Citizen Architect

 

The well-attended March meeting of the Eugene Section of AIA Oregon took place last Wednesday at the Ninkasi Better Living Room. The intriguing subject of the meeting was what it means to be a model “Citizen Architect.”

Simply put, the notion of the Citizen Architect relates to design professionals who engage in civic endeavors, contributing their insights, talents, and experiences towards the betterment of society. Citizen Architects regard architecture not merely as a vocation but as a conduit for social progress, leveraging their skills to address pressing issues affecting the profession and more broadly the communities of which they are a part.

Central to the spirit of the Citizen Architect is a dedication to civic activism and advocacy. Architects possess specialized knowledge of the built environment's impact on society, and thus are uniquely positioned to advocate for policies addressing urgent issues impacting everyone. Local engagement additionally serves as a cornerstone of the Citizen Architect's mission. By interfacing with grassroots organizations, attending town hall meetings, and collaborating with local stakeholders, architects forge connections that underpin community-driven development initiatives. They harness their collective influence to shape legislative agendas and advocate for policies conducive to sustainable urban growth.

The meeting featured speakers who collectively described some of the paths architects can follow toward fulfilling the role of a Citizen Architect:

AIA Oregon Leadership Summit

The Eugene Section’s representative on AIA Oregon’s Emerging Professional Committee is my colleague at Robertson/Sherwood/Architects, John Webster, AIA. John described the February 21 Oregon Leadership Summit at the State Capitol in Salem, which featured the opportunity for the 15-20 young professionals who attended to learn firsthand about how the legislative process, public policy, and governance impact the work of architects. The event also provided them with an opportunity to meet with the AIA Oregon Legislative Affairs Committee, various state representatives, and the Oregon State Board of Architect Examiners (OSBAE).

John regarded the Summit as an excellent introduction for the attendees to the responsibilities of a “Citizen Architect.” Learning how to become effective voices for the profession is a critical aspect of leadership and advocacy. Seeking change when laws or policies are contrary to the best interests of our communities or the architectural profession often means being an advocate in public spaces, a useful lesson for every emerging professional.  

Oregon House of Representatives (photo by Cacophony, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

The 2024 Oregon Legislative Session

As I mentioned above, helping to shape legislative agendas is a central function of a Citizen Architect. AIA Oregon has provided the structure and support for its members on matters of public policy, both at the State and Federal levels.

Cindy Robert, AIA Oregon’s lobbyist since 2000, reported on the outcomes of the recently adjourned 2024 Legislative Session impacting the architectural profession. Cindy said the legislators only passed 100 of 300 bills introduced, but many of those which became law portend “monumental changes” for Oregon architects. Chief among these changes are the Governor’s Housing Bill & Funding Package (allocating $376 million in funding for housing initiatives across the state), the creation of a new Housing Accountability & Production Office, a directive for the Department of Land Conservation and Development to create model ordinances that provide clear and objective standards for the development of various housing types, and the barring of design professional “duty to defend” provisions in construction contracts.

The passage of the “duty to defend” legislation (SB 1575A) is particularly welcome and overdue. I’ve seen too many public agencies throughout Oregon include contractual clauses that require architects to defend those agencies in the event of legal claims for damages even though the design professional is not responsible for them. The “duty to defend” language is legally problematic, expensive, and uninsurable by professional liability carriers. The fact such clauses became ubiquitous may in part be a consequence of many architects failing to understand their implications, or simply missing the “fine print” altogether. The new legislation will ensure fairness for architects and engineers in the public contracting process by requiring each party to a construction contract to be responsible for their own negligence or fault. This means parties will pay damages based on actual liability, rather than alleged liability once that responsibility is determined.

Mentor Madness

The definition of a Citizen Architect can also include the duty to mentor the future generation of design professionals. Evon Calabrese, Assoc. AIA and Nicole Becker, AIA, introduced Mentor Madness, which will be a fast-paced four-week program offering group and one-on-one mentorship sessions. The sessions will match experienced professionals looking to share their wisdom with aspiring architects-to-be.

Evon and Nicole, both emerging professionals themselves, organized Mentor Madness particularly for those new to the Oregon architecture community. In addition to a series of virtual meetings, the coming Oregon Design Conference will serve as a program venue. The conference (May 8-10 in Bend) will host related presentations, including an overview of the AIA and the pathways to getting involved at the chapter and national levels, an introduction to allied professional organizations, and what it means to be a Citizen Architect. Acceptance into the Mentor Madness program includes registration to the Oregon Design Conference and a $300 travel stipend. The AIA College of Fellows provided the funding necessary to make the program possible.

Unfortunately, the deadline for both mentor and mentee applications is tomorrow (Monday, March 25); I’m late in reporting about the Mentor Madness program. Act quickly if you’re interested. I expect the program may become a fixture on the AIA Oregon calendar in future years, so future opportunities to participate will undoubtedly exist.

The Architect as Mayor

Kaarin Knudson, AIA is currently one of three candidates running for mayor of Eugene. I’ve already endorsed Kaarin’s candidacy. She is nothing but the epitome of a Citizen Architect. As I first wrote last September, Kaarin brings a fresh perspective to local politics, one that combines her experience as an architect, urban designer, university educator, and community leader. She addressed the value of that perspective during her presentation and the subsequent question & answer period.

In some respects, it’s curious more architects have not taken this step. Architects do possess political agency by virtue of their training and the nature of their work, which is inherently public. I believe design excellence as a civic imperative should be a precondition for holding political office at the local level. Thomas Jefferson’s dictum that “design activity and political thought are indivisible” comes to mind here. By their nature, architects are adept at solving complex problems through design, leading project stakeholders as well as the communities they serve toward better futures.

Effective leadership from the mayor’s chair can result in constructive and responsible change. This is even true here in Eugene, which operates under the council-manager form of government. The mayor’s influence is limited or “weak” in such a system. Regardless, the mayor of Eugene can exercise leadership to build a constituency for design excellence and influence the community to confront its adaptive challenges—those gaps between a citizenry’s values and the current reality that cannot be closed by routine behavior.

I believe Kaarin has the acumen, collaborative mindset, and most importantly the vision to be the persuasive leader Eugene needs. She is most worthy of your support. Ballots for the primary election are due on May 21.   

*    *    *    *    *    *

I cannot claim the mantle of “Citizen Architect” to the extent that those who have worked tirelessly over many years on behalf of their clients, friends, neighbors, and fellow design professionals can. Yes, I did my part during my 2008-2009 stint on the AIA Oregon board, traveling to Salem and Washington D.C. to advocate for sound public policies that support livable, sustainable communities. Since then, my contributions have mostly been limited to attending public meetings and directly participating in public workshops associated with issues related to urban design, the housing affordability crisis, and the like. If anything, perhaps this blog fulfills my obligation to be a Citizen Architect, as I have used it as a public platform upon which to advocate on behalf of the broader purposes of architecture.

The Citizen Architect paradigm epitomizes the convergence of professional expertise and civic responsibility, serving as a catalyst for transformative change in the built environment. Through advocacy, activism, and community engagement, architects leverage their talents to address societal challenges, advance public welfare, and nurture inclusive, sustainable communities. As stewards of the built environment, Citizen Architects embody the ethos of service, stewardship, and social progress, shaping a more equitable and resilient future for future generations.

Corvallis Museum In-Person Tour

 

After two years absent of the opportunity to visit noteworthy local building projects, AIA Oregon and/or the Willamette Valley Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute have offered several tours this year in rapid succession. The most recent was this past Wednesday’s tour of the new Corvallis Museum. Located at 411 SW 2nd Street in downtown Corvallis, the museum adds a considerable cultural amenity and draw to Benton County’s principal urban center. It significantly complements the BCHS’s other extensive assets, which are primarily located in nearby Philomath and include the historic Philomath Museum and the Peter & Rosalie Johnson Collections Center.
 
I’ve written three previous entries about the Corvallis Museum, dating back a dozen years. My fascination with the project stems from my admiration for the work of the building’s author—Allied Works Architecture—and the fact my office also pursued the commission. My familiarity with the project’s goals, the nature of the museum’s collections and mission, and its location in downtown Corvallis drove my continued interest throughout its protracted development.
 
About twenty AIA Oregon members were on hand for the in-person tour, ably led by Jessica Hougen (Executive Director, Benton County Historical Society), Michael Schweizer (former member of the BCHS Board of Trustees and current advisor to the board), and Chelsea Grassinger (design principal with Allied Works Architecture).
 
My account of last fall’s virtual tour of the then recently completed museum—also hosted by Jessica, Michael, and Chelsea—covered a lot of the territory I might otherwise repeat here. What I can say unequivocally is the opportunity to experience the building with all my senses was necessary to fully appreciate the genius of a deceptively simple and elegant design.
 

Exterior view from SW 2nd Street (all photos by me)

I do find some Allied Works Architecture projects to be mysterious, and the motivations behind the genesis and execution of their designs indecipherable (particularly when attempting to grasp them solely from drawings or photographs). Though it brought the firm a substantial measure of notoriety and attention, Witold Rybczynski characterized Allied Works’ design for the Museum of Arts and Design in New York as “fashionably inscrutable and mildly intimidating.”(1) That’s most certainly not the case with the Corvallis Museum.
 
That I do not find the museum either inscrutable or intimidating is in large part attributable to its modest scale, the luminous, hand-raked Japanese tile cladding, and refreshing transparency along both the SW 2nd Street and Adams Street frontages. The museum is physically welcoming, differentiated from its neighbors while at once complementing their massing, material, and detail. Though it glows, the Corvallis Museum is not an alien presence.

Lobby

 
Inside, the lobby, exhibit spaces, museum store, and classroom/event room feature a consistent palette of neutral, walls and ceilings (variously white-painted drywall or wood), wood floors (slate at the ground-level lobby), and elegantly detailed and minimalistic guardrails, handrails, display vitrines, and casework. The oak-clad grand stair draws visitors upstairs, while framing the majesty that is Bruce the Moose, the museum’s de facto mascot.

Bruce

The origami-like folding of the ceilings, walls, and clerestory windows of the second-floor galleries carefully frames views to the exterior and controls the entrance of natural light. The geometry is necessarily complex but does not detract from the exhibits on display or an overall impression of calm and order.
 
The quirkiness of the eclectic exhibits currently on display deservedly draw the focus of visitors to the museum. The Corvallis Museum features selections from the Benton County Historical Society’s massive collection of over 120,000 artifacts. The charming collection includes photographs, historical documents, textiles, clothing, domestic arts, farm implements, scientific instruments, and personal possessions. The juxtaposition of wildly disparate items—vintage hats & chairs, an old mainframe computer with its innards exposed, lumberjack saws, taxidermy, a ship’s helm, roller blades, and more—hardly seems curated, but purposely celebrates the one-of-a-kind past and present of Benton County.(2)   

 

If I must identify one quibble with the design, it is how acoustically lively the central lobby/atrium is. The reverberance appears compounded by the geometry of the reflective ceiling planes ringing the opening to the mezzanine exhibit space above. I didn’t ask whether this was by design (given that an acoustical consultant—Jaffe Holden—was part of the design team, and how thoroughly considered every other aspect of the interiors appears to have been) or a matter of budget limitations. By contrast, the gallery spaces control noise much more effectively.
 
My photographs fall woefully short of capturing the essence of an in-person visit to the museum. Jeremy Bitterman’s beautifully radiant images on the Allied Works website warrant your admiration, but they too cannot reveal the experiential qualities of walking around and through the building.
 
Overall, I’m a big fan of the Corvallis Museum. Kudos to the Benton County Historical Society and its many supporters for making its long-held vision for the museum a reality. The building is a significant architectural accomplishment and an amazing cultural asset for downtown Corvallis.
 
 
(1)    Ironically, as I detailed in my Virtual Tour post, it was the Museum of Arts and Design that brought Allied Works and the firm’s founder, Brad Cloepfil, to the attention of Irene Zenev, who was the Benton County Historical Society’s executive director during the design and construction of the Corvallis Museums.
 
(2)    Renate provided exhibit design services.
 

2019 People’s Choice Award Winners

Frank Visconti, AIA emceed the 2019 People's Choice Awards presentation at Civic Winery, October 23, 2019 (my photo)

Each year, the American Institute of Architects Oregon Chapter/Eugene Section (AIA Eugene), in collaboration with the Willamette Valley Section of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), sponsors the People’s Choice Awards for Architecture. These awards aim to educate and inspire our fellow citizens by showcasing architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture projects created within the AIA Eugene section area by AIA or ASLA members. The program demonstrates to the public the role of the architectural profession in enhancing the built environment by showcasing the talents of AIA Eugene and ASLA members. 

It’s hard to believe, but this year marked the 30th year of the People's Choice Awards. The projects presented for consideration were uniformly of a high quality, a testament to the maturation and increasing skill of local design professionals. Voting opened during the September 22 Eugene Sunday Streets event and continued through September 30, with the public and AIA and ASLA members alike casting their ballots either at the display of projects boards in the Broadway Commerce Center or online through the AIA Eugene website. 

As in previous years, the public voted for their favorite projects across an assortment of categories. Eugene mayor Lucy Vinis announced her Mayor’s Choice winners in a special video, demonstrating her thoughtfulness and consideration of issues of importance to the built environment in the city she leads. AIA Eugene and ASLA members also identified their selections in the Colleagues’ Choice voting. 

The awards presentation took place last Wednesday evening at Civic Winery in downtown Eugene. Attendance at the event was very good (60+ AIA Eugene and ASLA members, contractors, and clients were on hand) to enjoy the presentation of the awards, each other’s company, and an assortment of wine varieties and hor’d'oeuvres. 

The People’s Choice Awards program would not have been a success without the support of the following generous sponsors: 

• AIA Eugene 
• Advance Cabinet Designs 
• Arbor South Architecture 
• Central Print & Reprographic Services 
• McClain Consulting & Construction 
• Rowell Brokaw Architects 
• Rubenstein’s

Without further ado, here is the list of the 2019 award winners: 

People's Choice Award Winners: 

Public Landscape: Rockridge Park / Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture and Planning 

Residential Landscape: The Joseph Garden / Stangeland & Associates 

Institutional Landscape: Heartfelt House / Schirmer Satre Group 

Single-Family Residential: Coastal Tiny Home / Nir Pearlson Architect 

Multi-Family Housing: Amazon Corner / Rowell Brokaw Architects 

Public/Institutional: Heartfelt Guest House / 2fORM Architecture 

Commercial: Mahonia Mixed-Use Building / Arkin Tilt Architects 

Interiors: Mahonia Building Interiors / Nir Pearlson Architect 

Unbuilt: New David Minor Theater / Willard C. Dixon Architect 

2019 Mayor’s Choice Award Winners: 

Courtyard House / 2fORM Architecture 

Blossom Cottages / Arbor South Architecture 

The Bard / Q Sterry Inspired Arehitecture 

2019 Colleague’s Choice Winner: 

1203 Willamette Street / Rowell Brokaw Architects 

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Tykeson Hall

Tykeson Hall (all photos by me)

The opportunity to tour a building before it opens and hear firsthand accounts of its design from those directly involved in its realization is always a treat. Such was the case last Wednesday with Tykeson Hall, which will be the newest academic building on the University of Oregon campus when it opens its doors to students this fall.

I joined a large group comprised of members from the local sections or chapters of AIA, CSI, and ASHRAE for a sneak peek at the nearly complete facility. Our able hosts were Chris Andrejko, AIA of Rowell Brokaw Architects PC and Greg Langdon, PE of Systems West Engineers. Chris and Greg provided us with an introduction to the project by describing its general organization and design features before allowing us to explore the building on our own.

Chris Andrejko, AIA (left) and Greg Langdon, PE

Tykeson Hall will house numerous advising and student resources for the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), previously scattered about the campus. Additionally, it will provide much-needed classroom and faculty office space within the heart of the university. The enclosed floor area totals 64,000 square feet across four floors plus a basement. The project cost $31 million to build.

Situated between Johnson Hall and Chapman Hall, the new building upholds the university’s comprehensive Campus Physical Framework Vision by establishing stronger connections between major pedestrian circulation routes and clarifying the structure of open spaces in its vicinity. Its compact form preserves the south-facing open space by Chapman Hall, forming an outdoor room (dubbed “The Oval”) for campus events. One day, Tykeson Hall and a future academic building at the intersection of E.13th Avenue and University Street will bookend and frame historic Johnson Hall.(1) 

Organizational diagram.

Second Floor Plan.

Rowell Brokaw Architects partnered with Office 52 Architecture of Portland to design the project. PLACE provided site design and landscape architecture services. Together, the team delivered a respectful piece of architecture that neither clamors for attention nor is entirely deferential. The building balances both traditional and modern expressions within an admirably clear and diagrammatic parti. Janus-like, Tykeson Hall unapologetically presents two faces toward its surroundings.

West elevation facing The Oval.

Its unique terracotta rainscreen distinguishes the “modern” face oriented west toward The Oval. While several of the university’s historic buildings feature ornamental terracotta details on their facades and entries, Rowell Brokaw and Office 52 use the material in a decidedly contemporary manner. Manufactured by Shildan and installed by Streimer Sheet Metal, the terracotta is applied in five distinct, custom glaze colors as a rain-screen cladding. The team detailed the open-joint system with 3/8 inch gaps between the terracotta panels, and carefully planned the material’s layout to avoid adjacencies between panels of the same color.

Though the terracotta is striking, I do wonder if its resolutely planar application represents a missed opportunity to exploit its plastic and decorative potential. At the height of its popularity as a building material during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, architects often embellished their designs with elaborately sculpted terracotta components (the work of Louis Sullivan stands out in this regard). While terracotta is seeing a resurgence of its use in recent years, today’s architects seem reticent to make full use of its inherent properties. If they did, we might see new work displaying the coherent levels of scale, geometric recursion, and fractal patterns of the types we intuitively respond to in historic and vernacular architectures.

Terracotta detail at the northwest corner of the building.

Tykeson Hall’s east, “traditional” brick side employs a subtly variegated blend of colors and a unique cross bond pattern to visually complement its historic neighbors. Despite the site’s prominence on 13th Avenue—the campus’s most significant central circulation corridor—the new building exhibits a sympathetic scale and a welcome absence of posturing.  

View from 13th Avenue looking toward the northeast corner.

The contrast between the two exterior expressions of Tykeson Hall also articulates the pattern of the functional program within the building. The eastern portion of Tykeson Hall primarily houses six flexible classrooms, while the west side accommodates a series of collaborative spaces and a ground-floor commons that opens in good weather toward The Oval. An inviting, open stair featuring an interactive art piece by Narduli STUDIO connects all five interior levels, as does a skylight-topped, central light well.(2) I appreciated how Rowell Brokaw and Office 52 assigned each floor a unique geographic theme to inform the color and finishes palette, evoking Oregon’s High Desert on one floor, its coast on another, and so on. The otherwise unassuming interior spaces will undoubtedly be pleasant and functional when in use.

Interior view.

Chris and Greg said Tykeson Hall should be 35% more efficient than the current Oregon Energy Code requires, and is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification. Daylighting, natural ventilation, radiant floors, chilled beams, and a high-performance building envelope will all help to lower the total energy consumption of the building.

Overall, Tykeson Hall bodes well for the University of Oregon in its efforts to preserve the unique character of the campus. Promoting and protecting a strong sense of place—as opposed to provocatively disrupting it—is the order of the day. The duty to protect the sense of place demands that architects entrusted to design new buildings do so with a full understanding and appreciation for the planning framework that underlies the campus fabric.

(1)     The future development of a proposed building will require moving Collier House to another location yet to be determined. 

(2)     Horizontally deployed fire-rated curtains enclose the floor openings at two levels, obviating the need for a mechanical smoke evacuation system within an atrium.  

AIA Eugene 2019 Construction Craft Awards

2019 AIA Eugene Construction Craft Awards Banquet, May 8, 2019 (photo by Dylan Tibbetts)

It was a full house this past Wednesday evening in the University of Oregon’s Ford Alumni Center’s Lee Barlow Giustina Ballroom as AIA Eugene honored the nominees for and recipients of the 2019 Construction Craft Awards. The event was my profession’s opportunity to honor fine craftsmanship and recognize those considered by the jury to be deserving of special recognition. It was a wonderful evening that celebrated the best of the best.

The purpose of this long-running awards program, started in 1953 and last held in 2015, is to give special recognition to those individuals in the building industry who have mastered the ideals of their craft on a particular project or over the course of their careers. AIA Eugene honors the most deserving of these individuals with the presentation of a Construction Craft Award. The overarching purpose is to ensure the time-honored ideals of craftsmanship are sustained and passed along. The program’s success is dependent upon nominations of those individuals AIA Eugene members believe exemplify the highest standards of craftsmanship. 

The following is the list of the eighteen nominees for the 2019 Construction Craft Awards: 

• Alice McCann - Product Representative, Armstrong World Industries 
• Charlotte Curtis - Commercial Plans Examiner, City of Eugene
• Doug Edwards - Finished Woodworker, LJ Pearson
• Erica Ann Bush - Natural Plasterer, Day One Design LLC
• Evin Avila - Construction Superintendent, Ordell Construction
• Gordon Rea - Construction Superintendent, McKenzie Commercial Contractors, Inc.
• Jon McCoy - Construction Superintendent, Chambers Construction
• Jonathan Chandler - Metal Fabrication, Jonathan Chandler Metal Works
• Keith Perkins - Sheet Metal Worker, Smith Sheet Metal
• Kelly Huber - Metal Fabrication, Urban Lumber Company
• Leanne Tollerud -Cabinet Maker, Advance Cabinet Designs
• Obadiah “Ob” Buley - Ceiling Grid & Tile Installer, Haas Contracting, Inc.
• Robin Olofson - Cabinet Maker, Yankee Built
• Steve Baker - Sheet Metal Worker, Smith Sheet Metal
• Terry Green - General Manager, Rubensteins Contract Carpet
• Tim Jacobs - Construction Superintendent, Chambers Construction
• Tim Stephens - General Contractor/Carpenter, Frontier Builders
• Wilbur Burge - Construction Superintendent, 2G Construction

The 2019 Construction Craft Award nominees (photo by Dylan Tibbetts)

The awards jury—comprised of representatives from the design and construction industries, including past award winners—met for 3½ hours to consider the nominations. The deliberations involved reviews of 74 letters of reference and recommendations, and photographs of in-process and completed projects documenting the craft each nominee has brought to the projects he or she has worked on. The jury weighed each nomination on its own merit for the work presented and the endorsements included in each packet.

While being nominated for this award program is a great acknowledgement in itself, in the end the jury agreed to confer six individuals with a 2019 Construction Craft Award. Accompanied by the jury’s commendation for each, the following are the deserving recipients:

Steve Baker

Sheet Metal Worker, Smith Sheet Metal 
As a lead journeyman/foreman for Smith Sheet Metal for over 25 years, Steve’s high level of skill and extensive knowledge of the sheet metal industry exemplifies what it means to be a crafts person at the top of their trade. He is highly skilled and experienced with many panel systems including a wide variety of metal roofing and siding products as well as modern rain screen cladding systems. He has proven himself to be extremely valuable in his ability to design and install complex sheet metal flashing assemblies, performing work that few others can with such skill. His attention to detail is unmatched.

Erica Ann Bush

Natural Plasterer, Day One Design LLC

With a background in architecture, and as an experienced contractor with a concern for the environment, Erica always comes through in providing high quality construction services in the green and natural building realm, and has consistently shown herself as competent, hard-working, and inventive. Erica is professional, knowledgeable, and always eager to explore ideas and ways of pushing the limits of natural construction. Her use of natural plaster in creative applications brings a high level of artistic craft and sustainability to her projects.

Charlotte Curtis

Commercial Plans Examiner, City of Eugene

During Charlotte’s 28 years of service to our shared community as a commercial plans examiner, she has reviewed a multitude of building permit applications, provided straightforward counsel when asked about the intricacies of the building code, coordinated project consultations with stakeholders, and guided first time permit applicants as well as seasoned design professionals and contractors through the City of Eugene’s building permit process with equanimity, confidence, and grace. She performed plan reviews for well-known and locally treasured buildings including Matt Knight Arena, Eugene Public Library, Knight Campus for Accelerated Scientific Innovation, Lillis Business Center, Hayward Field, and Ninkasi Brewing. Charlotte brings her smile and enthusiasm to every project she touches, and in doing so she has helped make the City of Eugene a friendlier place to design and build in.

Jon McCoy

Construction Superintendent, Chambers Construction 
Working with Chambers Construction for almost 30 years Jon has completed a long list of projects varying in size, scope, construction type, challenges, and complexity. He is friendly and welcoming to everyone on the project site, whether the owner, architect, plumber’s helper, or steel erector. His approachable manner allows him to know at any time what everyone is working on and when tasks should be completed, allowing for great communication and coordination between trades. He inspires others around him, is a true leader, a superb craftsman, and a trusted team player.

Robin Olofson

Cabinet Maker, Yankee Built

Whether residential or commercial construction, Robin brings skill, versatility, and ingenuity to everything he works on. Robin’s willingness to participate in the design process from the outset has been fundamental to achieve the level of creativity and customization that architects and clients alike are aiming for when it comes to the project’s custom built casework. His in-person involvement and attention to detail, from the first set of finish samples to the careful installation of casework components, has been essential to the success of many of his projects.

Gordon Rea

Construction Superintendent, McKenzie Commercial Contractors, Inc. 
Over a decades-long career that is not yet complete, Gordon has presented himself on one project after another as a picture of humanity. Whether new construction or complicated remodel work, Gordon approaches each assignment with great care, understanding of the scope and goals, and the thorough planning needed to complete each project, often in continually occupied buildings. He is respectful to the building occupants, and maintains open lines of communications with all involved. And he does it with a positive can-do attitude, and a great pride in accomplishing the work on time, under budget, and of high quality.

(L to R) My Robertson/Sherwood/Architects colleague Andy Drake, me, and 2019 Construction Craft Award recipient Gordon Rea.

Architect and designer Justin Allen delivered the evening’s keynote address. Justin is the Stott Visiting Professor in the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture & Environment. Though American, he now works in Berlin, Germany in partnership with Saskia Kaufmann and their firm AllenKaufman Studio.

Justin proved to be a most appropriate and thoughtful speaker for the Craft Awards program. He acquired his dedication to craft while working during his teens in his father’s tool and die manufacturing shop. The experience instilled in him an appreciation for precision and attention to detail. Following university, he worked with Steven Holl Architects in New York before moving to Berlin, where a longstanding tradition of artisanal craftsmanship is engrained in the culture. He and Saskia Kaufmann established their office with the goal of embracing art and fabrication in the context of architecture and design, and committing to the collaborative aspect of creating projects, objects, and subjects through a process of inspiration, imagination, and refinement.

For Justin, the inclusion of both masculine and feminine perspectives is key to the evolution of craft in architecture and interior design. I found his emphasis on this point somewhat curious, as it seems the application of and appreciation for craft should be irrespective of gender. That said, the fact Justin is compelled to underscore the necessity of collaborations between male and female architects, designers, and craftspeople suggests we still have a ways to go before the design and construction industries will provide truly equitable opportunities for all.  

Justin Allen (photo by Dylan Tibbetts)

Justin quipped that while AIA Eugene architects enthusiastically fete the Construction Craft Award honorees, does the absence of a reciprocal awards program produced by construction craftspeople say something about what they think of architects? Joking aside, there’s no doubt in my mind the Construction Craft Awards program is one of our professional organization’s most important traditions. It’s essential we take the time to recognize the skilled, talented, and deserving individuals who make us and our projects look good.  

*    *    *    *    *    *

I talked to several of the nominees and award recipients before and after the awards ceremony, and to a person all felt truly honored to be there. More than anything else, I found hearing this especially gratifying because it points to how meaningful the Construction Craft Awards program is to our collaborators in the construction trades. The 2019 edition was a great success due to the efforts of the organizing committee, the jury, and most significantly all of the award recipients and nominees. Congratulations to all involved!