November 8, 2000

Design Detailings: Collins Woerman new name for CNA

In a move to underscore new ownership and a new direction for CNA Architecture, principals Mark Woerman and Arlan Collins have changed the firm's name to Collins Woerman. The two partners bought the Bellevue-based company's outstanding stock in January from parent company CNA Companies, a consulting engineering and information technology firm. The buyout involved their purchase of shares from CNA owner Larry Cook.

When Collins and Woerman joined CNA Architecture and Engineering in 1988, the firm employed only two architects, and architecture was largely an ancillary function to the specialty engineering company. Today, Collins Woerman has about 90 employees, designing major projects in the Puget Sound region, such as Sammamish Park Place in Issaquah and Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue. The firm is designing several projects in Seattle, including a proposed six-story office and retail building on a site at the southeast corner of Westlake and Republican that Vulcan Northwest owns; a five-story research and development laboratory at Fairview Avenue North and Mercer Street for Interpac; and a six-story office complex on Fifth and Bell for Touchstone Corp.

Prior to joining CNA, Collins and Woerman were architects with NBBJ, one of the largest architecture firms in Seattle.

AIA Honor Awards

The Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is holding its annual Honor Awards presentation on Monday, Nov. 11, at Benaroya Hall. The awards ceremony culminates Architecture Week, which runs through Nov. 13. To purchase tickets for the awards ceremony, go to http://www.aiaseattle.org/2000awards/ticketinfo.htm. The cost is $18 through Nov. 10; thereafter the cost is $22. Students with valid ID pay $10.

Submittals in the completed, not yet built and conceptual categories can be viewed online at http://www.aiaseattle.org/2000awards/submittals.htm .

For a full listing of events for Architecture Week, go to the Web site http://www.aiaseattle.org/ARCHWEEK.html.

Models in the digital age

"Ideas in form: architectural models in the digital age," a free exhibit about the use of physical and digital models in current architectural practice, runs through Sunday, Nov. 19. Alec Vassiliadis, model maker for NBBJ, will lecture on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The exhibit is being shown at the Rainier Square Conference Center, 1333 Fifth Ave., third floor. For more information, call (206) 667-9186 or go to http://www.seattlearchitectural.org/ideasinform.

Trans-Lake Washington project

Rob Fellows of the Washington State Department of Transportation on Wednesday will provide an update of the Trans-Lake Washington project, which is analyzing transportation options along the heavily congested state Route 520 corridor.

The talk, sponsored by the Seattle section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Washington Institute of Transportation Engineers, will take place over dinner at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th N.W. in Seattle. The cost is $20. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (206) 632-2667.

SMPS takes on global management

Examining the challenges of working with foreign offices and the adventures of working abroad are the topics for the Society for Marketing Professional Services' (SMPS) next luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, Nov.16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Washington Athletic Club. The Seattle SMPS chapter will host Nancy Mueller, a professional speaker and training consultant with International Adaptations. Mueller's experience includes teaching in Egypt, presenting communication skills workshops in Canada, consulting in Europe, and traveling in Brazil, Hong Kong and China.

The cost of the event is $30 for SMPS members, $35 for member firms, and $40 for nonmembers. Visit the SMPS Seattle Web site at www.smpsseattle.org for more details, or contact Marcie Lohr of Abacus Engineered Systems at (206) 583-8237. The reservation deadline is Monday, Nov. 13.

CECW extends awards deadline

The Consulting Engineers Council of Washington (CECW) has extended the deadline for submission of projects in its annual Engineering Excellence awards program. The new deadline to send the application and $300 entry fee is Wednesday, Nov. 15. Applications are available by calling Paula at the CECW at (206) 623-5936 or going to the Web site www.cecw.org.

Clark County looks at growth

Clark County is holding a forum on Thursday to review the county's comprehensive growth management plan. The event, called "Citizen Speak II," will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at Clark County Fairgrounds, Community Center Building, 17420 N.E. Delfel Rd. in Ridgefield. For more information, call the county's Community Development Department at (360) 397-2375, Ext. 4993.

Sea-Tac seeks artists

The Port of Seattle is seeking Northwest artists to design large-scale artworks at two of its new satellite transit stations. Six artists will be paid $4,000 to develop proposals and two will receive $75,000 commissions. The submission deadline is Monday, Nov 13. The project is open to established or emerging Northwest artists, working in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Alaska or British Columbia. For more information, contact Jolene Culler, arts program manager, at (206) 439-6624 or Michelle Harris, arts program coordinator, at (206) 433-5291.

Lecture on Meiji design

"Meiji revisited: a look at Western architecture in 19th Century Japan," will be presented by historian and author Dallas Finn on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. in the Seattle Asian Art Museum, located in Volunteer Park.

Sponsored by Historic Seattle and the Asian art council of the Seattle Art Museum, the lecture focuses on the Meiji period (1868-1912) of architecture in Japan when Western design ideas were incorporated into Japanese public and private buildings. The cost is $15 for SAM and Historic Seattle members, $10 for the general public and $5 for students. Call (206) 622-6952 for additional information.