The Architect is In

Will Dixon, AIA, assembled the Architecture 5¢ booth, a new feature at this year’s People’s Choice display (photo by Paul Dustrud, AIA)

For the first time ever (I think), I didn’t make it down to the Eugene Celebration to check out the AIA-SWO and ASLA People’s Choice display at Oveissi & Company. I’m trying to rest as much as I can – my pneumonia has relapsed and my doctor has advised me to “listen to my body.” So, rest it was, and that meant being a shut-in and missing this year’s event. Health comes first.

By all accounts, this year’s program was an unconditional success, with 50 entrants exhibited (a new high). Led by chair Rachel Auerbach, Associate AIA, the People’s Choice organizing committee did an outstanding job soliciting projects and organizing the display.

The winners of the People’s Choice Awards (and the Colleague’s Choice) will be announced at the next AIA-SWO chapter meeting, which occurs on Wednesday, September 15. The award recipients will be announced publicly on October 15 on an insert in the Register-Guard newspaper.

New this year is the Mayor’s Choice Award. Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy will announce her favorite project at the September 15 AIA-SWO meeting from among those that were on display during the Celebration. Alas, her announcement will be by way of videotape, as she has a conflict that will preclude her from attending the meeting.

As mentioned in my previous post about this year’s program, also new was the “Architecture 5¢” booth inspired by the original erected by Seattle designer John Morefield at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. The goal of the booth was to introduce architecture to people in an informal and lighthearted way. What a great idea. I’m looking forward to hearing more about how successful the booth was.

I hope this is the last time I will have to miss the People’s Choice exhibit because I don’t have enough energy to be out and about. Being sick is really a drag.