March 29, 2006

Design Detailings: UW offers course on risk

The College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington will sponsor a course called "Managing Risk and Customer Service Within the Contract" on May 1. The class will run from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Mountaineers Building, Tahoma Room, 300 Third Ave. W., Seattle.

It will explore various forms of contracts and the risks that each type poses and how to limit liability exposure.

Presenter Bill Dexter is a risk management consultant and former director of the California Center for Construction Education at Cal Poly's College of Architecture. He is the current chair of the AIA's task force on continuing education and a leadership consultant for CSI, and owns W.F. Dexter Co.

Cost is $300. For information, call Lyn Firkins at (206) 685-8222.

Preservation board needs architect

Mayor Greg Nickels is looking for a new member in the architect position on the Pioneer Square Preservation Board. Architects with an interest in historic preservation are encouraged to apply.

The 10-member board reviews land use, new construction, changes of use, facade alterations, signage and street improvement in the Pioneer Square Preservation District. Meetings are on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 9 a.m. Members may be asked to serve on an additional committee, which also meets twice a month.

Send a letter of interest and resume by April 7 to Claudia Arana, Seattle City Hall, Box 94749, 600 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98124-4749. For information, call (206) 684-0227.

Get prepped for DBIA exam

The Design Build Institute of America's Northwest chapter will sponsor the Designated Design Build Professional Exam Prep Course on April 4 at the Hilton Hotel in Portland.

The one-day refresher course includes an overview of concepts learned in DBIA's three core courses, with emphasis on the eight domain areas covered in the examination.

The exam will be the following day, April 5. For details call (206) 491-1148.

TVA designs Chico's headquarters

Portland-based TVA Architects won a national competition to design retail apparel company Chico's world headquarters in Fort Myers, Fla. Chico's operates about 800 stores worldwide.

The multi-phased project will pursue LEED certification. Groundbreaking is set for this fall and occupancy will be in 2008.

TVA Architects is also working on the John Ross Condominium Tower in Portland's South Waterfront, the 12,500-seat University of Oregon basketball arena in Eugene and the Tangshan Broadcast Tower in China.

HDR up for ACEC award

HDR is a finalist in the American Council of Engineering Companies' 40th annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition for the $139 million Bellevue Direct Access Project for the state Department of Transportation.

The joint venture of Parametrix and Parsons Brinckerhoff is a finalist for its work preparing a draft environmental impact statement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall replacement project.

HDR designed the multi-interchange project to improve access between downtown Bellevue and Interstate 405. The key phase was replacement of the Northeast Eighth Street Bridge to make room for new high-occupancy vehicle lanes. The design team built half of the new structure on temporary piers and used staged demolition and construction to keep traffic lanes open. When space was ready, the new two-span structure was rolled 64 feet to its permanent position on the new abutments and center pier.

Winners will be announced on May 2 in Washington, D.C.