April 10, 2002

Design Detailings: A "late evening" with Rem Koolhaas

Koolhaas

Rem Koolhaas, 2000 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate and designer of Seattle’s downtown library, will discuss his current projects at 8 p.m. Thursday at the University of Washington, Kane Hall, Room 130. The public will be invited to ask questions during the free presentation.

"Late Evening with Rem Koolhaas" is being presented as part of Praxis@CAUP -- the Lecture Series of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Washington.

Koolhaas, principal and founder of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam, will show slides of his work, including the new library at 1000 Fourth Ave. The 362,987-square-foot Central Library was designed by OMA in a joint venture with Seattle-based LMN Architects. The building is scheduled to open in late 2003.

The new library features 10 floors spanning five main platforms or levels that are designated for primary library functions. The structure’s exterior will consist of insulated glass panels that enclose an aluminum mesh layer, creating soft interior light to enhance reading areas and protect against heat and glare.

Other Koolhaas projects under way include commissions from the Samsung Corporation Centre for Social Studies, Museum of Korean Art and Seoul National University Museum in Korea; a master plan for Universal Studios in Los Angeles; and a master plan for the City Centre of Almere, Netherlands.

For more information about OMA and Koolhaas, visit the following pages on the library’s Web site: www.spl.org/lfa/central/oma/koolhaas.html and www.spl.org/lfa/central/oma/oma.html.

For more information about "Late Evening With Rem Koolhaas," contact the UW at (206) 616-2441, or visit www.caup.washington.edu/praxis.

One-day seminar on seismic evaluation

The University of Washington Department of Civil Engineering and the Structural Engineers Association of Seattle will sponsor a one-day seminar Saturday on seismic evaluation and how to retrofit structures according to nationally developed consensus documents.

Presenters will be engineers Mark Pierepiekarz, Andy Taylor, Michael Valley and Peter Somers. They will discuss document methodology and illustrate application with examples for several common building types. Rehabilitation of structures to various performance objectives will also be discussed. Attendees will receive a binder with presentation notes and selected reference materials.

Documents are available free directly from FEMA, and will not be provided at the seminar. Seminar attendees may contact the FEMA distribution center directly at (800) 480-2520 to request their own copies of FEMA 310 and FEMA 356.

The seminar, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be at room 120 Kane Hall, University of Washington. Lunch will be provided. Registration is $120. For more information, call (206) 682-6026, or go to www.seaw.org.

ASCE looks at design/build/operate

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the April section tonight at the West Coast Bellevue Hotel, 625 116th Ave. N.E. The technical program will feature Brian Tarbuck, with Azurix, facility manager for the Tolt Treatment Facility and Pat Tangora of R.W. Beck, who will speak on the Tolt Water Treatment Facility and the design/build/operate contract. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $25. For information, call (206) 926-0482.

SAME luncheon -- "Meet the Navy"

The Seattle American Military Engineers hosts a Tuesday, April 16, luncheon titled "Meet the Navy," at 11:30 a.m., Subase Bangor, Silverdale. Individual groups within the Naval Command have been invited to present their current programs and future opportunities. The Seattle Post will also be arranging a field trip after the luncheon to tour a base project. Price is $15 (cash or check) at the door; $10 for military/government. Register with Lynn Carroll at (206) 438-2055.