Design Detailings: Haag shortlisted for $353M park

Richard Haag and Associates of Seattle is one of seven international architecture firms shortlisted in a competition to design the $353 million Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

Twenty-four firms submitted proposals.

Others finalists are firms from Madrid, Barcelona, Mexico City, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles and Mill Valley, Calif.

They will submit conceptual master designs for the Great Park to be displayed for public comments and critiques. The park's board of directors is expected to choose the Great Park master designer in October.

The Great Park will be developed on the site of the decommissioned El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, seven square miles of land in the geographic center of Orange County.

Design groups agree on green

Officials from 16 architectural institutions have agreed to support sustainable building and make reducing climate change a priority at a yearly gathering AIA holds for presidents of architectural associations.

George Ferguson, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, took the lead in drafting the statement called the Las Vegas Declaration. Among their shared concerns was a desire to promote responsible stewardship of resources in the architecture and construction industries.

The declaration states they will make climate change a priority and work with governments to influence legislation and funding to reduce pollution.

Hart Crowser wins for WaMu

The Seattle section of the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Hart Crowser awards for its approach to difficult site conditions on two projects: a stream channel restoration at The Brookside Creek and the Washington Mutual-Seattle Art Museum building.

At Brookside Creek, Hart Crowser designed a fish passage that allows salmonids to swim past an eight-foot-high dam on private property. Crews breached the dam, placed a cedar log weir, and added a 100-foot stream channel with cobbles, gravel, and boulders. The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation also worked on this project.

The 42-story Washington Mutual-Seattle Art Museum tower being built in downtown Seattle required excavation to 90 feet below street grade, one of the deepest excavations ever done in Seattle. The site had limited right of way for tieback installation, and required underpinning of the adjacent Seattle Art Museum.

Design Detailings: Morss Medical wins 2 projects

Two medical facilities recently picked Bainbridge Island firm Morss Medical Architecture to design and update facilities.

The company will design and build a 10,000-square-foot, free-standing building for Bellingham OB/GYN on Squalicum Way. This set to open in the fourth quarter of 2006 and will house five physicians.

Morss will also work on three Kitsap County projects for Bremerton-based Olympic Peninsula Kidney Centers: a new 5,000-square-foot facility planned for Poulsbo, new interiors for a facility in Bremerton, and updates to a Port Orchard facility. They will be designed to bring in as much natural light as possible.

Morss Medical has 30 years of medical architecture experience.

Parametrix planner national APA head

Siegel

Siegel oversees long-range planning and growth management projects for Parametrix as a planning and communications manager. He has been in planning and public works agencies for 28 years.

Models sought for SAF exhibit

Seattle Architecture Foundation is calling for entries for its yearly architectural model exhibition. Physical models, 3D computer images or digital animations will be accepted.

The "Ideas in Form 8" exhibit will take place Aug. 4-21 and is sponsored by Swensen Say Faget and Unico. Entry fee for the first project is $50 for firms, $25 for sole practitioners or free for students. Deadline for entries is July 1. For more information call (206) 667-9184.

Grace Garland wins SDA awards

Grace Garland of Huckell/Weinman Associates recently won three national awards for her work on the Society for Design Administration's newsletter and local Web site, http://www.sda-seattle.com.

Garland is the office manager for Huckell/Weinman Associates, a Kirkland-based environmental and economics planning firm.

Kundig finalist for Cooper-Hewitt award

Tom Kundig, a partner in Seattle-based architecture firm Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, was recently named a finalist in a design competition sponsored by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

Other finaliststs in the architecture design category were New York's Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, and Albuquerque-based Antoine Predock. Nominations came from a committee of 800 designers, educators, journalists and corporate representatives from every state.

For more information see www.nationaldesignawards.org.

New officers at Hammond Collier

Hammond Collier Wade Livingstone, a civil engineering firm, has elected new officers and members to its board of directors. The newly elected officers are: Robin Nelson as president, Jorge Garcia asvVice president and treasurer, Bill Reynolds as vice president and secretary, Larry Cordes as vice president, Peter Weber as chairman of the board, Larry Riegert and John Tilley as board members and Bruce Livingstone as honorary board member. Hammond Collier has offices in Seattle, Lakewood, Wenatchee, Omak and Winthrop.

Fong speaks today on sustainability

Denise Fong, a principal at Candela, will speak about sustainability in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and China at the Lighting Design Lab at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The presentation will include attitudes toward lighting and also touch on electrical generation, waste management, water issues and other green strategies.

Fong writes a regular column on sustainability issues for LD+A Magazine and has been honored with design awards for her creative lighting applications for projects such as the ACT Theatre and Pacific Science Center's IMAX Theater addition. She is a former Lighting Specialist at the Lighting Design Lab. For information, call (206) 325-9711, Ext. 0.

Design Detailings: Design Center lighting lessons

The Seattle Design Center's next Third Thursday seminar will be tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m.

There will be two sessions. The first is on lighting basics for new and remodeled projects. Also Joseph Jeup, owner of Jeup Furniture, will give a talk on furnishings. Seattle Design Center is at 5701 Sixth Ave S., for information call (206) 762-1200.

NBBJ assistant wins SDA award

The Society of Design Administration gave recently a $1,000 scholarship to Cathy Comstock of NBBJ.

Comstock is an administrative assistant and has been a member of the society's Seattle chapter for six years.

ESM moves to Federal Way

The engineering, surveying and planning firm ESM Consulting Engineers has expanded and moved its Federal Way offices. The new address is 33915 First Way S., Suite 200, Federal Way, WA 98003. Phone is (253) 838-6113 and fax is (253) 838-7104. The Web site address is http://www.esmcivil.com.

The company is based in Federal Way, and has offices in Bothell and Cle Elum.

Carson to lead ACEC Corps committee

The American Council of Engineering Companies recently appointed Joel G. Carson to lead the Seattle district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Liaison Committee. Carson is a civil engineer in Seattle and is the Northwest region manager for the San Diego-based consulting firm Kleinfelder.

The liaison committee tries to connect the district with the local engineering community.

Fundraiser at SAM tomorrow

Architects Without Borders will sponsor a fundraiser tomorrow for tsunami relief and civil war orphans in Sri Lanka.

The fundraiser will be at the Seattle Art Museum's board room from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

There will be a slideshow and presentation of the project, music by Elliott Bay Wind Ensemble, food and a cash bar.

Minimum suggested donation is $25.

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

Design Detailings: Alaskan Way Viaduct gets award for DEIS

Groups that worked on the draft environmental impact statement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project were recognized by the National Association of Environmental Professionals for clear writing and graphics.

They are Parametrix, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Federal Highway Administration, the city of Seattle and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The viaduct DEIS was the first to use a new WSDOT approach that emphasizes clear writing and high-quality graphics to invite the public into the decision-making process.

Schacht Aslani in Smith Tower

Schacht Aslani Architects recently moved to Smith Tower, 506 Second Ave., Suite 700.

Principal Cima Malek-Aslani said, "I'm looking forward to working in one of Seattle's great structures. Our new office gives us the space and resources we need to deal with our growing workload."

The firm's work includes museums, libraries, academic buildings and religious facilities.

Two local firms win AIA awards

The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment recently recognized Seattle firms Mahlum Architects and Mithun with awards for green design.

Mahlum won for its work on the 168,000-square-foot Seminar II building at The Evergreen State College in Olympia.

Mithun won for its urban design plan for a 35-block neighborhood in Portland. Use of energy, water and habitat are part of the sustainable design plan for the commercial area.

Positions open on Burke-Gilman Place PDA

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is seeking applicants for the Burke-Gilman Place Public Development Authority, a board that manages the former Coast Guard property near Children's Hospital in northeast Seattle.

The facilities include Ronald McDonald House, Provail housing, Burke-Gilman Apartments, a child care center and low-income housing.

Board positions are open to Seattle residents with an interest in Burke-Gilman Place. Call Shirley Bishop at (206) 367-8704.

Design Detailings: Danish urbanist here on June 8

Jan Gehl, a Danish architect and professor of urban design, will speak in Seattle on Wednesday, June 8.

Gehl is a senior lecturer of urban design and director of the Center for Public Space Research at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture in Copenhagen.

He has been an advocate of turning car-oriented cities into pedestrian and people-friendly cities. In Copenhagen, 18 public squares that had been parking lots have been turned back to public squares.

The 6 to 9:30 p.m. event, sponsored by International Sustainable Solutions, will be a dinner party on Occidental Street in Pioneer Square, with Gehl as the guest speaker. The cost is $85. For more information, go to http://www.i-sustain.com/events/janGehl.htm

June 11 tour of Columbia City

Seattle Architecture Foundation sponsors "Valley on the Rise -- Columbia City," a tour of Columbia City, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 11.

The foundation calls Columbia City one of Seattle's most dynamic, diverse and desirable neighborhoods. It was once a thriving mill town along the electric rail line to Renton before falling into disrepair. Now buildings have been restored and retail has returned, including restaurants, galleries and the Farmer's Market.

The tour will be from 9 a.m. to noon and begin at Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S. Alaska St. Tickets cost $20. Call (206) 667-9184 or go to http://www.seattlearchitecture.org for more information and to register online.

AIA convention draws 24,000

A record number of architects, exhibitors and design industry professionals attended the American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Exposition recently in Las Vegas.

More than 24,000 attended, a 10 percent increase over the prior year. There were 860 exhibitors.

Highlights included unveiling a new stamp commemorating Masterworks in Modern Architecture, airing of a documentary entitled, "com

Design Detailings: AIA Seattle holds annual meeting

AIA Seattle will have its annual meeting today from 4 to 6 p.m. at the International District/Chinatown Community Center, 719 Eighth Ave. S.

Attendees can participate in the election of AIA Seattle officers and directors, for terms beginning in September.

The agenda will include the AIA Seattle annual report and AIA national convention report. The event is free for AIA Seattle members. For information, call (206) 448-4938, e-mail aia@aiaseattle.org.

Library seeks help with design tours

The Central Library is recruiting volunteers to serve as tour guides to help visitors learn about the library's unique architecture, facilities and public art. Docents must have strong public speaking skills and professional training in architecture or construction management. One-hour architectural tours are scheduled throughout the week. Docents typically conduct two tours per month.

The next training session for new docents will take place at the Central Library on Saturday, June 11. To request application materials, contact Anne Vedella, the library's volunteer services coordinator, at anne.vedella@spl.org by Tuesday.

MWH Global buys Bellevue firm IPS

A Broomfield, Colo.-based engineering and construction company, MWH Global, has acquired a Bellevue firm, Integrated Project Solutions, which will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of MWH Global.

MWH is a consulting firm with 6,000 employees worldwide. It does engineering design and remediation, and other work in Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Integrated has offered project management software and services in the Pacific Northwest for 10 years.

DKA makes Inc. Inner City 100 list

Seattle architectural firm DKA was recently named to a list of the fastest growing inner city companies in the country.

DKA ranked 79 on Inc. Magazine's Inner City 100 list. More than 4,500 nominations for the competition came from 150 cities.

The list ranks fast-growing businesses in inner city areas around the country. DKA more than doubled from 1999 to 2003.

Donald King started DKA in Seattle in 1985. The company does affordable and multi-family housing, libraries, schools, offices and commercial facilities.

$3M gift will help WSU A/E students

A $3 million donation will go to starting an institute for entrepreneurship at Washington State University's College of Engineering and Architecture.

Donors Harold and Diana Frank gave the funds to support student projects and scholarships for the academic school year.

Twelve students studying engineering and business were expected to join the summer institute to learn about team building, marketing and intellectual property.

Harold Frank said the GI Bill helped him finish college, and was the inspiration for setting up scholarships for others.

Brown and Caldwell expands services

The consulting firm of Brown and Caldwell is expanding its water and wastewater practice to help clients plan, measure and control assets.

Brown and Caldwell, which has an office in Seattle, will focus on asset management solutions for electric, gas and transportation utilities and agencies. Neil Reid and Darin Johnson have backgrounds in electric utility work, and have joined the company as senior consultants.

Time to "Get Real" at Inform Interiors

Inform Interiors of Seattle is hosting "Get Real," an exhibit celebrating authenticity in art and modern furniture that runs through June 13.

The exhibit is intended to show the difference between classic modern furniture when it is made by an authorized manufacturer and when it is not. It will showcase pieces from designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Isamu Noguchi, including the molded plywood chair from Charles and Ray Eames that was named the best furniture design of the century by Time magazine.

The store is at 1220 Western Ave. For information, call (206) 622-1608.

Design Detailings: Thursday forum on roofing systems

Architects interested in the latest roof systems can attend a two-hour presentation from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way. The presentation is sponsored by the Puget Sound Chapter of the Construction Specifier's Institute.

It will look at innovative trends in the roofing industry, including garden roofs, cool roofing and sustainable roof system design.

The seminar will cover selecting a roof system that meets code requirements, and the climactic forces and user demands that will impact the roof.

For more information on the topic visit http://www.epdmroofs.org. To register, contact Bill Alma at (206) 669-0978 or e-mail wlalma@aol.com.

Tours offer glimpse into Pearl District

Photo courtesy Red Studio -- Gregg Galbraith Tours of Pearl District housing run through Sunday.

Pearl CitySpaces, a home tour event in Portland's Pearl District, runs through Sunday. The tour, the first of its kind in the trendy former warehouse district, will include stops at seven condos, rentals and live/work spaces. Each has interior designs by Pearl District home furnishing stores.

The spaces are designed to reflect different lilfestyles — empty nesters, a couple with a young child, a woman in her thirties and a 45-year-old bachelor. The designers include Pendleton Home, Lotus Antiquest, J.D. Madison and Design Within Reach.

Cost is $10 through Thursday, and $15 Friday through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Order tickets online at http://www.pearlcityspaces.com.

Bader Architecture now on Capitol Hill

Bader Architecture has moved from 603 Stewart St. to 752 Harvard Ave. E., Seattle 98102. Its telephone is (206) 344-3878, and fax is (206) 344-5242. The e-mail address is bader@barderarch.com, and Web site is www.baderarch.com.

Arai Jackson moves to Denny Triangle

Arai Jackson Ellison Murakami has moved from 1601 E. John St. to 2300 Seventh Ave., Seattle 98121. The phone is (206) 323-8800, and fax is (206) 323-8518. The Web site is http://www.araijackson.com.

$3M gift to WSU helps A/E students

To spur innovation, Harold and Diana Frank have donated $3 million for the establishment of the Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute in the College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State University.

The summer institute will offer programs that help student innovators take ideas to the marketplace, providing support for mentors and resources to help the students create innovative products within multidisciplinary teams.

"Entrepreneurship is increasingly important for students to understand in our globally competitive marketplace,'' said Anjan Bose, dean of the college.

Twelve students from engineering and business will participate in the institute. The program involves six weeks in Pullman, where students will learn a variety of skills ranging from team building, oral communications and marketing, to understanding patents and intellectual property.

Reid Middleton's Ye earns P.E. license

Ding Ye of Reid Middleton recently received his Washington Civil Engineering Professional Engineer's license. He is a design engineer.

He has seven years of experience in civil, environmental and construction engineering. He has worked on site development, environmental restoration and construction management.

Design Detailings: Roofing trends seminar May 19

A seminar on roofing industry trends will be held May 19 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way in Seattle.

It is targeted at architects, specifiers, roofing contractors and owners, and will cover garden roofs, cool roofing and sustainable roof system design.

Participants will learn how to pick a roof system that meets code requirements, complies with what users want and can handle climate change.

The event is sponsored by the Puget Sound Chapter of the Construction Specifier's Institute. Cost is $25 for the four-hour seminar. To register, call Bill Alma at (206) 669-0978 or e-mail wlalma@aol.com. Professional education credits are available. For more information, see http://www.epdmroofs.org.

Tour the Sea-Tac expansion May 18

Architects and engineers working with the Port of Seattle at Sea-Tac will lead a tour of the new Central Terminal and Concourse A on May 18.

The tour is being offered by the AIA Southwest Washington Component and the Structural Engineers of Washington.

This is Sea-Tac's first major terminal facility in 30 years and adds nearly a million square feet. Walls of glass, structural steel ceilings, and unique rock and water features are included.

Concourse A opened last year. The Central Terminal will celebrate a grand opening in June.

The tour is free to AIA and SEAW members, or $10 for non-members. For more information, call Janet Matkin at (253) 627-4006.

Design Detailings: Bruce Dees wins design awards

Two parks designed by the Tacoma landscape architecture firm Bruce Dees & Assocites received awards from the Washington Parks & Recreation Association during its annual conference in April.

The awards were for designs at Rainier Vista Park in Lacey and Perrigo Park in Redmond.

Candela principal speaks in Shanghai

Denise Fong will give a talk next week in Shanghai on hazardous materials in lighting products. Fong is a principal at Seattle-based architectural lighting services company Candela.The Right Light 6 conference is a place for experts to talk about emerging efficient lighting technologies, applications and policy.

Portland's Pearl on display in May

Portland's Pearl District Business Association will offer public tours of living spaces in the Pearl District in northwest Portland. "Pearl CitySpaces" will open May 13 and run through May 22.

People can see interior designs of seven condominium, rental and live/work spaces, as well as three new buildings: the Louisa at the Brewery Blocks, the 14-story Pinnacle at Hoyt Street Yards and the six-story Lexis also at Hoyt Street Yards. The Pinnacle and Louisa are set to open this month.

Tickets are $10 Monday through Thursday and $15 Friday through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, see http://www.pearlcityspaces.com.

Talk tomorrow on livable communities

An event tomorrow at the Cascade Club at Trilogy in Redmond will look at how economics and livable communities are linked.

"Aligning the Construction Industry & Economic Development in the Puget Sound Region to Create Livable Communities" is being offered by the UW College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Institute for Collaborative Building.

Cost is $300. Real estate professionals can receive eight clock hours for attending, and AIA members can get eight learning units.

For more information, call Lyn Firkins at CAUP at (206) 685-8222 or e-mail jasper@u.washington.edu. Also see http://www.caup.washington.edu/cpe/.

Design Detailings: Conference on coastal disasters

A conference on coastal disasters takes place next month in Charleston, S.C., covering lessons learned from recent hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Coastal engineers will look at recent events at the "Solutions to Coastal Disasters" conference May 8-11. Topics will include erosion, hurricane landfall wind speeds, federal funding issues, emergency protection, forecasting and reconstruction.

The event is presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers. NOAA Coastal Services Center Director Margaret A. Davidson is one of the featured speakers. For more information see http://www.asce.org//conferences/cd05/.

Landmark board opening in Ballard

The Mayor's Office is seeking applicants for the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. The seven-member board regulates proposed exterior changes to buildings, structures and public rights-of-way.

The post is for a Ballard historian or someone with an interest in the Ballard community. Applicants should send a resume and letter of interest by May 15 to: Heather McAuliffe, Coordinator, Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board, 700 Third Ave. in Seattle. For more information, call Heather McAuliffe at (206) 684-0229.

San Francisco college picks LMN Architects

City College of San Francisco recently picked LMN Architects of Seattle for a joint venture with the San Francisco firm Tom Eliot Fisch. Three other candidates were considered to design a performing arts complex on the largest of the City College's 12 campuses.

The complex will have a 75,000-square-foot performing arts center and a 97,000-square foot-classroom/lab. Design is set to start this spring.

Otak hired for several projects

Otak has been selected to design several new projects, including the Seattle flagship store for the Environmental Home Center and infrastructure projects in Kirkland.

Pentalink Architecture chose Otak as technical architect for a $38 million expansion of the Foss Home campus in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. There will be 123 apartments, 36 nursing units and 15 assisted-care units, a new dining facility, courtyard garden and a 240-stall underground parking structure.

The city of Kirkland selected Otak for two infrastructure projects set for construction this summer. Otak will do surveying and civil engineering for a public sanitary sewer for residences in the Rose Hill neighborhood, and provide a sanitary sewer casing for a line that crosses Interstate 405 just south of Northeast 116th Street and Slater Avenue. This encasement is required for a proposed widening of I-405 later this summer, part of the I-405 Congestion Relief and Bus Rapid Transit Nickel Project.

Otak is a planning, architecture, design and engineering firm headquartered in Lake Oswego, Ore.

Sparling CEO joins ArtsFund

Sparling chief executive officer Jim Duncan was recently appointed to the board of trustees of ArtsFund.

The nonprofit raises about $4 million each year for 60 nonprofit arts organizations in King and Pierce counties.

Sparling designs electrical engineering and telecommunications systems.

Design Detailings: UW forum on density's downside

University of Washington's College of Architecture and Urban Planning will offer a free forum on urban density Wednesday, April 27.

"The Flip Side of Urban Density: Squeezing Out Nature, Green Space, Funky Places and Affordability?" will be held at Architecture Hall at 6:30 p.m. Speakers include professors Folke Nyberg and Kristina Hill.

The forum will be moderated by Seattle City Council member Richard Conlin and is co-sponsored by Seattle Audubon Society and Seattle Displacement Coalition.

Building healthy places, April 26

The city of Seattle will present a free talk on designing and building Healthy Places on Tuesday, April 26, at Seattle City Hall's Bertha Landes Room from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Featured speaker Richard Jackson is the California Department of Health's state public health officer. Jackson will look at the correlation between the built environment and environmental health.

For more information, call Lynne Barker at (206) 684-0806 or see http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Sustainable_Building/COS_004334.asp.

SAF gets new name, Web site

Seattle Architectural Foundation recently launched a new name, graphic identity and Web site.

Now called Seattle Architecture Foundation, the group is a resource for information on public architecture and design.

The brochure and Web site were created by Girvin | Strategic Branding & Design and CHCS Web Development. See http://www.seattlearchitecture.org.

Workshop on how to nominate landmarks

A free workshop on how to nominate places as historic Seattle landmarks will be held Saturday at The Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. in Wallingford from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

People can learn how neighborhoods and communities can protect buildings from being torn down. Historic Seattle and the city of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods are offering the event. To register, call (206) 622-6952.

Silverstein to give WTC update

Chief Executive Officer of Silverstein Properties Larry A. Silverstein will give an update on redevelopment of the New York World Trade Center Complex on Thursday in New York.

The event is put on by the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers as part of the 2005 Structures Congress, which starts today.