September 11, 2002

Design Detailings: ASCE tonight: response to 9/11

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers invites all ASCE members and interested civil engineers to the September section meeting on infrastructure and emergency management response. It will be held on 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Ballard Yankee Grill, 5300 24th Ave. N.W.

The program will feature Terry Simonds, Washington State Department of Transportation Emergency Management Program Manager, speaking on emergency response to Sept. 11.

Simonds chairs Gov. Gary Locke’s Terrorism Committee. He is also a member of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Transportation Security Task Force and the National Terrorism Committee. He will provide an update on state and national infrastructure and emergency management developments since Sept. 11, 2001. The presentation will provide an opportunity to see how the civil engineering field has changed as a result of last year’s terrorism event.

Schedule is as follows: social hour at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 6:30; business meeting at 7:30; and program at 8. Cost is $21. Reservation line: (206) 926-0482.

Freeman Fong in Lower Queen Anne

Since January, Freeman Fong Architecture has doubled in size, making it necessary to move to newly remodeled space in Lower Queen Anne.

Previously located at 1514 11th Ave. W., the firm is now at 505 Third Ave. W. The phone number remains (206) 282-8245, and a new Web site is under construction at www.freemanfong.com.

Sortun·Vos Architects's 25th b-day

Sortun·Vos Architects of Seattle this summer celebrates its 25th anniversary. In the summer of 1977, Gary Sortun mortgaged his house and took a two-month leave of absence from his work to travel in Europe with his family. When he returned home, he felt inspired to do something different, and announced to his associates that he was leaving the practice to start in a new direction. As he had hoped, one other associate and some key staff expressed an interest in joining him.

Sortun, Charlie Vos and two others moved to an office on Capitol Hill, and began developing a practice based on a taking team approach to produce thoughtfully designed and well crafted work.

The eight-person office of Sortun·Vos Architects works on residential and small commercial projects.

The current team includes Tom Nychay, Tom Marshall, Ryan Rhodes, Nazim Nice, Uri Luber and Jaimie Smith. The firm's Web site is at sortun-vos.com. The office is at 1105 N. 38th St. Seattle, WA 98103, (206) 545-9100.

UW forum on design firm leadership

Those interested in the upcoming University of Washington certificate program in Design Firm Leadership and Management can attend an open house Thursday. The meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. at UW Extension downtown, 1325 Fourth Ave., Suite 400.

The nine-month program is taught by Hugh Hochberg, Richard Hobbs and Anne Haerle. Hochberg has been involved in the development of professional practice. Hobbs has been focused on the future of the profession, anticipating the changes. Haerle comes from a graphics background and is focused on the fundamentals of design management.

In addition to these instructors, the program has a group of guest speakers. The speakers, all nationally recognized authors, consultants and practitioners, include: Charles H. Green, co-author of "The Trusted Advisor"; Eric Freitag of Frog Design; Scott Wyatt of NBBJ; Sue Nixon of Leonhardt Fitch; and Jud Marquardt of LMN. The goal is to create a dialog among students, instructors and guest speakers across disciplines, to enable participants to learn from industry leaders and to apply these lessons in their own careers and practices.

Columbia Library addition on display

Cardwell Architects' extension of the Columbia Branch features a lobby and circulation desk.

A model of the proposed Seattle Public Library Columbia Branch, at 4721 Rainier Ave. S., is on display at the library.

Designed by Cardwell Architects, the addition will bring the library to 12,500 square feet. The 6,805-square-foot library, which opened in 1915, is a Carnegie-funded branch, designed by W. Marbury Somervell and Harlan Thomas. The library is in the Columbia City Landmark District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The $3.2 expansion will feature special areas for children, young adults and adults; more computers and seating; modern electrical, mechanical and ventilation systems; more efficient lobby and circulation desk; and staff areas. The project is expected to be completed in 2004. For more information call the Capital Program Office, (206) 386-4624. The expansion will feature artwork by Gu Xiong, a mixed-media artist from Vancouver, B.C.