl to speak May 8

Stephen Holl pointed out design elements at Bellevue Art Museum

Steven Holl, designer of the Bellevue Art Museum and Seattle University's St. Ignatius Chapel, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Room of Benaroya Hall. The Hermann Pundt Memorial Lecture is sponsored by Praxis and Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects.

For information, contact the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Washington at (206) 543-7679.

Chinese Garden work party

The monthly Seattle Chinese Garden Work Party is at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Song Mei Pavilion and Demonstration garden. Volunteers meet at the garden site at South Seattle Community College, 6000 16th Ave. S.W. The event is held the first Saturday of each month. For more information call Renee Visich at (206) 282-8040, extension 100.

Honoring the Olmsteds

Photo by Sean Michael Gathered in Victor Steinbrueck Park were: Douglas Jackson, president of the Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks; Richard Haag, landscape architect; Peter Steinbrueck, City Council President; Brooks Kolb, president of WASLA; and Don Benson, immediate-past-president of WASLA.

Seattle City Council President Peter Steinbrueck met with landscape architects Friday at Victor Steinbrueck Park to commemorate last week's Landscape Architecture Week, and to read a City Council proclamation officially recognizing the Olmsted Centennial. The group also called attention to a new guide to Seattle's downtown urban parks published by the Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and honored civic activist and landscape architect Richard Haag.

With activist architect Victor Steinbrueck, Richard Haag designed Victor Steinbrueck Park (formerly Market Park), which was built in 1981. Haag also designed Gas Works Park and collaborated in the design of Seattle Center. He played a role in preservation of Pike Place Market in the 1960s. A professor emeritus, Haag founded the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington and taught there for 40 years. He has been nominated for the American Society of Landscape Architects medal, the highest honor bestowed upon a landscape architect by the ASLA.

WASLA is a supporter of the National Olmsted Conference, today through Sunday, at South Lake Union Center. The conference commemorates this year’s Olmsted Centennial in Seattle. The Olmsted brothers, Frederick Law Jr. and John Charles Olmsted, designed Seattle's original park system in 1903 and are sons of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. Their father designed New York's Central Park and is considered the founder of the profession of landscape architecture in the U.S. For more information about the Olmsted conference, call (206) 332-9915.

May 8: How to handle the press

The May 8 program and luncheon meeting of Marketing Associates of Spokane will be presented by Skip Bonuccelli of the Central Valley School District. Bonuccelli will address how to handle internal communication as well as the press and public when a business is facing a crisis situation.

The meeting will take place at noon at the Red Lion River Inn, 700 N. Division St., in Spokane. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. The reservation deadline is Monday. For membership information or to make a reservation, contact MAS Vice President David Dowers at (509) 536-3853 or see the MAS Web site at http://www.maspokane.org.

Green roof conference in Chicago

Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, the first North American green roof infrastructure conference, awards and trade show, will be held May 29 and May 30 in Chicago, at the Congress Plaza Hotel.

Co-hosted by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and the city of Chicago, the show features 45 speakers and presenters from nine countries. Presenters will discuss papers on supportive policies and programs from 10 cities, including Portland, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Berlin and Mexico City.

How-to sessions and case studies from over 10 projects, such as the Ford Rouge Center in Dearborn, the GAP's 910 Cherry project and Chicago City Hall will be presented. Research papers on subjects such as urban heat island reduction, energy efficiency, smart growth, plant survival and stormwater management will also be presented. Speaker bios as well as a short description of the presentations are available at http://www.greenroofs.ca/grhcc/agenda.htm.

Register online at http://www.greenroofs.ca/grhcc/register.htm. For more information, contact call Steven Peck, executive director, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, at (416) 971-4494.

Design Detailings: Green days at Fisher Pavilion

"GreenWorld -- A Collaborative Forum on Sustainable Design" will be held Thursday and Friday, during the week of Earth Day. It will focus on projects and products that advance sustainable techniques in design and execution. The forum will include exhibits at Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center Thursday, and project tours on Friday.

The program will showcase guest speakers David Orr, Rob Bennett and Gifford Pinchot III, educational programs, GreenWorld product exhibits, as well as the "What Makes it Green?" project boards and panel discussion.

Pinchot is co-founder of the Bainbridge Island Graduate Institute, which offers an MBA that integrates sustainability and social responsibility with innovation and profit. Bennett is a senior manager of the Office of Sustainable Development in Portland, and Orr is professor and chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Oberlin College.

Thursday's schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday's is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday's 6:30 p.m. keynote presentation will spotlight Pinchot, speaking on "Sustainable Innovation: Making it Happen in the Real World." Friday will include local tours of sustainable projects, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For costs and times, call (206) 762-6471.

Vital signs of building designs

"The Built Environment -- What's Health Got To Do With It?" will be the subject of a presentation by Dr. Richard Jackson, of the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Environmental Health. Sponsored by the UW School of Public Health and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the talk will be 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, in Room T-625 of the UW Health Sciences Center.

The way roads, buildings, neighborhoods, cities are built can have a dramatic effect on our health, Dr. Jackson asserts. Smarter building practices can decrease injuries and promote more physical activity, which in turn can reduce the frequency and severity of disease and epidemics. For more information, visit www.sphcm.washington.edu/news/builtenv.asp. The event is free.

SMPS releases local salary survey

The newest SMPS Seattle Salary Survey is available. The survey provides information on regional marketing salaries, benefits, job descriptions and other statistical data. This survey breaks the data into different types and sizes of AEC firms.

For a copy, contact Carol Waterbeck, Streeter Architects, (206) 621-9270, cawaterbeck@streeterarchitects.com or go to www.smpsseattle.org for further information.

I.M. Pei wins construction award

Photo courtesy of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Architects, LLP I.M. Pei’s East Wing of the National Gallery of Art is among the projects honored in the Innovation In Construction Awards.

The National Building Museum and Turner Construction gave I. M. Pei the Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction Technology. The prize recognizes notable advances and high achievement in construction methods and processes. During a 55-year career, Pei has worked with engineers and contractors to create buildings and other structures that have set new standards for construction quality.

Architect David Childs, engineer Leslie E. Robertson, and architectural author Carter Wiseman spoke with Pei about his role in innovations in construction technology -- from the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art, to the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, to the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris and the Miho Museum in Japan.

His design for the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong inspired engineers to create the first space truss frame for a tall building. Pei’s glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris required contractors and engineers to develop an innovative structural system to support the panes of glass. And his design and specifications for the Miho Museum in Japan required precision construction and finishing.

UW students enhance the Ave

Fifteen University of Washington architects-in-training will work through May designing new storefronts as part of revitalizing the struggling shopping area along University Way Northeast.

"What we want to do is enhance the quality and identity of the Ave," said Jim Nicholls, the architecture lecturer who will lead the studio. "It will be -- appropriately enough for an area with a university heritage -- a vision that comes from students."

The students are working out of what they call the Storefront Studio, in the former Tower Records store. They will study the present-day Ave, propose an improved streetscape and collaborate with interested landlords to redesign the facades of their buildings. The students will form a $70,000 Façade Improvement Program fund for building materials, administered through the city of Seattle and distributed by the Greater University Chamber of Commerce.

The students' design work is free to businesses, and Nicholls hopes some students will spend the summer helping build facades they design this spring.

As a second phase, architecture students may explore the impact of potential UW outreach offices in the U District -- possibly at the Tower site -- for such uses as the UW Extension or public-policy centers of the Evans School of Public Affairs. Using current land-use codes and design guidelines for the area, the studio will look at how additional UW uses could contribute to the neighborhood.

Special public displays are planned for the University District Street Fair May 17 and 18. For more information, contact Nicholls at (206) 616-4366, or jnicholl@u.washington.edu.

Celebrating Landscape Architecture Week

National Landscape Architecture Week is being celebrated through Sunday around the U.S., to raise public awareness and appreciation of landscape architects and their work.

National Landscape Architecture Week recognizes Saturday's birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903). Olmsted is considered the founder of the profession in North America. Several thousand landscape architects take part in National Landscape Architecture Week. Activities include government proclamations; a variety of community outreach activities, such as collaborative park design and education exhibits; and student design competitions. It is sponsored by members of the American Society of Landscape Architects, government agencies, businesses and universities.

Design Detailings: FSi moves into Smith Tower

FSi did engineering for the Crisis Action Facility near Washington, D.C.

FSi Consulting Engineers, a mechanical, fire protection and sustainable engineering firm, has announced an address change. The new office is in the Smith Tower, 506 Second Ave., Suite 320. The phone is (206) 622-3321, and the fax is (206) 622-5804. The mailing address P.O. Box 4219 Seattle, WA 98104-0219.

As the lead consultant, FSi recently completed design on a 56,000-square-foot, $5.5 million design/build renovation to the Shore Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Everett. Other projects include multiple air traffic control towers for the FAA, an air quality project for Tacoma Public Schools, fire protection upgrades for wings of the UW Health Sciences Center, multiple prime consulting projects for Seattle and King County Housing Authorities, as well as a 100,000-square-foot Crisis Action Facility for the U.S. Joint Forces near Washington, D.C.

Prakash speaks on LeCorbusier

The University of Washington Architecture Lecture Series features UW Architecture Chair Vikram Prakash Thursday at 6:30 p.m. His speech will be titled "Chandigarh's Le Corbusier: Formal Orders on a Vast Indian Plain."

Prakash will address the making of Chandigarh, Le Corbusier's largest built project and an icon of modern architecture. India's new capital city, Chandigarh is recognized most for its radical master plan, its grand buildings of state, and its famous Open Hand monument that Le Corbusier designed as a symbol for the city.

Prakash's father was one of nine Indian architects who worked with Le Corbusier on the project. He will explore the complex aesthetics of Chandigarh buildings, and their meaning in terms of the persistent struggle between a global architecture and its regional expression. The free lecture will be held in Room 147 of the Architecture Hall. More information about the book can be found at www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/PRACHA.html.

APWA hosts panel on permitting issues

The American Public Works Association Management & Public Administration Committee is presenting a Wednesday, April 23, workshop about permitting issues and solutions. The workshop brings together a panel of four specialists from public agencies responsible for resource-related permits within the Puget Sound region. They will share their agency policies regarding specific permits and offer insights into shortening and/or streamlining the permit process.

The workshop will have two sessions followed by discussions with the panel members over dinner. The first session will include project impacts from permit related issues, and the second session will include discussions about how to improve the process. Agencies represented include the Department of Ecology and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The event will be at 4 p.m. at the Rock Salt Steak House, 1232 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle. Reservations are required. The price (including dinner) is $40 for reservations postmarked by Friday, and $50 thereafter. Identify dinner entrée with reservation -- the choice is prime rib, prawn linguini, or vegetarian option.

Send registration request with payment (make checks payable to APWA) to: APWA/MPAC Permitting Workshop; c/o Municipal Research and Services Center, 2601 Fourth Ave., Suite 800, Seattle 98121-1280. For more information about the workshop, call Steven Haluschak at RoseWater Engineering, (206) 441- 9385.

Tour of City Hall, Justice Center Friday

AIA Seattle Committee on Design and University of Washington Department of Architecture present a tour of the Seattle City Hall/Justice Center from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. The tour is given in cooperation with the city of Seattle; Bassetti Architects; Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; NBBJ; Shiels Obletz Johnsen; Swift & Company; and University Book Store.

The tour begins at 4 p.m. at Seattle Municipal Court main entrance, 600 Fifth Ave., followed by the 4:30 Justice Center tour, and a 5 p.m. design dialog/panel presentation. A reception follows.

The tours require flat hard-sole shoes. All attendees must register in advance. The moderator will be Peter Steinbrueck, Seattle City Council president. Featured panelists include Barbara Swift, Swift & Co.; Peter Bohlin, Greg Hepp, Bassetti Architects | Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; and Duncan Thieme and Rick Zieve, NBBJ. Cost is $20 for AIA Seattle members and $25 for non-members.

Post-9/11 construction on the Pentagon

The Northwest Chapter of Design Build Institute of America is holding a luncheon chapter meeting on post-9/11 reconstruction, from noon to 1:30 p.m. today. Immediately following the luncheon program will be a Northwest chapter business meeting.

The luncheon features Robert Daniels, 2003 DBIA National chair and executive vice president and eastern division manager of Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Daniels' luncheon presentation will be "The Pentagon Project and Post-9/11 Reconstruction" and "What Can a Membership in DBIA Do for You?" The luncheon will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sequoia Room, 1113 Sixth Ave. The cost is $25 for DBIA members and $35 for non-members. Contact Vicky Joslin at vicky.joslin@mortenson.com or (425) 497-6605 to register.

Architect Kreager to talk about 'the D word'

Architect Bill Kreager will talk about building new housing when the supply of affordable land is shrinking, at a Washington Association of Realtors Event on Wednesday, April 23. The presentation will run from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Evergreen Room of the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport. Kreager, of Mithun, is an advocate of the New Urbanism style of residential building. He "challenges negative assumptions about the 'D' word -- density" by retaining warmth and attractiveness in developments of up to 30 homes per acre, the association says. For information, call the association in Olympia at (800) 562-6024.

Design Detailings: Spatial planning, Scandinavian style

The Northwest Washington Chapter of American Institute of Architects is sponsoring a lecture on April 16 entitled "Scandinavian Housing on the Waterfront, in the City, in the Park."

Gunnar Nystrom, an instructor in the Department of Spatial Planning, Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden, will present. The lecture will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fairhaven Park Pavilion, Bellingham.

Nystrom's presentation will focus on eight different housing schemes in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, comprising waterfront renewal projects, Garden City projects, and dwellings in parks.

For more information, contact Tom Entrikin, Executive Director, AIA Northwest Washington, (360) 671-9555. The Web site is www.nwaia.org. Seating is limited. RSVP by 5 p.m. Friday.

April 15 discussion on public sector contracting

Trends, issues and sustainability in public sector contracting will be the subject of the this month's Society of American Military Engineers seminar on April 15. Guests for the 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. event are Cheryl Anderson, contracting officer with the Seattle District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Tony Gale, with the City of Seattle. The focus topics will be current and future trends and methods of contracting with A/E's and construction contractors and the contracts for sustainable buildings. This will be an interactive discussion with guests to promote understanding of current and future directions contracts will take in the public sector. Cost: $5.00 per person. RSVP by Friday to Andy Hough at andy.hough@skanskausa.com.

The SAME luncheon will follow, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The speaker will be Tom Tierney, deputy chief executive officer in charge of labor, police and security. As managing director of the port’s newest division, Economic Development, Tierney oversees port real estate and economic development activities, and provides leadership in regional transportation. He will give a presentation on the port’s priorities in terms of development of seaport and airport infrastructure, including $500 million earmarked for airport projects and the redevelopment of the Seattle waterfront. Cost is $25. RSVP by Thursday to Susan Selby at sususan.selby@hartcrowser.com. Both events will be at Swedish Cultural Center, 1920 Dexter Ave.

Design Detailings: Five-part series covers A/E 101

Guadarrama and Thompson

The Seattle Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services this month will host a five-part education series titled A/E 101. Gayle Guadarrama, director of marketing for Coughlin Porter Lundeen, and Carla Thompson, vice president of marketing for MulvannyG2 Architecture, will share their techniques and lessons learned during 20-year careers.

Using case studies and proven strategies, Guadarrama and Thompson will go beyond the basics to show what a marketer would need to know to develop a successful marketing program and improve sales in a firm -- and how to have fun in the process. The series schedule is: Wednesday, Marketing Roles, Responsibilities, and Systems; April 9, Marketing Plans and Budgets; April 16, Public Relations Tools and Tricks; April 23, Proposals That Win; and April 30, Presentation Strategies and Structure.

The cost for SMPS members is $80 per session or $325 for five sessions, and for non-members $100 per session, or $425 for all 5 sessions. Classes will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Sellen Construction, Westlake Ave. N., Seattle. For more information about the Education Series, contact Grace Vigil at Parametrix at (425) 822-8880.

Cierra relocates to Belltown

To accommodate additional staff, Cierra Associates has moved to larger offices in Belltown. Their new address is 2505 Third Ave., Suite 204, 98121. Telephone remains the same: (206) 442-0112.

Students push limits of sticks and glue

Jon Engel, Cascade High School

Area high school students recently put their math and science skills to the test when they tried to resist a 2,000-pound load with bridges made only of Popsicle sticks and Elmer’s glue.

Three months of planning led to 30 seconds of snap, crackle and pop when the bridges started to break at the 8th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest at Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue. The contest was started by the Seattle American Society of Civil Engineers Younger Member Forum as part of the annual Puget Sound Engineering Council’s Engineering Fair.

This year’s winners are Cascade High School Team, first; Auburn Riverside High School Team, second; and Edmonds Cyberschool Team, third. The overall rankings combined scores from aesthetics judging, strength of the bridge, and the best estimation of the bridge’s capacity.

The Seattle ASCE Younger Member Forum has a mission to educate the community about civil engineering and promote engineering careers among high school students. Three months before the day of the event, the YMF engineers team up with university students and visit each high school to explain the contest rules and give the students tips for designing their bridges.

Design Detailings: Jacobs Civil takes top award

The 1.9-million pound removable spillway weir recently attached to the Lower Granite Lock and Dam on the Snake River was recently named the nation's best engineering achievement by the American Council of Engineering Companies.

Called an "engineering marvel," the weir designed by Jacobs Civil Inc. for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was chosen best engineering achievement in a field that included such projects as the Seahawks Stadium, Boston's Downtown "Bunker Hill" Bridge and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Salmon production from the Snake River in Washington state had declined to almost an endangered species level over the years, a direct result of the river's four hydroelectric dams. As an alternative to dam removal, Jacobs designed the removable weir -- a structure that was attached to the dam with hinges allowing the weir to be rotated and submerged, depending on water level need. With a 6,000 cubic foot per second water discharge rate, tests show significantly more juvenile salmon now pass through the dam than before.

Another 2003 ACEC Grand Award winner was Magnusson Klemencic Associates for the Seahawks Stadium. With seats closer to the playing field than any other National Football League stadium, the Seahawks Stadium features a cantilevered design with no columns to block the fans' view. The roof is decoupled from the seating bowl allowing independent movement during an earthquake.

Central Library art needed

The Seattle Public Library seeks artists whose work deals with social structures, people and systems to develop permanent art in a wide variety of media for the new Central Library, design by Rem Koolhaas. The artists will be invited to explore the library, its staff and clients, its functions and collections and to develop projects that address these topics. Proposals should embody the questioning and pursuit of ideas that characterize a library.

Through short residencies at the library in 2003, selected artists will develop designs for permanent works of art to be installed in the new library. The application deadline is Friday. Applications are available at www.seattle.gov/arts (select funding applications") or by calling (206) 615-1801.

Fajardo speaks on globalization

Rafael Fajardo, professor of electronic and digital media at the University of Denver, on Tuesday presents cross-cultural insights gained from six years studying design at the U.S.-Mexico border. Living on the border, he researched and participated in the local people's music, words and marks on spaces created to express their regional identity.

Fajardo has noted a growing movement internationally to establish distinct voices, visions and spaces that counter the homogenizing influences of corporate globalization. "What marks a place as global, local, American, Mexican?" he asks. "Along the U.S.-Mexico border, where the industrialized world meets the developing world face to face, there is an acute hunger to communicate a unique identity." Tickets are $10. The 6:30 p.m. lecture will be held at Seattle Art Museum.

Columbia Branch design on display

The new design for the Columbia Branch of Seattle Public Library is on display at the library 4721 Rainier Ave. S. Cardwell Architects designed the $3.2 million 5,595-square-foot expansion. The facility will also feature artwork by Gu Xiong, a mixed-media artist from Vancouver, B.C.

The library is in the Columbia City Landmark District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The next steps are to complete landmark review and permitting processes before bidding the project. For more information, call (206) 386-4624. The project is expected to be complete next year.

One-stop shopping for glass art

A new catalog and Web site has simplified the search for architectural glass for design professionals. The gallery provides a single source of hand-crafted architectural and functional glass art, bridging the gap between fine art and the needs of designers and architects.

A Seattle-based venture, the Glass Artists Gallery (www.GlassArtistsGallery.com) represents more than 50 creators of functional and architectural art glass.

The gallery deals only with studio glass, focusing on functional art. It is trade-oriented and it does not handle mass produced glass. Customers can choose from stocked items or they can commission work through the gallery. Each artist represented by the gallery has been juried for admission, based in part on the artist's experience dealing with the architectural and design communities.

The catalog is divided into eight categories -- lighting, sinks, tiles, wall art, architectural glass, furniture, sculpture, vessels -- making it easy for design or architectural professionals to find the piece they need. It costs $49.95, and it is updated regularly to reflect the gallery's newest work, as well as to introduce new artists as they are accepted. The price of the catalog is refunded when a customer places a first order. Glass Artists Gallery is at 2010 Killarney Way S.E., Bellevue. Call (877) 320-0800, or e-mail Info@GlassArtistsGallery.com.

Oak Harbor hires Berryman & Henigar

Berryman & Henigar has been awarded an engineering services contract from the city of Oak Harbor. Berryman & Henigar will be providing a variety of engineering services, such as scoping sewer and stormwater plans and helping to explore establishing a Local Improvement District to provide municipal sewers to the Scenic Heights neighborhood.

Berryman is also conducting a comprehensive management audit of the city’s Engineering Services Department. The audit will analyze work procedures and identify ways to improve customer service. "It will be invaluable in fostering an understanding of how to measure our performance and, through this measurement, how to improve operations," said Steve Powers, director of Development Services for the city.

Berryman & Henigar provides municipal management consulting, civil engineering, public finance, building safety, asset management, and program and construction management to public agencies. Further information is available on the Web at www.bhiinc.com.