Design Detailings: Forum on Central Library design

A panel of people who participated in design for the Seattle Central Library will share their experiences in a public forum. The event will be held on May 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium on Fourth Avenue.

The free program is sponsored by the Naramore Foundation and will be presented by both the Seattle Architectural Foundation and the Seattle Public Library Foundation.

Panelists will include Alex Harris of the Seattle Public Library, Sam Miller of LMN Architects, Jon Magnusson with Magnusson Klemencic Associates and Dale Stenning of Hoffman Construction.

Novelist and editor Matthew Stadler will moderate the presentation. Stadler has written on the Seattle Public Library and its designer Rem Koolhaas.

To register for seating, contact Seattle Architectural Foundation at (206) 667-9184 or info@seattlearchitectural.org. For more information, visit www.spl.org.

New firm: Strotkamp Architects

Thomas Strotkamp has formed an architectural services company, Strotkamp Architects, with offices in Burlington. Strotkamp practiced in Skagit County for 30 years and worked on office, automotive, medical and agricultural projects. For more information, contact (360) 854-9907 or saarchitects@hotmail.com.

Werner Sobek lecture at SAM

Space.City will host a lecture by engineer Werner Sobek of Werner Sobek Ingenieure on May 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Seattle Art Museum.

Sobek founded and directs the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design in Stuttgart, Germany. He has written on structural engineering and co-authored glass and steel construction manuals.

He has worked on projects in Chicago, Bangkok and Shanghai, and also with architects such as UN Studio and Helmut Jahn.

Sobek works with steel, titanium, glass, fabric, wood and concrete. Organizers of the lecture describe his structures as sensible, logical, simple in construction and outstanding in form.

Advance tickets are $10 and are available at Peter Miller Books in Seattle at 1930 First Ave. For more information contact Greg Bishop at (206) 443-9833 or visit www.space-city.net.

Geo-Tech acquired by Boart Longyear

South Africa-based Boart Longyear Co. has acquired Geo-Tech Explorations, which is based in Portland and also has offices in Kent and Eugene, Ore. Greg McInnis will continue to manage the business in Portland.

Geo-Tech works on geotechnical, environmental, clean water and construction drilling projects.

Geo-Tech will keep its name and internal structure for the next two years. It will now be able to also offer sonic drilling and other services of Boart Longyear Co.

Design Detailings: City wins for 'Ave' project

The city of Seattle won an award from the Puget Sound Regional Council for the University Avenue Northeast improvement project. The council recognized the project for being "an exceptional effort that promotes a livable region and exemplifies Vision 2020, the region's growth management, economic and transportation strategy."

The goals of the roadway and urban design improvements, completed in August 2003, were to improve pedestrian safety and mobility, improve transit speed and reliability, and upgrade the street character. The project included a reconstructed street, new underground utilities, wider sidewalks, consolidated bus zones, bus-bulbs for passenger loading, a new streetlight and traffic signal system, pedestrian lighting, street trees and other art and urban design elements.

The Seattle Department of Transportation led the design and construction, and Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities and King County Metro Transit were project partners.

Southwest Washington AIA turns 50

The Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has begun a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The events kick off with a gala celebration and dinner at the Tacoma Sheraton Ballroom on April 21. The gala will include an address by National AIA President Eugene Hopkins.

One event will feature an exhibit recognizing AIA Southwest Washington Chapter firms and their contributions to the profession and their communities. The series of graphic displays will showcase buildings, events and individuals which have shaped the local built environment. The displays are designed to serve as an archive of the chapter as well as an ongoing community resource.

Gala reservations are requested by today, through the AIA Southwest Washington office at (253) 627-4006, or by e-mail to aia@aiasww.org. Tickets are $50.

Idaho, Utah towns hire LMN

The towns of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and West Jordan, Utah, have selected Seattle-based LMN Architects for urban design and master planning.

LMN Architects will assist the city of Coeur d'Alene to prepare infill development codes and design guidelines for midtown and downtown areas of its 729-acre Lake District. Architects will do an economic analysis and make recommendations for code changes.

West Jordan, located 15 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, contracted LMN for a 75-acre master plan. The area slated for redevelopment is next to a light rail station. It will include a town center on 200 acres of privately owned land. Master planning is set to be completed within nine months.

LMN will begin both assignments immediately.

'Dr. Joint' presents SEAW timber seminar

An evening seminar on wood design hosted by the Structural Engineers Association of Washington will be held April 21 at Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, 17620 Pacific Highway S. A dinner and program with timber engineer Ben Brungraber will follow. Cost is $45.

Brungraber is known as "Dr. Joint" for his research and testing of joinery methods. He specializes in heavy timber structures and supervises Benson Woodworking Co.'s timber frame design and construction.

Brungraber taught engineering at Stanford University, the University of Connecticut and Bucknell University before joining Benson.

To make reservations, contact seaw@seaw.org by Thursday or call (206) 682-6026.

Graphic design conference in Victoria

Connections, the national conference of Graphic Designers of Canada, takes place from April 30 to May 2 in Victoria, B.C.

It will feature speakers from San Francisco's Pentagram, AdamsMorioka from Los Angeles, Portland's Johnson and Wolverton, and the Canadian retail advertising agency Suburbia.

For more information, contact Carol Hyland, GDC Vancouver Island vice-president, at chyland@telus.net or visit www.gdc.net/connections.

SR26 becomes 133-mile-long museum

Washington State University students will station themselves along stretches of state Route 26 on Friday for the performance art project "Signing SR 26."

WSU students who travel the state highway between Vantage and Colfax have made it the topic of "The SR 26 Project: Imagining a 133-mile-long museum in Eastern Washington." The student exhibit runs through May 2 at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane at 2316 W. First Ave.

Paul Hirzel, a professor at WSU's school of architecture and construction management, said the exhibition aims to show that the apparent bleakness of the highway is in fact one of its assets. He said views from the highway show geological and historical features, along with diverse biological and agricultural zones.

For more information, visit www.northwestmuseum.org.

Design Detailings: Providence wins EPA energy award

Providence Health System received the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Partner of the Year award.

The award recognizes large organizations' long-term commitment to managing energy resources. Past winners have been General Motors, Raytheon, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and Westinghouse.

The Providence utilities management effort spans eight years, with facilities from Anchorage to the San Fernando Valley putting into practice more than 100 energy-saving projects. Providence says it has saved $5 million in energy costs.

Design Trends today and tomorrow

The Seattle interior design show, Design Trends, takes place today and tomorrow at Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Alfred Petterson will speak on marketing strategies from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. today.

Tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. until noon Doug Land will speak on project management. He will talk about trouble-shooting and give tips on how to get distressed projects on track. Also tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. until noon, Larry Lee of Argus Pacific will moderate a panel discussion on insurance practices and premiums. To register, visit www.designtrendsseattle.com. For more information call (877) 739-2112 Ext. 228.

SAME seminar April 20 on weapons

Society of American Military Engineers will hold a seminar April 20 at the Seattle District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Galaxy Room, 4735 E. Marginal Way S., from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Christy Ray-Hagenau of Integrated Science Solutions will speak about weapons of mass destruction incidents, with a focus on vulnerability and readiness assessments, response actions and drills. Cost is $5. For more information, contact Andy Hough at (206) 726-3772 or andy.hough@skanskausa.com.

SMPS seeks scholarship nominations

The outreach committee of Seattle's Society for Marketing Professional Services is taking applications for a $1,000 undergraduate scholarship award. Students planning to attend a community college, private college or four-year university this fall are encouraged to apply by May 5.

SMPS-Seattle set up the scholarship for students pursuing careers in marketing or project management in architecture, engineering or construction.

SMPS has a national membership of 5,300 marketing and business development professionals from architectural, engineering, planning, interior design, construction and consulting firms in the U.S. and Canada. For information or to request an application form, contact Nikki Kloeppel at (206) 459-1131 or visit www.smpsseattle.org.

Design Detailings: Hacker recognized by AIA

The American Institute of Architects named Portland architect Thomas Hacker to the institute's college of fellows. Hacker, founding principal of Thomas Hacker Architects, was recognized for his efforts to promote the aesthetic, scientific and practical efficiency of the profession.

THA works on civic institutions including libraries, schools, museums and theaters.

Current and recent projects include the New Theatre for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore.; the U.S. Port of Entry at Blaine; the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Mont.; and The High Desert Museum in Bend, Ore.

Suyama Space April exhibits

Contemporary gallery Suyama Space, located at 2324 Second Ave. in Seattle, presents an exhibition by Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo of Seattle's Lead Pencil Studio.

"Linear Plenum" emphasizes the gallery's space and light, along with negative spaces. It runs until April 30.

Funding was provided by SuyamaPetersonDeguchi Architects. It was organized by curator Beth Sellars for Suyama Space in partnership with Space.City. Gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m and admission is free.

Lead Pencil Studio is a two-person architecture firm based in Seattle.

Art Anderson updates Alaska plan

Art Anderson Associates is working on water transportation studies in Southeast Alaska, Vancouver, B.C., and Marina Del Ray, Calif., looking at ways to improve access and provide alternative modes.

In Juneau, Anderson is working with Walsh Planning and Development of Juneau to prepare the marine part of the updated Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan. Updates will be based on environmental impact studies, population and economic trends, changes in vessel technology and the state's transportation objectives.

For the Vancouver passenger ferry study, Anderson is working with Transportation Management & Design of San Diego to look at expanding ferry service to downtown Vancouver. The two firms also are working together on a water shuttle service for Marina Del Ray.

The firm's chief naval architect is Andrew K. Bennett. Art Anderson Associates has offices in Seattle and Bremerton.

GreenWorld forum at Seattle Center

Suzuki

Design industry experts, elected officials and environmental groups will gather in Seattle for the annual "GreenWorld - What Makes It Green?" forum on sustainable design at the Seattle Center on Thursday. A green project tour takes place Friday.

The event will focus on sustainability, regionalism and design. It is a collaboration between the International Interior Design Association Washington State chapter and the American Institute of Architects Seattle Committee on the Environment.

The forum will feature presentations by green industry experts and exhibits of products.

Keynote speaker Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. His CBC television series, "The Nature of Things with David Suzuki" is broadcast in more than 30 countries.

Suzuki will speak on "The Challenge of the Third Millennium: Setting the Real Bottom Line."

Denis Hayes, a coordinator of the International Earth Day Network, will speak on "Building in the Solar Envelope: How to Design Buildings and Combat Global Warming."

For an agenda and registration information, visit www.aiaseattle.org/gw-wmig2004/index.htm or call (206) 448-4938.

Design Detailings: Christopherson is Engineer of the Year

The 2004 Engineer of the Year is Alan B. Christopherson, nominated by the Alaska Society of Professional Engineers. He was recognized at the Engineers Week Awards Banquet in the Anchorage Museum, which concluded National Engineers Week.

Christopherson has worked in Alaska and Russia, and is senior vice president of Anchorage-based PND Inc. Consulting Engineers. He has 28 years' experience on marine, port and land structures of steel, concrete and timber.

Glenn Murcutt speaks at UW

University of Washington's College of Architecture and Urban Planning will host a lecture by Glenn Murcutt, an architect based in Australia who was a Pritzker Prize laureate winner in 2002. The lecture will be held April 12 at 7 p.m. in Kane Hall, University of Washington. Tickets are $12 and available at Peter Miller Books, cash or check only. Peter Miller Books is located at 1930 First Ave. For tickets call (206) 441-4114.

Bel Air at Edmonds completed

Photo courtesy of Weber + Thompson The Bel Air at Edmonds features 18 units and a Pilates studio.

The mixed-use apartment complex Bel Air at Edmonds has just been completed. Designed by Weber + Thompson, the Bel Air has 4,500-square-feet of street-level space. It also has 18 units ranging from 900 square feet to 1,300 square feet, and one level of sub-grade parking. The developer and general contractor was Edmonds 2000, and insurance and bonding was provided by Lovsted-Worthington.

The commercial part of the complex is leased to specialty tenants. Businesses include a Pilates studio, a skin therapy salon and SpeeWest Construction.

Landmarks commission needs members

Pierce County Landmarks Commission seeks four new members. The nine-member commission represents Pierce County and makes recommendations on historic preservation. Anyone living in Pierce County who is a practicing professional in history, architecture or archaeology, or who has knowledge and interest in community history is encouraged to apply. Monthly meetings are held in the Pierce County Public Services Building.

Terms for the unpaid positions are three years. Application deadline is April 23. For more information, contact Airyang Julia Park, historic preservation program coordinator at (253) 798-2783 or Department of Planning and Land Services, 2401 S. 35th St.

Italian design group hosts event

Seattle-based Northwest Institute for Architecture & Urban Studies in Italy will offer new fellowship and residency programs. Fellows and residents from 2003 and 2004 will host a small auction, talk about new programs and unveil an installation by Iole Alessandrini and Ed Mannery on April 2. The event will be held at Current, 629 Western Ave. in Seattle and starts at 6 p.m.

For more than 20 years, NIAUSI has provided Northwest design professionals with the opportunity to study and pursue research in Italy. For more information, visit www.northwestinstitute.com.

Design Detailings: Coffman working in Dubai

Coffman Engineers will work on the structural, mechanical and electrical engineering design for a building and renovation project for the American Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Much of the production and design work will take place in Spokane and Seattle, though the project manager will be based in Los Angeles.

Coffman will work with the Chicago office of Perkins & Will on a 180,000-square-foot medical office building and the remodeling of a 20,000-square-foot clinic.

The company has proposed other work in the Middle East and is also working on a project for Kaiser Aluminum in Jamaica.

Coffman offers structural, mechanical, electrical, and construction management services, with offices in Seattle, Spokane, Los Angeles and Anchorage.

Applebee's for Lakewood Towne Center

Construction is underway in Lakewood on a 5,000-square-foot Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar. It will be located between new retail buildings along Gravelly Lake Drive. Commercial real estate developer MBK Northwest is converting Lakewood Mall into Lakewood Towne Center.

Apple Washington is the building owner and the design team is lead by Freiheit and Ho Architects. The general contractor is Concepts Solutions.

Other design consultants include Advanced Structural Concepts, structural; AER Engineers, mechanical, electrical and plumbing; and Design 2426, landscape. Ground breaking was in February and opening is set for May.

Central library tours start soon

The Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Architectural Foundation are partnering to provide architectural tours of the Central Library. Guides will offer tours of the glass and steel building, which was designed by OMA/LMN Architects.

Tours will begin soon after the library opens on May 23. Anyone interested in participating in the program should contact Seattle Architectural Foundation at info@seattlearchtectural.org or (206) 667-9184 before April 2.

Design Detailings: The art of napkin sketching

Artist James R. Williamson will give a talk on "Napkin Sketching," the creative process of illustrating ideas quickly and clearly.

The talk is sponsored by the Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects and takes place at Allen Elliott's Barn, 12636 Chillberg Road, LaConner, on March 11, 6 p.m. Free to members, $10 non-members. Contact (360) 671-9555 or director@nwaia.org to reserve space.

Allied Arts meeting Friday

The Allied Arts Beer and Culture Discussion Friday night will focus on how well city plans can work as urban areas continue to develop. Architects and planners will be guests at the 7 p.m. open meeting at 80 Vine St.

Guests will include David Spiker, architect and chair of the Seattle Design Commission; Diane Sugimura, director, Department of Planning and Development; and Marty Curry, executive director, Seattle Planning Commission. Donations are suggested. Contact (206) 624-0432 or aarts@speakeasy.net.

Lighting talk by David DiLaura

David DiLaura, a professor in the College of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, will make a presentation on lighting March 18 at 6 p.m. at the World Trade Center executive dining room at 2200 Alaskan Way, fourth floor.

The Puget Sound Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society is hosting the event. Cost is $40 for society members, $45 for non-members. Reserve a spot by March 15 to Andrew Pultorak of Seattle Lighting at andrew@seattlelighting.com.

Mahlum designs green med center

Photo courtesy of Mahlum Architects

The $41.7 million Providence Newberg Medical Center in Newberg, Ore., is to be built to U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design sustainable building guidelines. The 186,000-square-foot complex will have a 39-bed hospital, medical office building and conference center.

Mechanical systems using 100 percent outside air will meet both LEED guidelines and hospital requirements for infection control.

Construction is set to begin this summer, with completion targeted for December 2005. Skanska Building USA is the general contractor. WGS Interiors of Portland and Mahlum is consulting on interior design.

Renovation begins on lighting lab

Renovation is underway at the 9,000-square-foot Seattle Lighting Design Lab at 400 E. Pine St. The 1917 building needed structural refitting.

The lab promotes quality design and energy-efficient technologies, so it's being renovated according to sustainable building methods. Architects are Mithun Architects+Designers+Planners and the contractor is Bellevue-based Rafn. Costs have not been determined.

Galloping Gertie Web site

The Washington State Department of Transportation recently launched a Web site on crossings of the Narrows and the history of Galloping Gertie, the Tacoma Narrows bridge that collapsed in 1940. Visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBhistory.

DKA relocates in Belltown

DKA recently moved its Seattle architectural offices to Belltown. DKA designed its 7,200-square-foot space within a 1920 brick and timber structure at 106 Lenora St. DKA's former address was 2107 Elliott Ave. The phone is (206) 443-9939, and Web site is www.dkarch.com.

Parametrix among Best Companies

Parametrix ranked second in the large companies category on a survey of Oregon's 100 best companies to work for. Oregon Business Magazine ranked companies according to employee recruitment, work environment, career development and employee benefits.

Parametrix is a planning, environmental sciences and architecture company with 500 employees in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico.

Design Detailings: Kundig named AIA Fellow

Tom Kundig

Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects was given the title of American Institute of Architects Fellow this week. His firm earlier this year won two 2004 AIA Honor Awards, for Chicken Point Cabin in Hayden Lake, Idaho, and The Brain, a glass and concrete box in Seattle that serves as a filmmaker's laboratory.

Kundig's projects range from residences to large-scale work, such as the 200,000-square-foot campus for the Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in British Columbia and the recently completed Seattle Art Museum Rental Gallery. Current work includes a new facility for the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, which is entering schematic design, a retreat center and a number of residences in the U.S. and in Canada.

NW firms vie for Vietnam project

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund announced Tuesday that two Northwest design firms have been shortlisted for the Education Center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Portland's Allied Works Architecture and Seattle landscape architecture firm Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd. are among nine teams that include Michael Graves & Associates, Polshek Partnership Architects and Ann Beha Architects. Thirty-nine teams submitted entries for the $25 million project.

On Thursday, representatives from the teams will visit the Vietnam Memorial, and on March 26 each team will participate in a one-hour team interview conducted by a jury of community leaders and design experts. On that day, the jury will select teams to participate in the competition's final phase this summer.

The Education Center will feature photographs of those who were killed or remain missing, some of the more than 60,000 items that have been left at the Vietnam Memorial wall and other displays that will be developed over the next year.

NW Design Expo March 18-19

Seattle Design Center hosts the annual Northwest Design Expo on March 18 and 19. This year's theme explores how high fashion influences interior design.

The expo will provide opportunities for design professionals to view new colors, textures and products. Presentations from designers, showroom demonstrations and seminars are also on the program. Presenters include New York designers Greg Jordan and Jeffrey Billhuber. The event is free for design professionals, but registration is required. For information, visit seattledesigncenter.com or call (800) 497-7997.

Naval architect leads studies

Art Anderson Associates' chief naval architect Andrew K. Bennett is a team leader providing water transportation expertise on studies being conducted in Southeast Alaska, Vancouver and Marina Del Rey. These studies look at alternate modes of transportation and ways to improve residents' access to work, services and recreational activities.

Art Anderson is working with the prime contractor, Walsh Planning and Development, to prepare the marine portion of the updated Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan.

For the Vancouver Harbour Passenger Ferry Study, Art Anderson is teamed with Transportation Management & Design of San Diego, to determine the feasibility of expanded passenger ferry service from communities west, north, and east of Vancouver. Art Anderson Associates teamed with Transportation Management & Design for the Marina CoastLink Evaluation in Marina Del Rey.

Forum on Columbia City landmarks

The Seattle City Council and the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board designated the Columbia City Historic District 25 years ago. But a revised landmark nomination may help property owners qualify for Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits and federal incentives, which encourage preservation and re-use of historic buildings.

A public presentation on the issue will be held at 3 p.m. March 12, at the Sound Transit Community Link Office, 4900 Rainier Ave. S, Suite 102. For more information, contact Holly Taylor at holly@pastforwardnw.com or (206) 463-3168.

St. Martin's awards MCE scholarships

St. Martin's College Engineering Advisory Committee awarded MCE scholarships to master's program students Royanna Solis-Garcia and Ryan Cuoio.

Solis-Garcia earned a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Texas A & M University. Cuoio earned a B.S. in manufacturing engineering from Western Washington University.

Chambers Creek plan wins award

The American Planning Association awarded Pierce County's Chambers Creek Properties master site plan a 2004 Current Topic Award for Parks and Public Land. The county plans to turn a working gravel mine with a wastewater treatment plant and urban canyon into a public recreation area. It calls for native plant restoration and sustainable development practices,

Chambers Creek Properties is a 935-acre site with a 150-year history of logging and mining. Planned development includes 10 miles of trails, beach access, two public piers, a boat launch, ball fields, a golf course, arboretum, production nursery and open space.

The golf course and nursery are in development phases, and additional trails will be added in the next two years.

Two Portland firms merge

The Portland architecture firms Clark/Kjos Architects and Mills, John & Rigdon recently merged. The firms had been running their practices in the same building and serving the health care design and consulting market.

Clark/Kjos Architects is a 19-year-old architecture, interior design and planning firm that serves health care clients throughout the Northwest.

This year is Mills, John & Rigdon's 81st anniversary. In the 1950s the firm focused on churches and schools, but in the 1980s made a shift to health care.

Plans call for growing into a 40- to 50-person firm over the next five years. The address is 333 N.W. Fifth Ave., Portland 97209, and phone is (503) 224-4848.

Sparling opens office for Portland market

Seattle-based Sparling, an electrical engineering and technology consulting firm, has opened an office in downtown Portland. The new office, located in the 3400 U.S. Bancorp Tower, was established to help Sparling continue serving local clients and to generate new business in Oregon.

Sparling vice president and COO Eric Overton said Kimberly Krull, a Sparling Associate, has been appointed general manager at the Portland office. Joining Krull in Portland is senior project manager Mark Engdall and Michael White, who will serve as Sparling's senior project engineer. This team will help Sparling in Portland in the areas of health care, higher education, biotech/research and arts and culture.

Sparling's most recent local projects include: Sacred Heart Medical Center's Riverbend Campus in Springfield, the largest health care facility in Oregon; Edith Green/Wendall Wyatt Federal Building, a $35 million modernization project in Portland; and Clackamas Community College's new arts building.

Design Detailings: UW 'box' presents eyes on the world

University of Washington graduate student Paula Patterson designed a 10-by-16-foot box, on display in front of Gould Hall on the UW campus. Constructed of wood-framed panels and plywood, the box has one wall that is an array of 48 camera obscuras -- fashioned to project images through a pinhole. The cameras are cast from plaster and suspended on a steel armature. One large window has a two-by-two-foot lens that projects the contents of a room onto a white curtain. "The inversion of inside and outside blurs the boundary of this room as well as the distinction between the object and the idea," said Patterson. The box will be at the site through Sunday.

Rice Fergus leads Cedar Sinai planning

Bremerton's Rice Fergus Miller Architecture and Planning, with BOORA Architects of Portland, are assisting Cedar Sinai Park with programming and master planning services. Cedar Sinai Park is a not-for-profit provider of independent-living, assisted-living, skilled nursing and dementia care for the frail and infirmed.

The Portland project consists of developing a master plan to provide a continuum of senior care on a 27-acre campus. In addition to replacing the current 124-bed nursing home, the effort will address the need for affordable and market-rate senior, and special needs housing on the campus.

Architecture head for UO

Christine Theodoropoulos has been appointed head of University of Oregon's Department of Architecture in Eugene. She has been a faculty member since 1997, and prior to that was on the architecture faculty at California State Polytechnic University, Ponoma. Her recent projects include a chapter on building codes for the book, "Designing for Earthquakes."

Kiewit Center expands at OSU

Oregon State University's Kiewit Center for Infrastructure and Transportation, led by interim director Jim Lundy, is well known for its 730,000-gallon tank capable of simulating the earthquake-triggered tidal waves.

But the center is building a name in the research world beyond earthquake engineering. The center also studies natural disaster mitigation, transportation systems and infrastructure. One area of focus will be transportation access for the disabled. In addition to its tsunami tank, the center has 26-foot-long concrete bridge girders to study the effects of truck traffic.

The center recently received a $5 million grant from the Department of Education to establish the National Center for Accessible Transportation -- to create safe travel for the disabled.

Kiewit Center will also research marine transportation systems through its proposed Center for Port Operations, Risk and Technology. CPORT will serve ports around the U.S., and will be the only one of its kind in the country.

Pierce County position open

The Pierce County Planning Commission is accepting applications for one of the seven positions. Members make recommendations to the council on planning-related matters.

The open position represents District 2, and applicants must reside within that district. Applications are available at the Executive's Office at 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737, or from the Department of Planning and Land Services, 2401 S. 35th St.

Applications should be returned to the Pierce County Executive's Office, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737, Tacoma, WA 98402, by March 5. The position's term is four years. For information contact Toni Fairbanks, clerk of the Planning Commission, at (253) 798-7156.

Design Detailings: GreenWorld April 1 and 2

The second annual "GreenWorld -- What Makes it Green?" will be held at Fisher Pavilion April 1 and 2.

Experts in the field of sustainable design will speak at the event, focusing on environmental sustainability. Presented by the International Interior Design Association Washington State Chapter and the American Institute of Architects, the event will offer a glimpse into new technologies, practices and products, and a look at recent sustainable design projects in the region.

David Suzuki, an award-winning Canadian scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster, will speak. Earth Day founder and president of the Bullitt Foundation, Denis Hayes, is the featured luncheon speaker.

For registration and additional information, visit www.aiaseattle.org or www.iida.wa.org or call (206) 448-4938.

Feb. 24 talk on steel studs

From noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 24, AIA Seattle/NWBEC hosts an informal lunch with Stephane Hoffman from Morrison Hershfield. She will discuss steel stud construction and address some of the problems these systems have when exposed to uncontrolled water entry.

The discussion will focus on the wall assemblies used on high-rise and other non-combustible buildings. The types of assemblies proving to be at-most risk are metal-stud-framed wall assemblies with gypsum sheathing. Major repairs have been required on numerous buildings in the region with steel-stud-framed walls under a variety of claddings.

The discussion will be at AIA Seattle, 1911 First Ave. Cost is $20 for members, $40 for non-members. For information, call (206) 448-4938.

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.