Design Detailings: 21st century home design competition

The American Institute of Architects Committee on Design sponsors "The New Home on the Range: A Housing Ideas Competition." The competition challenges architects and architecture students to design the 21st century seminal single-family house. Entrants are encouraged to explore the impact of their proposals relative to economic and social issues associated with housing, and the principles of sustainable design.

The program is for a 2,400-square-foot, two-car garage, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. The garage is not part of the square footage. The site is in the western Great Plains northeast of Denver, amid residential developments currently being proposed adjacent to Denver International Airport. For purposes of determining solar conditions and annual climate profile, competitors should use that of Denver International Airport.

First prize is $3,000, second is $1,500 and third is $500. The winning entries will be displayed at the AIA 2004 National Convention and Design Exposition in Chicago. Selected entries will be displayed on the AIA Web site. The winning designs may be published, at a later date.

The competition is open to all registered and non-registered architects and architecture students, and allied design professionals. Entries should be addressed to the Committee on Design Ideas Competition 2004, AIA Professional Practice, 1735 New York Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. The deadline is April 23.

SW Washington AIA annual meeting Feb. 18

The Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the University of Washington Tacoma's Mattress Factory building, 1953 C St.

The program will feature presentations by McGranahan Architects, Miller/Hull Architects and BOLA Architects on the recently completed renovations of the Mattress Factory and Cherry Parkes buildings, both of which are on the historic building register.

The evening will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by a catered dinner at 6:30. The cost of the event is $35 for AIA members and $40 for non-members. Registration is requested by Friday, by phoning (253) 627-4006 or e-mail to aia@aiasww.org.

Cooper Union dean reflects on WTC

Anthony Vidler, dean of The Cooper Union School of Architecture, will give a lecture Friday, Feb. 27, titled "Reflections on Architecture and the Public Realm: The World Trade Center 1964-2004." The lecture will be at 7 p.m. at the Kane 110 building at the University of Washington.

Vidler is a specialist in the history, theory and criticism of contemporary architecture and urbanism. He has published several works, including, most recently, "Warped Space: Architecture and Anxiety in Modern Culture in 2002." For information, go to www.depts.washington.edu.

Veterans memorial center seeks designer

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is seeking statements of interest and qualifications from design teams interested in designing an underground education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The initial review process requires the lead designer organize a team of professionals and submit the team's qualifications for review. The team must include architects, exhibition designers, landscape architects and engineers. Other consultants may be added at the discretion of the team leader.

All submissions must be postmarked by Friday, Feb. 20. A $100 entry fee must accompany the initial submission, and only professional teams will be considered. Send to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., Attn: Design Competition, 1023 15th St., N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20005. For more information, go to www.vvmf.org.

Architectural Elevator opens office in Reno

Architectural Elevator Consulting, an elevator consulting firm that provides counsel, efficiency programs and design solutions for elevator and vertical transportation projects, has opened a branch office in Reno, Nev.

Headquartered in Seattle, the four-year-old consulting business will enhance its elevator project management and design offerings for architects, engineers and building owners in Nevada and Northern California, with local expertise and certified inspectors who know the codes in these states.

Ed Bies, a local elevator professional with more than two decades of elevator and escalator repair, maintenance and sales experience, will lead the Nevada/Northern California region for AEC.

AEC delivers new construction, modernization and efficiency programs including inspection services, quality assurance audits, bid management, in-house CAD drawings for new and existing elevator and escalator systems. It serves developers, building owners, architects, government officials and property managers in Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Boise, Spokane and throughout the West Coast.

Some firms bucking open office trend

With the goal of increasing worker productivity, a Seattle company is using what it has learned about office systems in the computer industry to make office cubicle systems that create more private space for employees, bucking the open office space trend.

"Essentially you are seeing big manufacturers reversing themselves away from the open office system," said Scott Campbell, founder of Springbrain, a local furniture manufacturer. "Big furniture companies like Knoll and Herman-Miller are even publishing research showing open office systems reduce productivity. We certainly agree. Open spaces are noisier and more stressful. Our systems are designed to create open-feeling spaces with more privacy that look high-end and function like mini-offices."

The open-office movement was based on research that found that proximity between sales, development, management and accounting staff creates a dynamic environment and fosters easier, more frequent communication. Campbell said workers can have private spaces that still have easy access to co-workers.

For more information, go to www.springbrain.com.

New BallardWorks offers artist space

Art and Architecture designed the remodel of BallardWorks.

BallardWorks' artists-partners, Dionne Haroutunian, Jay Lazerwitz, Joan Stuart Ross and John Gleason announce the opening of BallardWorks at 2856 N.W. Market St. An open house will be held 6 to 10 p.m. Friday.

BallardWorks provides artist work spaces, with 19 studios, exhibition spaces on two floors and two commercial storefronts. Architect and BallardWorks' partner Jay Lazerwitz, through his firm Art and Architecture, led the five-month remodel of the 14,000-square-foot building.

Lazerwitz focused on creating a space that would promote art and enhance community. The building has wide corridors, separate areas for exhibits and a lounge. Each studio is wired with CAT5, enabling DSL access, intercom access and multiple phone lines. Remodeling included increasing ceiling heights by removing former roof joists, seismic upgrades, and new electrical, plumbing and mechanical services.

Design Detailings: Austrian architect speaks Feb. 16

Photo courtesy of Baumschlager-Eberle Baumschlager-Eberle, which designed this home in Liechtenstein, is known for minimalist single-family home designs. Dietmar Eberle, a principal in the firm, will speak Feb. 16 at SAM.

Tickets are available for the Feb. 16 lecture by Dietmar Eberle of Baumschlager & Eberle -- an Austrian firm, which has won over 35 national and international competitions.

Carlo Baumschlager and Dietmar Eberle have based their practice in the western Austrian province of Voralberg since the early 1980s. Their work is characterized as disciplined formal intensity, like minimalist art. They are best known for their housing projects, but recently they won a series of competitions for larger works, including an extension to the Vienna Airport, a 1,000-bed hospital in Belgium, the E-Science Lab on the ETH Zurich campus, the new headquarters for the WHO/UNAIDS organization in Geneva, and a large mixed-use project in Beijing. Since 1984, they have finished more than 150 projects.

There will be a book signing the day of the lecture, at 4:30 p.m. at Peter Miller Books, 1930 First Ave. The lecture will be at Seattle Art Museum at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $10, available at Peter Miller Books. Remaining tickets will be sold for $15 at the door. For more information go to www.space-city.net, or call (206) 842-2283. The event is sponsored by Space.City.

ESM expands to Cle Elum

ESM Consulting Engineers has opened a third location in Cle Elum. Ray Miller serves as general manager and Anne Phillips is the office administrator.

Since 1986, ESM has provided civil engineering, survey, project management, land use planning, landscape architecture and GIS services. Experience includes master-planned communities, mixed-use, residential, commercial, educational, health care and transportation.

The address is 516 E. First Street, Cle Elum, WA 98011. Phone is (509) 674-1905, fax is (509) 674-1906. ESM also has offices in Federal Way and Bothel. The Web site is esmcivil.com.

Member needed for art committee

The Cultural Development Authority of King County's Public Art Advisory Committee is seeking a new member. The volunteer position involves a three-hour meeting once every two months, and committee meetings up to once a month.

Responsibilities include reviewing staff recommendations on project budgets and scope, selection panels for public art projects and updates on current projects. The committee also reviews design, meeting with the artist and principals during course of a project.

The committee would be strengthened by the following skills: materials fabrication, engineering, landscape architecture, past project experience in public art and practical management skills.

Send a letter of interest and resume by Feb. 15 to the Cultural Development Authority of King County, Heather Dwyer, Public Art Program, 506 Second Ave., Suite 200, Seattle 98104. Or e-mail materials to publicart@culturaldevelopment.org. The Web site is www.culturaldevelopment.org.

SEAW hosts trade show

The 8th Annual Structural Engineers Association of Washington Southwest Chapter Tradeshow is 3 to 8 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Fife Best Western Hotel and Convention Center. The event is open to SEAW and AIA members, as well as other design or technical professionals. It will feature presentations, vendor display areas and complimentary buffet and beverages. Forty-five vendors are registered for the trade show.

The show introduces architectural and engineering products, and several vendor seminars will be presented to discuss construction and engineering practices. Cost is $10. To register, e-mail seawswchapter@comcast.net or leave a message at (253) 565-0769. The SEAW Web site is http://home.att.net/~seawtradeshow/index.htm. The Best Western Fife Hotel and Conference Center is at 5700 Pacific Highway E., Fife.

AIA honors Rural Studio founder

The Board of Directors of The American Institute of Architects selected Samuel Mockbee, 1944-2001, to posthumously receive the 2004 AIA Gold Medal. Mockbee may be best known for founding the Auburn University Rural Studio -- conceived as an opportunity to raise the spirits of the rural poor through the creation of homes and community centers.

The medal is the highest honor the AIA confers to an individual and recognizes an individual whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.

Mockbee, or "Sambo" as he preferred to be addressed, is the 60th AIA Gold Medalist, joining the ranks of such visionaries as Thomas Jefferson, Frank Lloyd Wright, LeCorbusier, Louis Kahn, I.M. Pei, Cesar Pelli and 2002 AIA Gold Medal recipient Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

Mockbee worked in architectural practice for many years prior to founding the Rural Studio. In 1977, he founded Mockbee Goodman Architects with friend and classmate Thomas Goodman. The firm built a regional reputation for using local materials, winning more than 25 state and regional awards in four years. In the mid-90s, Mockbee observed and investigated the social, economic, and cultural inconsistencies that he saw permeating the South. Out of these observations grew a mission and a plan for the Auburn University Rural Studio.

Architecture students enrolled in the Rural Studio live in and become a part of the community in which they are working. This context-based learning format teaches them critical architecture skills with an eye towards social responsibility.

To his students, Mockbee presented architecture as a principle that must be committed to environmental, social, political and aesthetic issues. Mockbee died in December 2001 of complications from leukemia.

Design Detailings: Patano+Hafermann in Lower Queen Anne

Patano

Hafermann

Adams

Patano+Hafermann Architects, a three-person firm, recently opened in Lower Queen Anne. Christopher Patano and Laura Hafermann have been collaborating on projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, most recently as the Seattle office of Patano Architects. They were previously at the Miller/Hull Partnership for four years. Mark Adams came from Architecture R-B-F.

Patano+Hafermann Architects specializes in industrial, educational, institutional and residential work. The firm is working on a new middle school in Idaho with Miller/Hull, a houseboat on Lake Union, a factory in Moses Lake and a renovation at Washington State University. Their number is (206) 283-1530, and fax is (206) 283-1991. The address is 415 W. Mercer St., Suite 101, Seattle 98106. The Web site is http://www.studioph.com.

City of Wenatchee seeks entrance art

The city of Wenatchee Arts Commission is seeking an artist or team of artists, architects or landscaping architects to create two art features for the north and south entrances to the city. The features will be different sizes, designed to fit site specific areas, but must have similar features such as the art element, landscaping and welcoming or greeting words.

The preliminary budget begins at $25,000 but may be increased with design, fabrication, installation and shipping/transportation charges. Travel expenses must be factored into design work and final costs.

Artist selection will be based on the strength and quality of past work as demonstrated by letters of interest, slides and resumes.

For details on how to apply or to get more information on the project, go to the city of Wenatchee Web site at www.cityofwenatchee.com. For questions regarding the project contact the Arts Commission office at (509) 664-3343. The deadline for submission of materials is 4 p.m., Friday, March 26.

Lectures Saturday on pattern book design

On Saturday, Historic Seattle presents two lectures on pattern book architecture, and how it contributed to the shaping of residential neighborhoods nationally, regionally and locally during the late 19th century and the boom years of the early 20th century.

The first lecture, "Building an American Identity," looks at the historical importance of pattern book houses in the ongoing tug of war between gilded-age and middle-class values. It tells a history of business innovation, style debates and some curious house designs, from the early 1870s to the first Sears houses. Lecturer Linda Smeins teaches in the Department of Art at Western Washington University and serves as interim dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts.

The second lecture, "By the Book and in Our Backyard," examines several architectural examples of pattern book houses and their specific design sources in order to illustrate popular influence and widespread use by local builders and homeowners that shaped Seattle neighborhoods and had impacts on towns and cities in King County. Lecturers Dennis Anderson and Kate Krafft collaborated to prepare the essay "Pattern Books, Plan Books, Periodicals" for Shaping Seattle Architecture.

The lectures will be 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the McEachern Auditorium, Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave. Cost is $25. For information, contact Historic Seattle at (206) 622-6952, or go to www.historicseattle.org.

Berkeley eco designers speak tonight at UW

David Arkin, of the Berkeley firm Arkin Tilt Ecological Planning and Design, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Washington Architecture Hall 147.

Arkin Tilt Architects is an award-winning firm specializing in energy and resource efficient design. Their projects employ design and ecology, paying particular attention to the integration of the built and natural environments.

The firm has extensive experience with alternative construction systems, including straw-bale and rammed earth, renewable energy systems, graywater and non-toxic and recycled materials. Projects include residential and commercial, park buildings, religious facilities and eco-resort planning and design. The Web site is www.arkintilt.com.

Home/garden show runs until Sunday

The 2004 Tacoma Home and Garden Show runs today through Sunday at the Tacoma Dome. The show is billed as Washington's largest combined home and garden event, showcasing 700 exhibitors featuring products and services -- ranging from interior design and home improvement to ideas for the yard and garden. Local experts will also be holding continuous seminars on yard, garden and landscaping topics.

Admission is $9. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information call (253) 756.2121 or go to www.tacomahomeandgardenshow.com.

Design Detailings: 'Diversity by Design' seminar Thursday

The Association for Women in Architecture, MulvannyG2 Architecture and the AIA Diversity Roundtable continue their series of seminars with "Diversity by Design," 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday.

Karen Braitmayer, a principal at Studio Pacifica; Janey Gregory, a senior designer at MulvannyG2; and Sharon Sutton, a professor with Center for Environment, Education and Design Studies at the University of Washington, will discuss diversity in architecture. The goal of the series is to discuss the advances women are making in architecture.

Cost is $25. The event will be held at MulvannyG2, 1100 112th Ave. N.E., Suite 500, Bellevue. For information, call (425) 463-2000, or RSVP at advance@mulvannyg2.com.

Military engineers host design awards Friday

The American Military Engineers will host the Design Excellence Awards 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Ave. Pat Cashman will be the master of ceremonies.

Cost is $65, and includes dinner. For information, call (206) 438-2307.

Olson, Kundig discuss architecture's role in art

Photo courtesy Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects designed the new Seattle Art Museum Rental/Sales Gallery.

Seattle-based architects Jim Olson and Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects recently participated in Art Basel Conversations, a panel discussion in Miami Beach. The panel, titled "Art Loves Architecture -- Architecture for Art: Collecting, Conserving and Exhibiting," focused on the importance of the relationship between architecture and art.

The premise was architecture's role in the experience of art, whether it be in public or private exhibition spaces, or working directly with artists in the visualization and installation of their work.

Panelists focused on four topics: how to live, work and show in one space; the fact that art can no longer be limited to a private space; time-based art and temporary exhibitions; and branding through architecture. Panelists included Barbara Bloemink, curatorial director of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, New York; and Glenn Lowry, director of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen recently designed Seattle Art Museum's Rental/Sales Gallery, at 1220 Third Ave. The space was increased by 400 square feet to 2,600 square feet, and has 16-foot high ceilings. The current exhibit is "Pratt Fine Arts Center: 2-D Instructors Juried Exhibition," and includes painting, printmaking, drawing and other 2-D media. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.seattleartmuseum.org.

Lecture tonight on Tacoma light rail art

"Art Along Tacoma Link Light Rail" will be the topic of a meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.

Sponsored by AIA Southwest Washington, the evening features award-winning artist Fernanda D'Agostino of Portland, and architect David Clinkston of Otak, Inc.

As lead artist for Tacoma Link, D'Agostino was responsible for determining where and what kind of art was appropriate; selecting and mentoring other artists; working with the community, designers, contractors; and creating artwork for the Theater District Station, Convention Center Station and Union Station.

Clinkston acted as project manager for all five stations, serving as client liaison for the architectural firms, consultants and artists. His role included coordinating the design elements of individual stations.

Following the lecture, participants will hop on board the Tacoma Link for a first-hand view of selected works. More information is available www.aiasww.org/docs/Events.asp, or (253) 627-4006.

Design Detailings: LMN: master plan for Mukilteo site

The Port of Everett recently announced the selection of LMN Architects to lead master planning for a 22-acre waterfront property in Mukilteo, known as the Mukilteo Tank Farm site.

The site is situated between the proposed improvements for Mukilteo's Lighthouse Park to the southwest and the Boeing Rail-Barge Pier to the northeast. Because the Port of Everett project is within city limits of Mukilteo and Everett, the LMN team will work with both cities. It will also work with Washington State Ferries and Sound Transit on a transportation facility with a new ferry terminal, commuter rail station and other regional transit components. The planning effort also could include retail/commercial, residential, marine recreation and parking.

LMN Architects will work with Sedway Real Estate Group, market analysis/financial feasibility; Mirai Associates, transportation planning; KPFF Consulting Engineers, civil engineering; Huckell/Weinman Associates, environmental and federal/state regulations; Geiger Engineers, marine design; MacLeod Reckord landscape architect; and Sound Parking, parking consultant.

AIA economist sees construction gaining

The American Institute of Architects recently released its semi-annual economic report, indicating an uptrend in commercial/industrial construction sectors.

The report says non-residential construction activity is expected to increase almost 3 percent in 2004, with gains expected in most of the major construction sectors. Industrial construction activity will increase 11.3 percent. The report also predicts essentially flat levels of spending in the institutional category.

The AIA Consensus Construction Forecast, from AIA chief economist Kermit Baker, is available online at www.aia.org.

Olympic Associates wins Corps projects

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, has selected Olympic Associates Co. for a $2.2 million, indefinite-delivery architecture/engineering services contract for miscellaneous projects in the Pacific region.

Services under the contract will include value engineering studies of project features and design, function analysis and workshops applying value methodology.

Based in Seattle, Olympic Associates is a multi-discipline architecture, engineering and project management firm providing services in the building industry since 1955.

Design Detailings: ASCE meeting on corrosion effects

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites all ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the Jan. 14 meeting at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W.

The program will feature the presentation, "Localized Reinforcement Corrosion -- The Story of Structural Failures cased by Corrosion Occurring Beneath the Surface, Unseen and Undetected," by Jack Tinnea, president of Tinnea & Associates.

Cracks, variation in moisture content and concrete bleeding can lead to localized corrosion of reinforcing steel, according to Tinnea. These conditions can accelerate reinforcement corrosion in confined areas. Cases will be presented showing full-section corrosion failure of reinforcement in concrete that passed traditional sounding techniques. Examples include buildings, parking garages, bridges, piers and municipal aquariums.

The meeting begins with a social event at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:15 and program at 7:30. Cost is $26. For reservations, e-mail house@seattleasce.org by noon Monday.

Anderson to design Bremerton terminal

Art Anderson Associates has signed a contract with Kitsap Transit to provide planning and design for improvements to the Bremerton Passenger-Only Ferry Terminal.

To complement the Cross Sound Passenger Service, planning and permitting has begun for outfitting the A-Float and constructing a new service float. The A-Float was originally designed and constructed as part of the Bremerton Transportation Center Passenger Only Ferry in 1999, but Initiative 695 unfunded the installation. Bringing the A-Float, which has been moored in Tacoma, into service will improve passenger accessibility to passenger ferries, allow for additional moorage, and meet the demands of the proposed new generation of small, high-speed, bow loading passenger ferries.

New outfitting for the terminal includes fendering systems, mooring, safety railings and docking system for the ADA accessible passenger ferry terminal and overnight moorage facility for the ferries. The outfitted terminal will first be used in a prototype test program to evaluate the new ferry vessels and validate programmatic issues used to develop the passenger ferry system plan.

Established in 1957, Art Anderson Associates has offices in Bremerton and Seattle, with four other offices in the United States. The firm provides services for marine and facilities projects to clients throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Design Detailings: Feb. 5 UW course on engineering ethics

The University of Washington College of Engineering is offering a day course, Applied Engineering Ethics, on Feb. 5.

The course examines case studies of ethical challenges based on interviews with professionals in the Northwest. Case studies represent a range of civil engineering specialties including design, construction, transportation and environmental. Participants will examine the dilemma, what course of action was taken and the outcome. The course will earn .7 CEUs/7 PDHs in continuing educations units. Cost is $310.

The instructors are Michael Hrachovec and David Perry.

Hrachovec is a principal in Miramar Group, an engineering and project management consulting firm. He has done training programs in design and maintenance of stormwater treatment facilities, water quality and the Endangered Species Act.

Perry is a professor of ethics at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., and former director of ethics programs at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. He is an analyst of business and ethics issues, and has developed and taught university-level ethics courses for eight years.

For information, call (206) 543-5539, fax (206) 543-2352 or e-mail Stephanie Strom at sstrom@u.washington.edu, or Stacy Williamson at stacyw@u.washington.edu.

Cultural projects awarded $926,000

The Cultural Development Authority of King County recently announced 2003 Cultural Facility awards totaling $926,000 to 56 arts and heritage projects. Funds will be used for construction, renovation and acquisition of property for cultural facilities, and for the purchase of equipment.

"Lower interest rates have enabled many arts and heritage museums, performing and visual arts groups to build and equip new spaces, despite the current fundraising climate," said Jim Kelly, CDA executive director. The Cultural Facilities Program provides support for capital construction projects of all sizes.

Some of this year's award recipients:

Wing Luke Asian Museum will receive $140,000 for acquisition and renovation of the Kong Yick Building in the International District, which will become the museum's new home in 2007.

Meadowbrook Farm Interpretive Center near North Bend will receive $40,000 to complete construction of an interpretive center and classroom.

Cornish College of the Arts will receive $75,000 to help complete the renovation of its new home in the Denny Triangle.

Seattle Academy of Fine Art has moved into the St. Nicholas Building on Capitol Hill, which was vacated by Cornish College prior to its move to the Denny Triangle, and will receive $35,000 towards the renovation of the facility.

White River Valley Museum in Auburn was awarded $20,000 to renovate its collections storage area and upgrade public areas of the museum.

Jan. 8 talk on LEED standards

The January program and luncheon meeting of the Marketing Associates of Spokane will cover the origin of LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design). The United States Green Building Council developed the LEED program as a national standard for high-performance, sustainable buildings. Local, state and federal agencies are increasing emphasis on sustainable design, and firms who can demonstrate LEED knowledge and experience will have an edge.

Participants in the Jan. 8 discussion will see examples of LEED-certified buildings, and uncover the myths and truths surrounding this standard. Paladino & Company, a Seattle based sustainable building consulting firm, will make the presentation. Paladino was instrumental in the formation of the standard, and provides continued technical assistance to the USGBC. For more information visit www.paladinoandco.com.

The meeting will take place at noon at the Red Lion River Inn, 700 North Division St., in Spokane. The cost is $15 for MAS members and $25 for non-members. Reservation deadline is Jan. 5. For membership information or to make a reservation, contact MAS vice president Greg Sofio at (509) 534-0451 or go to the MAS Web site at www.maspokane.org.

ACEC awards held Jan. 7

The American Council of Engineering Companies Washington 38th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet and Industry Forecast Conference will be Wednesday, Jan. 7.

The event begins with registration and social at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., Gordon Goodman, executive director of business development for the 2010 Winter Games, will speak on planning for the Winter Olympics 2010. He will discuss the impact of the games on the region. According to a recent economic study by the British Columbia Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise, the 2010 Winter Olympics combined with the expansion of the convention center in Vancouver could generate up to $10 billion in direct economic activity and create about 228,000 direct and indirect job years across B.C.

Goodman has been meeting with Olympic experts from around the world to develop an Olympic economic opportunities strategy. He will share how the dream of bringing the Winter Games to Vancouver and Whistler became a reality, and discuss what will happen between now and 2010.

A business meeting will be held at 1 p.m. At 2:15 p.m., panelists will discuss what will dominate the political landscape in 2004. A panel of Olympia observers and experts will share their thoughts regarding the 2004 legislative session, ballot measures and the elections. Included on the panel are Steve Leahy, president of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce; Brian Minnich, vice president of government affairs, Building Industry Association of Washington; and Rowland Thompson, executive director of the Allied Daily Newspapers. The panel will be moderated by Cliff Webster, lobbyist for the Architects & Engineers Legislative Council.

At 3:30 p.m., an economic forecast will be given by John W. Mitchell of U.S. Bancorp. The awards banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. All events will be held at Bellevue's Hyatt Regency. Cost is $80 for the banquet only, and $140 for the meeting and banquet. For information, call (425) 453-6655. Register online at www.cecw.org.

Design Detailings: Site Development opens in Bothell

Site Development Associates opened in Bothell earlier this month. SDA is a civil engineering firm with 30 years of design and project management experience in a variety of project types, frequently teaming with owners, architects, contractors and developers.

SDA has project experience in residential, commercial, multi-family, senior housing, retail, transportation and other special projects.

The firm's principals are Roger Cecil, Bill Helsley and Jonathan Turcott. Cecil has 13 years experience in engineering design and project management. Helsley has 13 years of experience in site development engineering. Turcott has six years experience in civil engineering. He has worked for local consulting and design-build firms. Turcott has design experience with small projects, and large, multiphase endeavors. He has a focused expertise in stormwater management design.

The address is 10166 Main St., Suite 106, Bothell 98011. The phone is (425) 486-6533, and fax is (425) 486-6593. The Web site is sdaengineers.com.

New media artist chosen for library

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees has selected video and sound artist Franklin Joyce to design artwork for the new South Park Branch of Seattle Public Library.

The seven-member South Park Art Advisory Panel recommended the Seattle artist after interviewing four finalists. The panelists liked Joyce's plan to reflect the history of the neighborhood in the new branch, recognizing it will become a central gathering place and cultural center for South Park. The panel included project architect Johnston Architects.

Joyce's creates projection and sound installations that re-think how technology and art shape the way individuals interact with the world.

Over the summer, he created a temporary five-channel sound installation called "Audio Art Walk" in a stairwell in the Temporary Central Library, filling the passageway with animated sounds, dialogue and interviews.

Design Detailings: DT Architecture now Mosaic Architecture

DT Architecture has changed its name to Mosaic Architecture, Planning and Interiors. This coincides with a change in ownership structure for the Seattle firm.

The new firm is a collaboration between two studios, located in Helena, Mont., and Seattle. Mosaic will work on projects in Montana and Washington. DT Architecture has worked on mixed-use developments such as the Great Northern Town Center in Helena, the University of Montana Student Recreation Center and remodel of the High Point Shopping Center in Port Orchard.

Joshua Scott has worked in Seattle for DT Architecture since September 2000, and will continue as principal of Mosaic's Seattle studio. DT Architecture's clients will continue to receive design and planning services from the Mosaic's studio, located at 3131 Western Ave., Suite 314. The phone is (206) 352-2360.

Submissions wanted for architecture awards

The 2004 Business Week/Architectural Record Awards, an annual international awards program sponsored by The American Institute of Architects, is seeking submissions. The submission entry deadline is April 16, 2004, and the competition is open to licensed architects and their clients.

Entries must be submitted jointly by the architect and client. The submission cost for projects under $5 million is $375, and $750 for projects costing more than $5 million.

The number of awards depends on the quality of submissions. Projects completed on or after Jan. 1, 2000 are eligible. International projects are welcome. Projects submitted previously but not selected for this award can be re-entered as long as they meet all current eligibility requirements.

Projects are evaluated by a jury of architects, design professionals and business leaders selected for their expertise in business and/or design. The jury will evaluate how design contributed to the project's success, the level of architect and client collaboration, measurable results versus stated goals and the quality of the architectural design solution.

For information on submitting, go to www.aia.org, then click on the Awards and Competitions link, or call (888) 242-4240, or e-mail Bwarawards@aia.org.

Roth Hill ranks high in firms to work for

For the third year in a row, Roth Hill Engineering Partners has ranked as one of the top consulting engineers in the nation to work for, based on a survey conducted by Civil Engineering News.

Roth Hill, a 55-person Bellevue-based civil engineering company, was the highest ranked Washington state firm on the list. It was ranked 14th out of 210 participants in this year's survey.

"We are extremely proud to have been included in CE News' survey of top firms to work for," said Greg Hill, president of Roth Hill. "To be selected as the number one employer in Washington state validates the hard work that has gone into building this practice and is exemplified in the dedication we see in our employees. By retaining the best and brightest in our industry we continue to grow and expand the quality of service we provide our clients."

Roth Hill specializes in civil engineering and land surveying, as well as permitting compliance, planning, public relations/community involvement, and construction administration.

Your chance to bid on the Eiffel Tower, Space Needle

Statue of Liberty

Several Seattle area architects, engineers and contractors are auctioning their Design in Light sculptures to the public, with all proceeds going to support the Overlake Service League's Adopt-a-Family program.

As a new addition to the Wells Fargo Magic Season this year, Design in Light brings holiday lights to the Bellevue Downtown Park in the form of six famous landmarks from around the world. The structures, some as high as 25 feet, will light up the park every night at dusk through Jan. 4.

Designs include the Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge and the Statue of Liberty's torch, and local familiar sights like the Seattle skyline, a lighthouse and Mount Rainier.

Designers of the Eiffel Tower, the Seattle skyline and the lighthouse have volunteered to deliver their sculptures to the home or business of the highest bidder. To bid on a sculpture, visit www.magicseason.com/designinlight.htm. Bidding starts at $200 for each sculpture. The winners will be announced Jan. 4.

The following are on display:

The Eiffel Tower

• The Eiffel Tower, by NBBJ, KPFF Consulting Engineers, GLY Construction, Valley Electric and University Mechanical Contractors.

• Stonehenge, presented by ZGF Architects, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Turner Construction, Evergreen Erectors and Puget Sound Steel.

• Space Needle & Ferry, by DCI Engineers.

• Statue of Liberty's Torch, by MulvannyG2, GLY Construction and Candela Architectural Lighting.

• Mount Rainier, CollinsWoerman and Swinerton Builders

• Lighthouse, by Baylis Architects; Foushee & Associates Co.; Frank Everett III; Becky M. Gray/Coldwell Banker Bain; Marenakos Rock Center; Nelson Construction; SeaTac Electric; Star Rentals; and Universal Mechanical.

Design Detailings: USGS funds study of quake hazards

Seattle consulting geologist William C. Haneberg has been awarded a one-year contract to investigate how errors in computer data sets affect the reliability of maps showing the potential for earthquake-triggered landslides.

The project, funded by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program through the U.S. Geological Survey, will use global positioning system receivers to find errors in digital elevation models of the earth's surface and evaluate their effects.

Once Haneberg has information about the sizes and locations of the errors, he will use a mathematical procedure known as geostatistical simulation to generate alternative versions of the earth's surface.

The results can be used to make more reliable maps of potential hazards in earthquake prone areas such as the Puget Sound region, the San Francisco Bay Area and southern California. His approach has attracted international interest from researchers.

The results may have applications in environmental science and engineering that are not related to earthquakes. Computer simulations of storm runoff, flood hazards, erosion and sedimentation, groundwater recharge, wetland occurrence and landslides triggered by rainfall can rely on digital elevation models containing the same kind of errors.

Haneberg is an authority on landslides and other geologic hazards, and is currently serving as the chairman of the Geological Society of America's Engineering Geology Division.

San Antonio firm wins AIA top award

Photo by David Lake Lake/Flato Architects designed the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in Fort Worth. Lake/Flato won AIA's Firm Award.

The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects recently named the San Antonio firm Lake/Flato Architects recipient of the 2004 AIA Architecture Firm Award. The award last year went to Seattle's Miller|Hull Partnership.

Lake/Flato's work ranges from family retreats to museums, arboretums and corporate headquarters. Over the last 20 years, the firm has won more than 90 regional and national architecture awards, including AIA's Honor Award in 1992, 1997 and 1999.

The 44-member firm emphasizes individual creativity and teamwork, according to the AIA, and has helped revitalize downtown San Antonio.

Photo by Paul Hester Lake/Flato's Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin.

The late architect William Turnbull wrote that Lake/Flato has "specifically Texas insights, but the quality of their translation into architecture can serve as a lesson for us all -- how a building stands to the sun, how it welcomes the cooling breeze. Nothing sensational or exotic, no visual fireworks of fashion, just architecture that intrigues the mind, delights the soul, and refreshes the eye with its elegant detail and simplicity."

The AIA Architecture Firm Award is the highest honor the AIA gives a firm, and recognizes a practice that has consistently produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years.

UW artists adorn South Park district

University of Washington Students in the Public Art Program have been working since September to lend their skills to a business district revitalization effort in the South Park neighborhood. The project is being funded with federal money.

The 20 students in the public art class have developed concepts for metal street banners and public murals for the small South Park business district along 14th Avenue South. The artwork and banners reflect the past and present heritage of the community and are part of an overall project to revitalize the neighborhood business district.

Final design, fabrication and installation of the artwork will be through federal Community Development Block Grant funds. Once the designs have been approved by the neighborhood, installation should take place in the spring. The public mural will come later in the year.

WSU students pitchRookery Block plan

Students at Washington State University Spokane's Interdisciplinary Design Institute will present design concepts Friday for the historic Rookery Block in downtown Spokane. The presentation will be from 2:30 to 5 p.m. in the WSU Phase I Classroom Building Gallery.

The concepts are the product of a semester-long project. The designs will be reviewed by Greg Kessler, director of the WSU School of Architecture and Construction Management; Bob Power, owner of a building adjacent to the Rookery Block; city planner Steve Franks; and interested community members.

Students mapped the 24-square-block area surrounding Rookery Block, located on Riverside Avenue. The maps include first- and second-floor plans of all buildings, sections, elevations, human use patterns, historical development figure grounds, property use maps and semi-abstract color maps of details and materials.

CollinsWoerman builds 100 bikes

Employees of CollinsWoerman, a Bellevue architecture firm, last week participated in the 100 Bikes for 100 Kids benefit for the Forgotten Children's Fund.

This is the second year CollinsWoerman has teamed up with the Forgotten Children's Fund for the 100 Bikes for 100 Kids event. The company participated in the event, in lieu of having a Christmas party. CollinsWoerman also provided one large food basket and three wrapped gifts per child, including a coat for the kids and families who receive the bikes.

"We can't afford to let children go overlooked, especially during the holidays," said Mark Woerman, principal of CollinsWoerman. "Assembling and donating these bikes is our way of showing that we care about our local kids and want them to have a happy holiday season."

Design Detailings: SRG logs $155M in new projects

Since opening with four employees in June, SRG Partnership's Seattle office has secured $155 million in work and grown to 11 people. The 30-year-old firm employs 77 people, with an office in Portland.

The firm won the feasibility study for expansion of KeyArena at Seattle Center in partnership with Heinlein Schrock Stearns, sports facility designers in Kansas City. Seattle principals Dennis Forsyth, Rick Zieve and Ralph Belton led the design for renovation of KeyArena in 1995 while at NBBJ. While there, they teamed with Heinlein Schrock Stearns on Safeco Field.

The firm also won a $12 million, 68,000-square-foot instructional building at Grays Harbor College's main campus in Aberdeen. The mixed-use facility will house the president's office and college administration, classrooms for the nursing program, business program, biology department, and small performance/rehearsal areas for the music and drama departments.

On the Washington State University Pullman campus, SRG has been awarded the new biomedical sciences facility. It is the first phase of a comprehensive plan that will meet the long-term space needs of the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, with 56,000 square feet of biomedical and biotechnology research and support space for teaching and research.

Other new work in Washington includes the WSU Bioproducts Building on the Tri-Cities campus in Richland, and a master plan for the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The firm is also working on a master plan for the 11-acre French American International School in Portland.

SRG has also assumed responsibility for the Bellevue Civic Center, which Forsyth and Zieve began work on while at NBBJ. Laura Hill, of the Portland office, is principal for the interior furnishings package for the $70 million project that involves renovation of the old Qwest building to house city hall and police headquarters. The adaptive reuse will save the city of Bellevue approximately $50 million over construction of a new building, according to SRG.

New name and logo for Cierra Associates

Cierra Associates has changed its name to Cierra Electrical Group, Inc. The consulting engineering firm incorporated under the new name in 2001. The firm is also launching a new logo and graphic identity.

Cierra Electrical Group is a Seattle electrical engineering firm founded in 1996 by Jay Jack. The firm supports architects and contractors in health care, laboratory, civic, commercial and retail facilities, as well as design/build. Current projects include Sammamish City Hall, outpatient surgery renovations at Overlake Hospital and Medical Center, and Northwest School renovations and addition.

Swinerton Builders completes 3 banks

Bellevue's Swinerton Builders Northwest recently finished two Bank of America retail banking centers. The new Bonney Lake location opened Nov. 10, one week after the opening of the new Duvall store. A third store, Redmond Ridge, is scheduled for completion by the end of the month.

All three of the 4,000-square-foot Bank of America projects have been built simultaneously by Swinerton's special projects group. This group, within the Swinerton's Seattle division, was formed over a year ago to lead projects that are under $5 million and often constructed on fast-track schedules. In addition to building the new retail center, over the past year Swinerton's special projects group has completed several Bank of America tenant improvement projects in Seattle's Bank of America tower.

PND moves up in Colman Building

In early October, PND, Inc., consulting engineers, moved to the fifth floor of the Colman Building. The move provides more space to the firm to meet increased demand for services and the integration of PND's Astoria, Ore., office. Plans to add additional engineering staff are underway.

Current projects by PND include development of the 12th Street Marina in Everett; a cruise ship facility in Portland, Maine; a 21-mile highway project in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service in Southeast Alaska; and the Columbia Point Marina Master Plan in Richland.

PND has undergone several changes in the recent months, including the addition of two principals in Seattle and unveiling of a new corporate identity. The firm's phone is (206) 624-1387, and fax is (206) 624-1388.