April 16, 2003

Design Detailings: FSi moves into Smith Tower

FSi did engineering for the Crisis Action Facility near Washington, D.C.

FSi Consulting Engineers, a mechanical, fire protection and sustainable engineering firm, has announced an address change. The new office is in the Smith Tower, 506 Second Ave., Suite 320. The phone is (206) 622-3321, and the fax is (206) 622-5804. The mailing address P.O. Box 4219 Seattle, WA 98104-0219.

As the lead consultant, FSi recently completed design on a 56,000-square-foot, $5.5 million design/build renovation to the Shore Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Everett. Other projects include multiple air traffic control towers for the FAA, an air quality project for Tacoma Public Schools, fire protection upgrades for wings of the UW Health Sciences Center, multiple prime consulting projects for Seattle and King County Housing Authorities, as well as a 100,000-square-foot Crisis Action Facility for the U.S. Joint Forces near Washington, D.C.

Prakash speaks on LeCorbusier

The University of Washington Architecture Lecture Series features UW Architecture Chair Vikram Prakash Thursday at 6:30 p.m. His speech will be titled "Chandigarh's Le Corbusier: Formal Orders on a Vast Indian Plain."

Prakash will address the making of Chandigarh, Le Corbusier's largest built project and an icon of modern architecture. India's new capital city, Chandigarh is recognized most for its radical master plan, its grand buildings of state, and its famous Open Hand monument that Le Corbusier designed as a symbol for the city.

Prakash's father was one of nine Indian architects who worked with Le Corbusier on the project. He will explore the complex aesthetics of Chandigarh buildings, and their meaning in terms of the persistent struggle between a global architecture and its regional expression. The free lecture will be held in Room 147 of the Architecture Hall. More information about the book can be found at www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/PRACHA.html.

APWA hosts panel on permitting issues

The American Public Works Association Management & Public Administration Committee is presenting a Wednesday, April 23, workshop about permitting issues and solutions. The workshop brings together a panel of four specialists from public agencies responsible for resource-related permits within the Puget Sound region. They will share their agency policies regarding specific permits and offer insights into shortening and/or streamlining the permit process.

The workshop will have two sessions followed by discussions with the panel members over dinner. The first session will include project impacts from permit related issues, and the second session will include discussions about how to improve the process. Agencies represented include the Department of Ecology and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The event will be at 4 p.m. at the Rock Salt Steak House, 1232 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle. Reservations are required. The price (including dinner) is $40 for reservations postmarked by Friday, and $50 thereafter. Identify dinner entrée with reservation -- the choice is prime rib, prawn linguini, or vegetarian option.

Send registration request with payment (make checks payable to APWA) to: APWA/MPAC Permitting Workshop; c/o Municipal Research and Services Center, 2601 Fourth Ave., Suite 800, Seattle 98121-1280. For more information about the workshop, call Steven Haluschak at RoseWater Engineering, (206) 441- 9385.

Tour of City Hall, Justice Center Friday

AIA Seattle Committee on Design and University of Washington Department of Architecture present a tour of the Seattle City Hall/Justice Center from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. The tour is given in cooperation with the city of Seattle; Bassetti Architects; Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; NBBJ; Shiels Obletz Johnsen; Swift & Company; and University Book Store.

The tour begins at 4 p.m. at Seattle Municipal Court main entrance, 600 Fifth Ave., followed by the 4:30 Justice Center tour, and a 5 p.m. design dialog/panel presentation. A reception follows.

The tours require flat hard-sole shoes. All attendees must register in advance. The moderator will be Peter Steinbrueck, Seattle City Council president. Featured panelists include Barbara Swift, Swift & Co.; Peter Bohlin, Greg Hepp, Bassetti Architects | Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; and Duncan Thieme and Rick Zieve, NBBJ. Cost is $20 for AIA Seattle members and $25 for non-members.

Post-9/11 construction on the Pentagon

The Northwest Chapter of Design Build Institute of America is holding a luncheon chapter meeting on post-9/11 reconstruction, from noon to 1:30 p.m. today. Immediately following the luncheon program will be a Northwest chapter business meeting.

The luncheon features Robert Daniels, 2003 DBIA National chair and executive vice president and eastern division manager of Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Daniels' luncheon presentation will be "The Pentagon Project and Post-9/11 Reconstruction" and "What Can a Membership in DBIA Do for You?" The luncheon will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sequoia Room, 1113 Sixth Ave. The cost is $25 for DBIA members and $35 for non-members. Contact Vicky Joslin at vicky.joslin@mortenson.com or (425) 497-6605 to register.

Architect Kreager to talk about 'the D word'

Architect Bill Kreager will talk about building new housing when the supply of affordable land is shrinking, at a Washington Association of Realtors Event on Wednesday, April 23. The presentation will run from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Evergreen Room of the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport. Kreager, of Mithun, is an advocate of the New Urbanism style of residential building. He "challenges negative assumptions about the 'D' word -- density" by retaining warmth and attractiveness in developments of up to 30 homes per acre, the association says. For information, call the association in Olympia at (800) 562-6024.