Design Detailings: Medical design forum this week

The Architecture for Health Panel of Washington & Oregon and AIA Seattle Continuing Education offer "Medical Design Forum" Thursday and Friday.

The forum, running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, analyzes emerging trends affecting health care design. It will be held at R.E.I., 222 Yale Ave. N.

Health care changes constantly in technology, practice methods and funding — all of which affect design. The forum explores issues that impact design and construction of all types of health care facilities.

Keynote speaker is Jim Lussier, president-emeritus of Cascade Healthcare Community, which operates St.Charles Medical Center in Bend, Ore.

For more information, call AIA Seattle (206) 448-4938.

GeoEngineers buys firm in Missouri

GeoEngineers has opened an office in Springfield, Mo., by acquiring Advantage Professional Services. Advantage specializes in horizontal directional drilling technology.

Redmond-based GeoEngineers does nearshore and terrestrial pipeline crossing projects.

Two at HBB earn LEED

Two project engineers at HBB Mechanical Engineers recently earned LEED accreditation. Terry Gatlin is working on a renovation at Seattle Central Community College and Richard Watson is doing commissioning work for Yakima County.

HBB is in Seattle and provides mechanical engineering for architects, school districts, colleges, universities and local governments.

Spokane marketers talk about branding

Marketing Associates of Spokane will hold a half-day workshop on branding April 14 in Spokane at Red Lion River Inn, 700 N. Division St.

Speakers Ann Bradford of Girvin|Strategic Branding & Design and Debbie DeGabrielle of DeGabrielle Consulting will cover positioning and ways to build a brand and raise awareness.

Bradford works with clients like Procter & Gamble and Microsoft on branding strategy and DeGabrielle was a marketing principal at NBBJ.

Cost is $60 for members, or $80 for nonmembers.

To reserve, call MAS Vice President Jamie Miller at (509) 927-7747 or see www.maspokane.org.

Architecture film, slide show offered

The Northwest Film Forum will show a film Saturday on architecture and a slide show by Dutch architect Matthijs Bouw on Sunday. The University of Washington's Department of Architecture is co-sponsoring the events.

Seattle architect Jerry Garcia of Universal Non-Linear Design will introduce the work of deconstructionist Gordon Matta-Clark before showing "City Slivers and Fresh Kills: The Films of Gordon Matta-Clark," which will begin at 7 p.m. Matta-Clark produced the films in connection with his architectural projects in the 1970s. Cost is $15.

On Sunday, Bouw will give a lecture and slide show at 5 p.m. followed by a dance party. Bouw co-founded One Architecture and collaborated with Rem Koolhaas on a recent Les Halles proposal. He will show slides of the strip-malled tulip farms of the Skagit Valley and the industrial sprawl of Sea-Tac. Cost is $4.

The Northwest Film Forum is at 1515 12th Ave., between Pike and Pine streets. Call (206) 267-5380 or see www.nwfilmforum.org.

Candela principals speak at NYC fair

Candela principals Denise Fong and Mary Claire Frazier will speak at Lightfair International, a conference on architectural and commercial lighting in New York City on April 10-14. The conference is expected to draw 20,000.

Fong will be on a panel to discuss how lighting professionals and manufacturers currently communicate, and ways this could be improved. Frazier will present lighting case studies and tools for museums. Seattle-based Candela offers architectural lighting services.

Design Detailings: Architects talk about libraries

On Thursday, April 7, a design panel will meet at Seattle Central Library to talk about civic libraries. Moderators are Bill LaPatra of Mithun and Richard Yancey of Weinstein A|U.

Panelists will be University of Washington Professor of Architectural History Meredith L. Clausen, Thomas Hacker of Portland's Thomas Hacker Architects, Seattle Public Library Coty Librarian Deborah L. Jacobs, King County library system director Bill Ptacek and Seattle Design Commission Chair David Spiker.

The talk starts at 5 p.m.

GreenWorld event April 7

The Northern Pacific chapter of the International Interior Design Association is organizing a sustainable design event for April 7. GreenWorld will be held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. The keynote lecture is "The Great Ocean Adventure" presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of Jacques Cousteau.

Tickets are $55, $40 for IIDA members. For information, call Justine Kish at (425) 260-0418.

Military projects to be recognized

On Friday at the Harbor Club in downtown Seattle, Captain Robert Parker will name the winners of a competition recognizing work A/E and construction firms have done for the Army, Navy, Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard and the Air Force.

Thirteen entries were submitted. Categories were expanded this year to recognize different sized firms and acknowledge design/build collaborations, a major trend in military construction projects.

The featured speaker is Rear Admiral Leendert "Len" R. Hering, Sr., of the Navy's Northwest group. To register, contact Bob Galteland at bgalteland@reidmidd.com. Details are posted at http://posts.same.org/seattle/announce.cfm.

ZGF to design science center

Portland's Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership was recently selected as design architect for the University of Cincinnati's 200,000-square-foot Social and Behavioral Sciences Center.

Cincinnati architectural firm Baxter, Hodell, Donnelly, Preston is the executive architect for the project. The building will have learning rooms, research space and offices.

ASCE names award finalists

Finalists in an American Society of Civil Engineers competition to recognize projects around the world are: the AirTrain JFK Light Rail System in New York; the Mubarak Pumping Station in Toshka, Egpyt; the Olivenhain Dam and Reservoir in San Diego; the Time Warner Center in New York; and Greece's Rion-Antirion Bridge, which is being called the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Finalists were picked from 22 entries. A winning project will be named April 13.

Workshop on cost control

Vashon Island-based Contract Solutions Group will offer a workshop April 1 at the Red Lion in Seattle on "Improving Owner Cost Control and Claim Recovery for A/E Services."

It will cover contract negotiations, ways to improve firm selection and strategies to recover cost overruns for deficient services. There will be presenters from Penhallegon Associates Consulting Engineers and Sampley Consulting. To register, call Jeri Jennings of Contract Solutions Group at (206) 463-7487 or see http://www.contractsolutionsgroup.com.

Design Detailings: ACEC recognizes Sparling projects

Sparling worked on technology systems in the 1.2-million-square- foot Children’s Hospital in Denver. The hospital is designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership of Portland and H&L Architects of Denver.

Two Sparling projects are finalists in a competition sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies.

For the Seattle Central Library, Sparling designed a hands-free wireless badge system for staff to communicate. In Denver, the company researched technology systems that would increase efficiencies in a 1.2 million-square-foot Children's Hospital set to open in 2007.

There were 175 entries from around the country in the ACEC competition. Winners will be named next month at the national convention.

CoCA show on art collaboration

A show called "Help Wanted: Collaborations in Art" runs through April 23 at the Center on Contemporary Art, 410 Dexter Ave. N. in Seattle.

Tonight at 7:30 there will be a multimedia presentation by artist Trimpin.

The show is organized by Gabe Kean, publisher of online magazine Born, and Jacob McMurray, senior curator at EMP.

Eleven installations are the collaborations of people in fields such as poetry, comics, architecture, video and programming.

For more information, see http://www.cocaseattle.org.

clater Partners moves to Olive Way

Sclater Partners Architects, an architectural design and planning firm in Seattle, moved to new offices at the Times Square Building at 414 Olive Way, Suite 300. It has also launched a new Web site, http://www.sclaterpartners.com. Phone is (206) 624-8682, fax is (206) 621-8445. The company was located at 2230 Eighth Ave.

Green building tips out on DVD

"Building with Awareness," a how-to documentary on design and construction of a green home, was recently released on DVD.

The DVD covers how to construct a mud plaster wall and maximize solar gain, for example. It features a New Mexico home with straw bale walls for insulation and adobe walls for thermal mass.

The documentary was directed by Ted Owens, who is an expert on energy- and resource-efficient building design who lives in a straw bale home.

The DVD is a product of Owens' Corrales, N.M.-based company Syncronos Design, and is for sale through http://www.buildingwithawareness.com and Amazon.com.

Peter Rasmussen wins AIA award

Rasmussen

Rasmussen was Tacoma's deputy mayor and chaired the Tacoma Planning Commission. The American Institute of Architecture southwest Washington chapter has members in Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason and Grays Harbor counties.

How not to plan urban projects

Meredith Clausen, a professor of architectural history at the University of Washington, gives a free presentation about her newest book in Seattle on Wednesday, March 30.

The talk will be held at Rainier Square Conference Center, 1333 Fifth Ave. at 5:30 p.m. The book, which covers the Pan Am Building in Manhattan, is a case study in how not to plan a large-scale urban project.

Seattle Architecture Foundation is the sponsor. For more information, call (206) 667-9184.

Design Detailings: Tour the Seminar II complex in Olympia

The public is invited to tour the $41 million Seminar II complex at Evergreen State College in Olympia today.

Mahlum Architects of Seattle will lead the tour of the building, which is being submitted for LEED gold certification.

The tour starts at 5:30 p.m. at Red Square on campus. Reservations for a buffet dinner afterwards are required, cost is $25 for AIA and Construction Specifications Institute members, or $35. Call Janet Matkin at (253) 627-4006 for reservations.

Earth Solutions NW opens in Redmond

Bob Levinson, former president of Earth Consultants, recently formed a geotechnical engineering firm called Earth Solutions NW. Levinson is a principal in the new firm.

Earth Solutions NW specializes in value engineering, geotechnical engineering and risk analyses. The office is at 2603 151st Place N.E., Redmond, 98052. The phone number is (425) 284-3300.

Deborah Jacobs to speak at Town Hall

City Librarian Deborah Jacobs will be interviewed March 21 at Town Hall by reporter and urban planning specialist Bill Dietrich of The Seattle Times.

The talk will cover architecture and usage of the Central Library, as well as trends in information science and urban neighborhoods.

Tickets are $5, at the door only. Town Hall is located at 1119 Eighth Ave. in Seattle.

Design Detailings: ZGF to design science center

Portland's Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership was recently selected as design architect for the University of Cincinnati's 200,000-square-foot Social and Behavioral Sciences Center. Cincinnati architectural firm Baxter, Hodell, Donnelly, Preston is the executive architect for the project. The building will have classrooms, research space and offices.

AIA Seattle offers home show, exhibit

AIA Seattle will hold a day-long forum Thursday on trends in residential design at the Environmental Home Center. Cost is $120 for members, or $200 for nonmembers.

AIA Seattle's Historic Resources Committee is calling for entries to display in a May exhibition called "New Kid on the Old Block," which will showcase historic buildings, neighborhoods and examples of sustainable design. Deadline is March 24 to register, materials are due April 14.

Jean Caroon, principal of Boston firm Goody Clancy, will be the keynote speaker at a related panel discussion, which will be held at AIA Seattle May 5.

For more information, call AIA Seattle at (206) 448-4938 or see www.aiaseattle.org.

AIA recognizes young architects

The American Institute of Architects recently named five recipients of the AIA Young Architects Award. AIA considers young architects to be professionals licensed 10 years or fewer regardless of age, and the award recognizes those making significant contributions to the profession early in their careers.

AIA recognized F. Michael Ayles of Stratford, Conn., Jeffrey DeGregorio of Boston, Miguel Rivera of Austin, Texas, Rick Harlan Schneider of Washington, D.C., and Eric Strain of Las Vegas.

Abdelmessih wins engineer award

The Puget Sound Engineering Council named St. Martin's College mechanical engineering professor Amanie Abdelmessih Academic Engineer of the Year. St. Martin's is in Lacey.

The council gives the award to an engineer in academia who works on advancing engineering and improving engineering education.

Abdelmessih has twice spent summers researching at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. She has done research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and at flight research centers. Abdelmessih earned her bachelor's degree at Egypt's Alexandria University and her doctorate at Oklahoma State University.

Design-Build classes start March 18

The Design-Build Institute of America's Northwest chapter will hold an educational program on project delivery on March 18. Related programs will follow in June and September. Those who complete the programs will receive the institute's Design-Build professional designation. For more information, contact the chapter at (206) 491-1148 or through its Web site, www.dbianwc.org.

Two at HBB earn LEEDs

Two project engineers at HBB Mechanical Engineers recently earned LEED accreditation. Terry Gatlin is working on a renovation at Seattle Central Community College and Richard Watson is doing commissioning work for Yakima County. HBB is in Seattle and provides mechanical engineering for architects, school districts, colleges, universities and local governments.

Design Detailings: Two transpo firms merge

Mirai Associates of Kirkland has merged with Transportation Planning and Engineering of Bellevue. Mirai's new services will include traffic design and traffic impact analysis. Transportation Planning and Engineering specializes in street network planning, traffic signal systems, and pedestrian and bicycle planning studies. Mirai now has 17 staff and offices in Kirkland's Totem Lake area.

Arcade launch party tomorrow

Arcade, a journal for the Northwest design community, will host a launch party tomorrow at Artemide Showroom, 310 Occidental Ave. S., in Seattle from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Richard C. Yancey is guest editor for the launch issue. For more information e-mail info@arcadejournal.com or see www.arcadejournal.com.

Dane to talk here on sustainability

Svend Auken, a member of the Danish Parliament and former Danish Minister for Energy & Environment will give a talk on March 18 at University of Washington's Meany Hall from 7 to 9 p.m.

His speech, "Take Charge with Sustainable Energy," will look at ways Seattle can become a pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented and sustainably designed city.

Denmark was once dependent on foreign oil, but for economic and environmental reasons committed itself to sustainable energy 30 years ago. Today, renewable energy technology is the country's top export.

Auken helped write the policies to create this industry and was the country's cabinet minister for Energy and the Environment for nine years. The event is being presented by International Sustainable Solutions and the city of Seattle, and sponsored by: CH2M HILL, Gregory Broderick Smith Real Estate, Mithun, NBBJ, Otak, Sparling, Vulcan and the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.

For more information, see www.seattle.gov/dpd/sustainability or contact Lynne Barker, Seattle Department of Planning & Development at (206) 684-0806 or lynne.barker@seattle.gov.

Cost is $7 in advance, or $10. Advance tickets may be purchased at www.i-sustain.com/events/svendAuken.htm.

New engineering classes at CWU

Central Washington University is offering new classes at CWU-Des Moines in its master of science in engineering technology degree program starting March 28.

The classes will cover cost analysis, and industrial and engineering technology, and are targeted to practicing engineers and technologists, as well as teachers and faculty. For more information, see www.cwu.edu/~iet/mse.html, or call (206) 878-3710 ext. 5170.

KPFF opens Everett office

Structural and civil engineering firm KPFF Consulting Engineers has opened an office in Everett at 2709 Wetmore Ave. Heading the Everett office is Joe Zlab, an associate and structural engineer. KPFF was founded in Seattle, and has 15 offices and 650 employees around the country.

SAM lecture by Michiel Riedijk

Space.City will present a lecture by Michiel Riedijk on March 8 at the Seattle Art Museum at 6:30 p.m. Riedijk and partner Willem Jan Neutelings run Neutelings Riedijk Architecten in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The pair are known for their high density design and have written a new book on their work. For more information call (206) 448-9833. Tickets are available in advance for $10 at Peter Miller Books, 1930 First Ave., Seattle. Tickets at the door will cost $15.

Design Detailings: SAF open house set for Thursday

Seattle Architectural Foundation will host an open house on Thursday at the Rainier Square Atrium from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Attendees can find out how they can guide walking tours, design exhibits and raise funds. RSVP to Layla Taylor, program director, at (206) 667-9184 or layla@seattlearchitectural.org. Also see www.seattlearchitectural.org.

Allied Arts to hold talk on Center City

Allied Arts will host a talk on "Center City for Tomorrow" at the Panama Hotel's tea and coffee house on March 4 from 7 to 10 p.m. The Panama Hotel is in the International District at 605 S. Main St.

The talk will focus on density and transit-oriented development in Seattle. Panel discussion members include Tom Rasmussen, Seattle City Council member; Diane Sugimura, director, Department of Planning and Development; and Denny Onslow, president, Harbor Properties.

Suggested donations are $35 per person, or $20 for members. Panama Hotel owner Jan Johnson will lead a free tour of the Japanese Cultural Museum and the Japanese baths at 6 p.m. RSVP to wendyc@alliedarts-seattle.org or (206) 624-0433

Dietz Hartlage gets landscape award

Garden Design magazine recognized Tacoma's Dietz Hartlage Landscape Architecture with an award for design of a tropical residential garden in New Jersey.

Associate principal Richard Hartlage designed the garden, which has a square circulation pattern that links garden areas. A large bluestone terrace is in the center. Hartlage has 15 years of professional experience as a garden designer and horticulturist, including work as director of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle.

CH2M Hill vies for ACEC award

The Bellevue office of CH2M Hill is a finalist in the American Council of Engineering Companies' awards competition. The project is the Cedar Water Treatment Facility in King County. CH2M Hill says it uses an ozone injection and ultraviolet light to treat 70 percent of Seattle's water.

The project is among 175 entries from around the country. The council represents 5,500 independent engineering companies around the country.

Design Detailings: ASID to name winners Feb. 25

American Society of Interior Designers will announce the winners of a regional design competition on Feb. 25 at the downtown Seattle Library.

Entries came from around the Northwest and British Columbia. Categories are residential, commercial, retail and government projects. The society represents 36,000 members and has 500 members in Washington state. For more information call Lue Palmer at (206) 417-2400.

Magnusson finalist for ACEC award

Seattle's Magnusson Klemencic Associates is a finalist in an awards competition sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies.

Magnusson Klemencic's entry is for its work on structural design of the Seattle Central Library. The design accommodates cantilevered platforms, resists wind and earthquake loads, and supports an exterior glass curtain wall with a minimum of columns.

This project is among 175 projects from around the country the council is recognizing. Competition winners will be announced April 11.

The council is a Washington D.C.-based association that represents 5,500 independent engineering companies throughout the country.

SMPS sponsors Client Link 2005

The Oregon chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services brings government and education decision-makers together Feb. 23 for "Client Link 2005." The event will be held at the Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 S.W. Salmon St. in Portland from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Representatives from the cities of Gresham, Lake Oswego and Portland are set to attend, as well as the Department of Land Conservation and Development, General Services Administration, Mt. Hood Community College, Oregon Department of Transportation, Washington State Department of Transportation, Oregon Health Sciences University, the Portland Development Commission, Portland State University and Tri-Met.

Cost is $40 for members, or $55. Register by Feb. 21 at http://www.smpsoregon.org or e-mail Deana Goldson at @compass-engineering.comdeanag. For more information call Marie O'Quinn at (503) 499-0409 or e-mail meo@deainc.com.

The Seattle and Oregon chapters of the Society of Marketing Professional Services also are conducting a salary survey. The survey for A/E/C industry marketing professionals is posted at www.smpsseattle.org.

AIA recognizes young architects

The American Institute of Architects recently named five recipients of the AIA Young Architects Award. AIA considers young architects to be professionals who have been licensed for 10 years or fewer, regardless of age. The award recognizes those making significant contributions to the profession early in their careers.

AIA recognized F. Michael Ayles of Stratford, Conn., Jeffrey DeGregorio of Boston, Miguel Rivera of Austin, Texas, Rick Harlan Schneider of Washington, D.C., and Eric Strain of Las Vegas.

Design Detailings: WSU interior design in top 10

Design Intelligence magazine ranked Washington State University's interior design program as the eighth best in the nation, based on a survey of design professionals.

Greenway Group's Counsel House Research sent surveys to those with experience hiring and evaluating performance of graduates at interior firms and architecture companies with interior design departments.

OSKA to design homes in China

Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects was selected to design eight contemporary residences in Shenshan, a town outside of Shanghai in southern China. The homes will be part of a 79-home Zhongkai Senshan development, in which all houses are being designed by U.S.-based architects. Scott Allen leads the Olson Sundberg's design effort.

The company's Tom Kundig is part of an exhibition that takes place on Feb. 16 at the American Federation of Arts, 41 E. 65th St., in New York. "Restructure: New Forms in Architectural Mesh" shows new ways to apply architectural mesh.

Berger staff gets LEEDs

Three people at the Berger Partnership recently became LEED accredited: principal Jonathan Morley, associate Jud Youell and landscape architect Brice Maryman. The Seattle company does landscape architectural and site planning.

BOLA architect earns his LEED

Intern architect Matt Hamel of BOLA Architecture + Planning has earned LEED accreditation. Hamel is working on restoration projects in Ellensburg for Washington State Parks and studying conditions of the historic Carnegie Library in Snohomish.

I-90 corridor talk Thursday in Spokane

Marketing Associates of Spokane hosts a meeting Thursday at the Red Lion River Inn, 700 N. Division St., in Spokane from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Featured speakers are Mike Gribner and Larry Larson, designers who are leading the Department of Transportation's North Spokane corridor project. They will cover the timeline and design for the limited access highway.

Gribner is designing the corridor and Larson is the principal assistant. Gribner has 22 years of experience in construction and design. Larson focuses on traffic, planning and construction.

Cost is $15 for members, or $25. For more information, call MAS Vice President Jamie Miller at (509) 927-7747 or see www.maspokane.org.

GIS workshop series in Tacoma

UW Tacoma's KeyBank Professional Development Center is offering a workshop series on geographic information systems starting Saturday at its Tacoma campus, at South 19th Street and Pacific Avenue.

The three-month program is targeted to those seeking skills in GIS, a computer-based mapping tool. Cost is $1,295.

GIS software uses data to generate images of geographic features, streets, buildings, water features or terrain. UW recommends the course for those in urban and regional planning, environmental research, resource management, marketing or real estate.

For information, call the center at (253) 692-4618. Also see www.tacoma.washington.edu/pdc.

Seattle Design Center sample sale March 5

The Northwest Society of Interior Designers holds its 18th annual sale March 5 at the Seattle Design Center, 5701 Sixth Ave. S., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Sample Sale offers 70 percent off designer furnishings and accessories. Among the items will be sofas, art, lighting and fabrics.

Cost is $11 per person and proceeds go to the society and its Women In Transition program, which provides furnishings to women and children getting transitioning from domestic violence shelters. See http://www.thesamplesale.com or call (206) 763-8799 for more information.

Designer McCombs to open showroom

Seattle-based interior designer Kelly McCombs will open a showroom March 15 to feature her line of furniture, antiques, flea market finds and European vintage textiles. McCombs changed her focus to interior design after recently closing her retail Pacific Place boutique Les Piafs. The new showroom will be near Safeco Field at 85 S. Atlantic. For appointments call (206) 956-8366. A Web site for Kelly's Timeless Interiors debuts this month.

Design Detailings: SEAW trade show Feb. 16 in Tacoma

The Structural Engineers Association of Washington southwest chapter will host its annual trade show Feb. 16 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.

Attend free by registering before Friday. After Friday the cost is $10. Register by e-mail to seawswchapter@comcast.net or leave a message at (253) 565-0769. For more information, see http://home.comcast.net/~seaw_tradeshow/ .

Coney Island design contest

As part of a effort to revive urban recreation in New York City's waterfront communities, designers are invited to submit proposals for a pavilion in the amusement district of Coney Island. Registration for "The Parachute Pavilion: an Open Design Competition for Coney Island" ends Feb. 25. For more information, see http://www.vanalen.org/competitions/ConeyIsland/index.htm

ROCK: Installation by Roger Feldman

Contemporary gallery Suyama Space will show Roger Feldman's architectural constructivist sculpture through April 22 in an installation called "Rock."

Suyama Space is located at 2324 Second Ave. in Seattle. Admission is free.

WSU interior design program in top 10

Design Intelligence magazine ranked Washington State University's interior design program as the eighth best in the nation, based on a survey of design professionals.

Greenway Group's Counsel House Research sent surveys to those with experience hiring and evaluating performance of graduates at interior firms and architecture companies with interior design departments.

BLRB school wins award

Tacoma-based BLRB Architects received an award for its work on Mount Tahoma High School from the Masonry Institute of Washington. The project won in the category for new masonry construction more than $1 million. Awards recognize Washington's masonry design and construction.

BLRB Architects designs for public and private school clients.

Design Detailings: Mariano, Kim form Schemata

Grace H. Kim, Michael Mariano, Kathy Drabek and David Sachs have formed Schemata Workshop.

Schemata Workshop is a new architectural company based in Seattle. Founding principals Michael Mariano and Grace H. Kim worked together on housing and commercial projects for 12 years.

Mariano worked for the Miller/Hull Partnership. Kim worked at the Chicago firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill and was a principal at Place Architects.

Kim said the firm is called Schemata to reflect its collaborative design philosophy of involving other consultants and contractors in the design process from the earliest stages. "We want to put all that effort in the schematic design phase where it belongs."

Schemata will do commercial, institutional, multifamily and single-family projects. It has a staff of four now. "Someday we might be 12," Kim said, but growth will be "slow and considerate."

David Sachs and Kathy Drabek have also joined Schemata. Sachs was with the Miller/Hull Partnership and New York's Richard Dattner & Partners. Intern architect Drabek is a graduate the University of Arkansas. The firm is located at 159 Western Ave. W., No. 483, Seattle 98119. Their phone is (206) 285-1589, and fax is (206) 285-2701. For more information, go to www.schemataworkshop.com.

AIA seeks exhibits for Home Show

AIA Seattle invites its members to show work and host the AIA Seattle booth at the Seattle Home Show, which will be Feb. 19-27 at Qwest Field Events Center. Members hosting the booth can attend a Feb. 17 workshop on how to generate leads from booth visitors. Exhibitors can speak on how to select and work with an architect at a seminar on the topic set for Feb. 26. For more information, call AIA Seattle Program Director Peter Sackett at (206) 448-4938 or psackett@aiaseattle.org.

SMPS series starts Thursday

The first of a series of monthly sessions hosted by the Seattle chapter of Society for Marketing Professional Services will be Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Otak's Seattle office, 117 S. Main St., Suite 400.

Marcie Lohr of Abacus Engineering Systems will give tips on how to research potential clients. Principals and senior level marketing professionals will also lead future sessions on marketing.

Cost is $25 for members, $40 for nonmembers.

For more information, see http://www.smpsseattle.org or e-mail education chairperson Diane Levy at (425) 822-4446 or diane.levy@otak.com.

AIA Washington leads Capitol tour

AIA Washington Council's "Capitol Connections" tour of the Temple of Justice and the newly renovated State Capitol Building will be Feb. 1. For more information contact the council's executive director Stan L. Bowman at (360) 943-6012 or bowman@aiawa.org.