July 30, 2003

Design Detailings: Thursday talk: Skyspace construction

Photo by Laura Swimmer Skyspace visitors can see the sky through an opening in the roof.

Henry Art Gallery director Richard Andrews will lead a discussion Thursday titled "Light and Sky: Building the Henry's Skyspace." Bruce Donnally of Donnally Architects and Richard Manderbach, principal with KrekowJenningsInc, will also speak. The event will be at 7 p.m. in the Henry Art Gallery Auditorium.

This event explores the design, construction and details that went into creating James Turrell's Skyspace. Andrews initiated and directed the project, and Donnally was the architect. Richard Manderbach, project manager, will discuss the process of developing the design to Turrell's specifications, and describe the challenges of the work. Cost is $8.

Spending jumps for A/E marketing

Marketing expenses among architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting firms have reached an all-time high of 5.3 percent of net service revenue, an increase of 18 percent over the 4.5 percent reported in 2002.

According to ZweigWhite's 2003 Marketing Survey of A/E/P and Environmental Firms, A/E firms are investing a greater percentage of net service revenue (gross revenue minus subconsultants' fees and reimbursable expenses) than ever -- a notable statistic in light of the economic difficulties many firms have been facing over the past couple of years.

A/E firms' total marketing spending has increased by 36 percent since ZweigWhite started tracking the statistic in 1998. The survey said more than a third of firm leaders are expecting to continue to increase their spending over the next year. For more information, call (508) 651-1559.

Weber + Thompson wins marketing award

Revolutionary Marketing, a bi-monthly newsletter, honored Weber + Thompson at the recent Ideas in Action conference with a 2003 Revolutionary Marketing Award. The award was for a two-level holiday package that Weber + Thompson developed.

Designed by marketing director Courtney Rosenstein, the award-winning piece has two levels. One level, sent to vendors and colleagues, is a card that enhances the Weber + Thompson brand. The second level, sent to clients, is a gift certificate to the Bellevue's SeaStar Restaurant and Raw Bar (designed by Weber + Thompson) enclosed in a special envelope sealed with a custom cast-glass sea-star.

"We wanted our clients to have a fabulous dinner at SeaStar to thank them for working with us," said Rosenstein. "At the same time, we wanted to keep our clients thinking about how they could use Weber + Thompson in other capacities. Educating them about our restaurant design skills accomplished both."

Stormwater Plus opens in Burlington

Stormwater Plus, a Burlington-based civil engineering firm, opened in May. The company provides stormwater related services to civil engineering firms and public agencies statewide, including stormwater reviews, analyses, designs, specifications watershed studies and permitting assistance.

Although primarily a subconsultant to other firms, Stormwater Plus can also provide general civil engineering services for surveyors, architects, developers, water systems and public agencies. Staff can work either out of the Burlington office, or directly at project sites or client offices.

Stormwater Plus is owned by Robert Freers. Freers has Puget Sound area consulting engineering experience since 1990, and became a licensed engineer in 1995. Stormwater Plus can be contacted at (360) 757-0380 or P.O. Box 1055, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; or visited at 130 Sharon Ave.

R.W. Beck adds fuel market services

Management consulting and engineering firm R. W. Beck, Inc. recently launched a practice area that will focus on providing fuel market consulting services to support the natural gas and power industries.

The practice will integrate power, fuel and gas market expertise. R. W. Beck has hired a 17-year energy industry veteran, Catherine Elder, to lead these activities. She will be based in Sacramento.

Elder has been involved in helping clients understand natural gas market risk and developing gas price forecasts and fuel plans to match that risk with power market economics.

The fuel market practice will offer market outlooks, natural gas market price forecasts, fuel plans, regulatory support, strategy development and due diligence reviews/studies for project financing, divestitures and acquisitions.

Mithun takes bike-to-work honor

Mithun earned a top-tier ranking in Seattle’s first Annual WRQ Bike to Work Month. Thirty-two Mithun staff members participated in what is one of the nation's largest bicycle commuting events. The former WRQ Bike to Work Day has been expanded into a month-long event to raise awareness of bicycle commuting benefits, including increasing physical fitness, reducing stress, saving money and reducing traffic congestion

Mithun earned the top prize for the highest percentage of riders in any workplace or organization with 100 or more people, with 32 of the firm's 132 people participating. At 24 percent participation, Mithun beat second-place-finishers the Washington State Department of Transportation and the National Parks Service by 15 percentage points.

Mithun’s biking team, "Top Heavy," finished second for the most new bike commuters and trips for one team, with 10 riders logging 82 new commuter trips.

"Our offices were designed with bicyclists in mind -- we have a newly expanded bike rack and showers on-site," said Mithun's Sean Cryan. "When your company goes out of its way to make biking to work this easy, there’s no reason not to do it."