May 25, 2005

Design Detailings: AIA Seattle holds annual meeting

AIA Seattle will have its annual meeting today from 4 to 6 p.m. at the International District/Chinatown Community Center, 719 Eighth Ave. S.

Attendees can participate in the election of AIA Seattle officers and directors, for terms beginning in September.

The agenda will include the AIA Seattle annual report and AIA national convention report. The event is free for AIA Seattle members. For information, call (206) 448-4938, e-mail aia@aiaseattle.org.

Library seeks help with design tours

The Central Library is recruiting volunteers to serve as tour guides to help visitors learn about the library's unique architecture, facilities and public art. Docents must have strong public speaking skills and professional training in architecture or construction management. One-hour architectural tours are scheduled throughout the week. Docents typically conduct two tours per month.

The next training session for new docents will take place at the Central Library on Saturday, June 11. To request application materials, contact Anne Vedella, the library's volunteer services coordinator, at anne.vedella@spl.org by Tuesday.

MWH Global buys Bellevue firm IPS

A Broomfield, Colo.-based engineering and construction company, MWH Global, has acquired a Bellevue firm, Integrated Project Solutions, which will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of MWH Global.

MWH is a consulting firm with 6,000 employees worldwide. It does engineering design and remediation, and other work in Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Integrated has offered project management software and services in the Pacific Northwest for 10 years.

DKA makes Inc. Inner City 100 list

Seattle architectural firm DKA was recently named to a list of the fastest growing inner city companies in the country.

DKA ranked 79 on Inc. Magazine's Inner City 100 list. More than 4,500 nominations for the competition came from 150 cities.

The list ranks fast-growing businesses in inner city areas around the country. DKA more than doubled from 1999 to 2003.

Donald King started DKA in Seattle in 1985. The company does affordable and multi-family housing, libraries, schools, offices and commercial facilities.

$3M gift will help WSU A/E students

A $3 million donation will go to starting an institute for entrepreneurship at Washington State University's College of Engineering and Architecture.

Donors Harold and Diana Frank gave the funds to support student projects and scholarships for the academic school year.

Twelve students studying engineering and business were expected to join the summer institute to learn about team building, marketing and intellectual property.

Harold Frank said the GI Bill helped him finish college, and was the inspiration for setting up scholarships for others.

Brown and Caldwell expands services

The consulting firm of Brown and Caldwell is expanding its water and wastewater practice to help clients plan, measure and control assets.

Brown and Caldwell, which has an office in Seattle, will focus on asset management solutions for electric, gas and transportation utilities and agencies. Neil Reid and Darin Johnson have backgrounds in electric utility work, and have joined the company as senior consultants.

Time to "Get Real" at Inform Interiors

Inform Interiors of Seattle is hosting "Get Real," an exhibit celebrating authenticity in art and modern furniture that runs through June 13.

The exhibit is intended to show the difference between classic modern furniture when it is made by an authorized manufacturer and when it is not. It will showcase pieces from designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Isamu Noguchi, including the molded plywood chair from Charles and Ray Eames that was named the best furniture design of the century by Time magazine.

The store is at 1220 Western Ave. For information, call (206) 622-1608.