October 11, 2000

Design Detailings: ASCE hosts talk on Three Gorges Dam

The Seattle section of the American Society of Civil Engineers tonight will discuss the Three Gorges Dam project in China, one of the world's largest civil engineering projects.

Keynote speaker Richard Miller, who is the director of roadway structures for the Seattle Transportation Department, will provide technical information and discuss what he sees as the benefits and impacts of The Three Gorges Dam project. Miller took part in an engineering exchange trip to China in November 1999.

The meeting will be held at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W. in Seattle, beginning with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $20. For more information, call (206) 632-2667.

BAM receives $50 K gift

Wells Fargo this week has given the Bellevue Art Museum a donation of $50,000 toward the outfitting of an interactive gallery in BAM's new home.The gift will help to underwrite the inaugural 18-month exhibit for the "Explore Gallery," which will offer tools to see, explore and understand the architecture of the new 36,000-square-foot museum.

Visitors to the interactive gallery will be able to take a virtual tour of the building, participate in a building activity and create a mini-film capturing their responses to the museum. The exhibit will be on view beginning Jan. 13 as the doors to the museum open to the public for the first time.

Architect Steven Holl of New York and local firm Sclater Partners designed the museum, which in addition to the gallery, will include 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, four classrooms, public gathering spaces, an artist-in-residence studio, a museum store and café. Sellen Construction is the general contractor. The museum, which broke ground in September 1999, replaces BAM's prior home at the Bellevue Square Mall.

The total cost of the new museum, including construction, land acquisition, an endowment fund and financing fees, is $23 million. The construction cost alone is $14 million.

Maya Lin to speak

Maya Lin, sculptor and designer of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Ala., will be giving a talk in association with the publication of her new book "Boundaries."

The event will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the University of Washington campus, Kane Hall, Room 130.

Lin's talk is sponsored by The University Book Store, Peace Trees and the Henry Art Gallery. Tickets are free but must be obtained in person at the University Book Store or Henry Gallery. For details, call the UW's event information line at (206) 545-9477, extension 443.

Library proposes more projects

With a slate of new library-building projects under way, the Seattle Public Library has agreed on a list of additional projects to recommend for funding under the Opportunity Fund, a $6 million pool of money that pays for new or unanticipated capital projects. The fund is part of the $196.4 million bond measure, approved by Seattle voters in 1998.

The library's funding requests are:

• $2.53 million for a 5,000-square-foot library in South Park

• $1.42 million for a 5,000-square-foot library in Sand Point

• $99,400 for a 400-square-foot Language Center pilot program inside the new Beacon Hill Library

• $1.62 million for an approximate 1,800-square-foot addition to the existing Magnolia Library

• $101,500 to relocate staff and public spaces in the existing Queen Anne Library in a pilot program to study efficient use of space in Carnegie libraries.

• $203,046 for a high-tech bookmobile

• $12,183 for a feasibility study to examine the need and possible locations for a new branch library in Mount Baker

The Library board of trustees has sent its recommendations to the Seattle City Council. The council's culture, arts and parks committee first will hear the recommendations. The full council has until Dec. 31 to pass a resolution allocating all or part of the Opportunity Fund.

LMN architect to lecture on urban design

Mark Hinshaw, the director of urban design for LMN Architects, is lecturing on the topic of urban homes and neighborhoods Monday, Oct. 16. The lecture, which is free, will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the University of Washington's Architecture Hall. For more information, call (206) 543-7679.

Hinshaw writes a regular column on architecture and urban design for The Seattle Times. He is also the author of "Citistate Seattle: Shaping a Modern Metropolis. "

Anatomy of a remodel

As part of the state's "Design Awareness Month," the Seattle Design Center is hosting several events in October, including a panel discussion about remodel projects on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Architect Tom Johnson, contractor Dave Bird and interior designer Barbara Kalis will talk about ways to collaborate successfully on remodeling jobs.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Seattle Design Center, 5701 Sixth Ave. S. Registration and check-in begin at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $75, which includes breakfast and a boxed lunch. For reservations or more information, call (800) 497-7997.

New artist picked for Greenwood Library

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees has selected Portland artist Fernanda D'Agostino to design artwork for the new Greenwood Library.

Her commissions include Tacoma Link Light Rail, the Weller Street pedestrian bridge in Seattle and the Hillsboro extension of Westside Light Rail in Portland.

D'Agostino's work will become part of the new 15,000-square-foot library, which is scheduled to open in 2002 on the site currently occupied by McDonald's at North 85th Street and Greenwood Avenue North. The $6.4 million library has an art budget of $59,212.

Glitzy graphics --- a must or a bust?

How do "glitzy graphics" in proposals or presentations affect decision-makers? The Marketing Associates of Spokane (MAS) will explore this topic at its October meeting at noon on Thursday, Oct. 19 at the RAM Restaurant, 908 N. Howard St. in Spokane.

The meeting will feature guest speakers Alisa Parks and Evelyn Clark, who handle marketing duties for Coffman Engineers' Seattle and Anchorage offices, respectively. The cost is $13 for MAS members and $15 for nonmembers. Reservations are required, and can be made by contacting MAS vice president Marty Orchard at (509) 838-8681.