June 7, 2000

Design Detailings: Contractors sought for temporary Central Library

The Seattle Public Library is seeking general contractors to pre-qualify for a bid on the $6.5 million temporary Central Library project.

The facility will serve as a temporary library while the new $159 Central Library is being constructed. The project consists of tenant improvements built concurrently with the shell and core construction of the Washington State Convention and Trade Center expansion.

The library will conduct a pre-submittal conference at 2 p.m. Monday, June 12, 2000 in the third floor auditorium of the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.

A complete copy of the bid package may be picked up in person during business hours or requested from Lorig Associates via fax at (206) 728-5847 or e-mail. Pre-qualification proposals are due on 4 p.m. Friday, June 23, 2000.

For more information, contact Sue Partridge, project manager, Seattle Public Library, via fax at (206) 386-4108 or e-mail.

ARC Architects to design Lake City Library

Seattle Public Library board of trustees has selected ARC Architects to design the expansion of the Lake City Library.

Fifteen firms competed to design the $2.9 million expansion project.

Seattle-based ARC Architects, founded in 1976, has experience in public sector work, particularly in the design of community and senior centers. It designed the New Holly Community facilities for the Seattle Housing Authority, which includes the New Holly Library. The firm's portfolio also includes the Tukwila Community Center, Eckstein Community Center, Northshore Senior Center and South Park Community Center.

The expansion, which will add nearly 6,000 square feet to the 9,000-square-foot library, will feature a multipurpose room, as well as enhanced study areas and more space for books. It is scheduled for completion in 2002.

Book signing for Roland Terry book

A reception and book signing to celebrate the publication of "Roland Terry: Master Northwest Architect," by Justin Henderson will be held Wednesday, June 14. The reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Marco Polo bookstore, 713 Broadway E., Seattle. Both Terry and Justin will be present to sign copies of the book, published by the University of Washington Press. Free parking and shuttle service are available for the event at the Lowell School, 1058 E. Mercer St. Reservations for the reception are required; call Marco Polo at (206) 860-3736.

Sundberg named national AIA juror

Rick Sundberg, principal of Olson Sundberg Architects in Seattle, recently served as the national juror for the American Institute of Architects' Austin Design Competition in Texas.

Chairperson of the Seattle Design Commission and a Fellow of the College of the AIA, Sundberg noted similarities between Texas and Washington architecture: "Both Texas and Washington are western states, with powerful environments that inspire well-crafted, creative architectural responses. It seems to me that serious architects seek to understand the environment in which they work, to draw from the regional experience -- yet respond to the subtlety of the local context, often reinventing local tradition to inspire a modern adaptation."

Sundberg is lead architect on an upcoming project in Texas, the Art Center of Waco.

The firm is expanding its presence in the Southwest, as Jim Olson, principal, was a member of the federal government's "design excellence" team charged with selected the architect for the new Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Portland light rail gets national awards

The design of the $963.5 million Westside Max light rail in Portland, Ore., garnered three national awards in competitions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Designed for Tri-Met, the regional transit agency, the Westside Max extends the Eastside line 18 miles from downtown Portland to Hillsboro.

The project was completed in September 1998. The design team included Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade & Douglas; Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership; Otak; BRW; and LTK Engineering Services.

The project was one of 11 Honor Award winners in the U.S. DOT's Design for Transportation National Awards 2000 contest. There were more than 260 entries for this competition.

The Main Street Overpass in Hillsboro, completed as part of the project, received a Merit Award from DOT as well. This overcrossing, designed by BRW, is believed to be one of the first applications of a reinforced concrete arch that supports a major transportation facility.

The project also received a 2000 Federal Design Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This award is the highest level of design achievement for projects in the federal sector. It was one of 35 winning projects.