February 25, 2004

Design Detailings: UW 'box' presents eyes on the world

University of Washington graduate student Paula Patterson designed a 10-by-16-foot box, on display in front of Gould Hall on the UW campus. Constructed of wood-framed panels and plywood, the box has one wall that is an array of 48 camera obscuras -- fashioned to project images through a pinhole. The cameras are cast from plaster and suspended on a steel armature. One large window has a two-by-two-foot lens that projects the contents of a room onto a white curtain. "The inversion of inside and outside blurs the boundary of this room as well as the distinction between the object and the idea," said Patterson. The box will be at the site through Sunday.

Rice Fergus leads Cedar Sinai planning

Bremerton's Rice Fergus Miller Architecture and Planning, with BOORA Architects of Portland, are assisting Cedar Sinai Park with programming and master planning services. Cedar Sinai Park is a not-for-profit provider of independent-living, assisted-living, skilled nursing and dementia care for the frail and infirmed.

The Portland project consists of developing a master plan to provide a continuum of senior care on a 27-acre campus. In addition to replacing the current 124-bed nursing home, the effort will address the need for affordable and market-rate senior, and special needs housing on the campus.

Architecture head for UO

Christine Theodoropoulos has been appointed head of University of Oregon's Department of Architecture in Eugene. She has been a faculty member since 1997, and prior to that was on the architecture faculty at California State Polytechnic University, Ponoma. Her recent projects include a chapter on building codes for the book, "Designing for Earthquakes."

Kiewit Center expands at OSU

Oregon State University's Kiewit Center for Infrastructure and Transportation, led by interim director Jim Lundy, is well known for its 730,000-gallon tank capable of simulating the earthquake-triggered tidal waves.

But the center is building a name in the research world beyond earthquake engineering. The center also studies natural disaster mitigation, transportation systems and infrastructure. One area of focus will be transportation access for the disabled. In addition to its tsunami tank, the center has 26-foot-long concrete bridge girders to study the effects of truck traffic.

The center recently received a $5 million grant from the Department of Education to establish the National Center for Accessible Transportation -- to create safe travel for the disabled.

Kiewit Center will also research marine transportation systems through its proposed Center for Port Operations, Risk and Technology. CPORT will serve ports around the U.S., and will be the only one of its kind in the country.

Pierce County position open

The Pierce County Planning Commission is accepting applications for one of the seven positions. Members make recommendations to the council on planning-related matters.

The open position represents District 2, and applicants must reside within that district. Applications are available at the Executive's Office at 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737, or from the Department of Planning and Land Services, 2401 S. 35th St.

Applications should be returned to the Pierce County Executive's Office, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737, Tacoma, WA 98402, by March 5. The position's term is four years. For information contact Toni Fairbanks, clerk of the Planning Commission, at (253) 798-7156.