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!

Influences: Charles Jencks

Charles Jencks (1939–2019)

An earlier blog entry of mine, “Genealogy of Influence,” promised a series of posts about the architects and theorists who influenced my architectural world view. This is the latest post in the series.

  

Charles Jencks died last Sunday, October 13, succumbing to cancer at the age of 80. He greatly influenced how I came to appreciate architecture during my student years, helping me understand how buildings and landscapes possessed of order, coherence, and purpose are those most likely to convey meaning. It is lately that his work and the work of his second wife Maggie Keswick (who predeceased him in 1995) have also impressed me with their regard for the potential of architecture as vessels of hope, employing nature and the cosmos as metaphors in the service of a better future.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, by Charles Jencks and Maggie Keswick

Charles Jencks was the embodiment of a polymath. Though I’m most familiar with him as a writer about architecture, he was also a renowned landscape architect responsible for the design of several ambitious projects that employed monumentally geometric forms to express profound ideas about cosmology, chaos theory, and subatomic physics. Jencks was American but I always thought of him as British because he moved to the UK in the mid-1960s, where he received his PhD in Architectural History from University College in London. He would go on to teach at the Architectural Association in London and at UCLA while I pursued my post-professional Master of Architecture degree there during the mid-eighties.

I found his books about architecture engrossing. My personal library includes three of his volumes: Le Corbuiser and the Tragic View of Architecture (1973), The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977), and Late-Modern Architecture (1980). To say many of his books were influential is an understatement. He’s largely responsible for popularizing the assignment of “isms” to various strands of architecture, of which post-modernism may be most well-known. His sharp wit and provocative writing style made for eminently easy reading.

Jencks’ fluid, taxonomical classification of architectural styles, movements, and architects of the 20^th Century

Jencks specialized in metanarratives—overarching accounts and interpretations of the circumstances that gave structure to various movements in architecture. He classified, categorized, and sorted the work of important architects, conceiving fantastical taxonomical trees to make sense of a confusing proliferation of successive and contemporary notions about meaning (or the ironic absence thereof) in architecture.

Although his writings are central to his legacy, I suspect if we could ask him today he would point to Maggie’s Centres—the series of 21 cancer clinics located throughout the UK and Hong Kong that provide emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends—as his most meaningful work. Named after Jenck’s late wife, each Maggie’s Centre is designed by a leading architect. To date, the list of prominent designers includes Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Kisho Kurokawa, Steven Holl, and Snohetta among others.  

  

Maggie’s Centre, Dundee, designed by Frank Gehry (photo by Ydam [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)])

Researchers say people who have a strong sense of meaning in life tend to live longer than others whose sense of meaning is not as strong. At the least, a sense of meaning is comforting, which it undoubtedly is for the patients who are afforded the comfort provided by Maggie’s Centres. 

As an architect, I want my work to be meaningful. Unfortunately, regardless of whatever longevity I may enjoy, the fact is my time here is finite and in the grand scheme of things quite fleeting. That so many of the individuals who opened my eyes to the power of architecture during my formative years have recently passed is sobering.(1)  It seems like only yesterday that I came to know and learn so much from them, underscoring how brief the opportunity is that we have to make an imprint upon others and the world.

Edwin Heathcoate wrote in the Financial Times that Jencks believed in “the capacity of architecture to not only be given meaning but also to give meaning back to life.” Charles Jencks inspired me to regard architecture through this lens, to have faith in its power to help us express what is most significant and profound. “Can’t you see, we are in dialogue with the universe?” Jencks once said. Fundamentally, his career's focus on semiology in architecture was rooted in his desire to raise our cosmological consciousness.

(1) Among them, Robert Venturi, Charles Moore, Bing Thom, Arthur Erickson, and Bill Kleinsasser.  

Guest Viewpoint: Nicolai Kruger

Nicolai Kruger, AIA is a licensed architect and illustrator. I’ve known Nicolai since her husband Yasu Yanagisawa, AIA, CDT, JIA worked with me at Robertson/Sherwood/Architects back in 2004-2006. Nicolai and Yasu have enjoyed a diversity of rich professional experiences since then, including opportunities to work in Yasu’s native Japan, ultimately returning to Oregon a few years back. They presently live with their two children and work in Portland, Yasu with McKenzie, while Nicolai provides illustration services to architects, designers, developers, and public agencies through her business Nicolai Kruger Studio. Nicolai is also an adjunct assistant professor at Portland State University, where she teaches visual communications.  

It was during their period in Japan that Nicolai worked at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects’ Tokyo office. There, she enjoyed the good fortune of working with the firm’s renowned founder, AIA Gold Medal recipient Cesar Pelli, FAIA, RIBA, JIA. Pelli passed away in July at the age of 92, immediately prompting countless remembrances from all corners in honor of the immensely influential designer of projects like the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the MoMA Museum Tower in New York, and the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. Nicolai penned her own tribute to her former colleague, which I’m pleased to reprint below:

Cesar Pelli (1926-2019)

Remembering Cesar Pelli 

 “Society is the ultimate recipient of all buildings… Citizens have the right to expect that every new building will contribute to a better city and a more humane world.” -  Cesar Pelli

Last month I reunited with former colleagues at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects to remember the firm’s founder, Cesar Pelli. I spent nine years working in the Japan branch of PCPA. Whenever I visited the main office in New Haven, Connecticut, Cesar would ask about my family and our mutual friends back in Tokyo. He revered the Japanese culture and building tradition. He had worked on countless projects in Japan, starting with the US Embassy in 1972, and had made a lasting imprint on the Osaka and Tokyo skylines.

On the few occasions that Cesar came to Tokyo, I was assigned to be his “handler” in Japan. I would meet him at Narita Airport and see to it that he got where he needed to be: meetings and dinners with important clients; occasionally I translated for him during his stay. While working together on the Tokyo American Club project, I noticed that Cesar often acknowledged the influence of his contemporaries and collaborators. He always gave due credit to junior staff and asked for their input.
 
“My love for teaching is older than my love for architecture.”  -  Cesar Pelli

Pelli projects on the Tokyo skyline: Atago Green Hills and Forest Tower. Image (c) Jun Mitusi & Associates Inc. Architects / Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects Japan, Inc.

Now that I am running my own studio and teaching courses at Portland State University, I am more aware of the positive influence Cesar had on me and on our profession. The experience of teaching as a professional, helps one see things anew, which is invaluable. To read more about Cesar Pelli’s life and learn about the academic scholarship set up in his name, see the tribute page here. 日本語のペリの訃報 詳細について.

Nicolai Kruger

2020 CSI Certification Classes

For the 38th consecutive year, the Construction Specifications Institute–Willamette Valley Chapter (CSI-WVC) is pleased to offer a series of classes on Construction Contract Documents in addition to another set covering Construction Contract Administration. While the principal purpose of the courses is to assist those planning to take one or more of the CSI-sponsored certification examinations, they’re also beneficial to anyone in the AEC industry seeking foundational training in the preparation and use of construction documents. Additionally, the classes can be of significant value to architectural interns and to the firms for whom they work, as well as very helpful to those preparing to take the State Architectural Licensing Exams. 

The evening classes begin in early January 2020 and continue weekly through the first part of March.

Click on the following links to locate detailed information about the classes, dates, fees, and registration:

Construction Contract Documents (CDT) Classes:

https://app.box.com/s/iuz232fp2zcdhywlu20qcutv60wk2c8k 

Construction Contract Administration (CCA) Classes:   

https://app.box.com/s/oxcjwirvcln0lqb9w1oiv4yxy6p76wu0https://app.box.com/s/oxcjwirvcln0lqb9w1oiv4yxy6p76wu0  

The venue for both courses will be the Eugene Builders Exchange, located at 2460 West 11th Avenue in Eugene. 

Both courses can help students develop a conceptual understanding of the entire construction process, and concrete skills in: 

• Construction documentation development and administration 
• Specification writing and enforcement 
• Product research and sourcing 
• Communication with the design and contracting teams

The Construction Documents program provides a comprehensive overview for anyone who writes, interprets, enforces, or manages construction documents. Being able to understand and interpret written construction documents helps architects, contractors, contract administrators, material suppliers, and manufacturers' representatives perform their jobs more effectively. Understanding the roles and relationships of all participants improves communication among all members of the construction team. The Construction Contract Administration course goes further to emphasize the specific knowledge and skills necessary to administer and enforce construction contract documentation. While not necessary, some students may find it helpful to have completed the Construction Documents course before taking the Construction Contract Administration program.

As mentioned above, both classes serve as excellent means to prepare for CSI’s certification exams. Certification as a Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) means you have demonstrated ability to prepare, use, and interpret construction documents. CDT certification is a prerequisite to CSI’s advanced certifications, which include Certified Construction Specifier (CCS), Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA), and Certified Construction Product Representative (CCPR).

CSI offers its certification examinations twice annually, in the spring and the fall. Taking the 2020 Willamette Valley Chapters classes this winter would set you up nicely to register for the spring set of exams.

The classes are especially beneficial for emerging design & construction industry professionals, and to the firms for which they work. They’re also particularly helpful to aspiring architects preparing to take a State Licensing Exam.

By taking either of the classes, fully fledged architects can earn up to 16 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours to apply toward maintaining Oregon State Board of Architect Examiners professional licensure; AIA Members can earn up 16 Continuing Education Learning Units (LU) which CSI will report directly to AIA/CES.

Hundreds of local AEC professionals have already benefitted immeasurably by taking one or both CSI certification classes. Do the same and you’ll learn about the importance of clear, concise, correct, and complete construction documents, and more fully understand how projects unfold from conception to delivery. Best of all, you’ll advance your career prospects and become a highly valued member of any project team.

If you have any questions, please call me at 541-342-8077 or send me an email at rnishimura@robertsonsherwood.com. 

Triple Bottom Line

John Elkington, editor-at-large for GreenBiz.com, coined the term "triple bottom line" in 1994 (image from The Elkington Report)

The concept of the triple bottom line (TBL) provides a framework within which to analyze the full societal costs (both direct and indirect) of environmental, social, and economic impacts. The TBL framework is particularly applicable to what architects do because of the far-reaching effects of our work. Construction and its associated extraction and processing of resources tax our environment, as does every building’s operation. The quality and efficacy of our designs directly factor into the calculation of a development’s economic benefits over time. The degree to which all stakeholder interests are viewed as interdependent, and benefitting as many constituencies as possible, influences the strength and growth of a community. 

A growing appreciation for thinking sustainably originally fueled TBL’s full-cost accounting model. Today, TBL tends to be more holistic and less siloed. It’s a useful structure for achieving integrated decision-making, adaptable for use by any organization. The City of Eugene is one such organization, having adopted the framework as a means for helping reach its sustainability goals. How to implement TBL on any particular project is a factor in the City’s consideration of responses to its Requests for Proposals, including those from architectural firms. 

Typically, an organization’s TBL policy includes a vision comprised of declarative statements similar to those listed here (these happen to be those of the City of Eugene):

• Value all people, encouraging respect and appreciation for diversity, equity, justice, and social well-being. We recognize and appreciate our differences and embrace our common humanity as the source of our strength.
• Be responsible stewards of our physical assets and natural resources. We will sustain our clean air and water, beautiful parks and open space, livable and safe neighborhoods, and foster a vibrant downtown, including a stable infrastructure.
• Encourage a strong, sustainable and vibrant economy, fully utilizing our educational and cultural assets, so that every person has an opportunity to achieve financial security.

The City of Eugene refers to TBL as a tool, but also acknowledges it doesn’t produce objective data. Instead, TBL provides a set of questions or prompts to guide discussions and decision-making. The City defines these questions in the following way:

• Environmental Health:  How would this proposal affect environmental health and our ability to effectively address climate change? 
• Economic Prosperity: How would this proposal affect the local economy and what are its costs to the community, now and over the long term? How does the proposal support responsible stewardship of public resources?
• Social Equity:  How would this proposal affect community relationships, effective government, social justice and overall livability? Does the proposal account for differing impacts on community members (vulnerable populations, specific neighborhoods, distinct groups, other)?

The TBL tool is not an exhaustive analytical process involving rigorous layers of research and analysis. It is rather a moral imperative that follows the dictates of conscience, the outcome of which are practical environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

All fine and good, but how do architects apply TBL in practice? 

The TBL does function as a useful frame of reference within which architects can evaluate an evolving design using metrics focused upon matters of equity, the environment (a metric such as LEED is useful), and economic impact (including full life-cycle costing and evaluation of community benefits). Ideally, it can also serve as a foundation upon which architects build their practices, instilling an overarching ethos that guides decisions related to running all aspects of a firm (such as efforts to diversify the workplace). 

My office—Robertson/Sherwood/Architects—recently pursued the City of Eugene’s Town Square project, of which a new City Hall building and Lane County Farmers Market pavilion will be components. The City ultimately selected FFA Architecture + Interiors of Portland as its architects for the project. While the City did not choose us, the RFP and interview process did prompt serious consideration about how we address the TBL in our work. 

In response to the Town Square RFP, we emphasized our perception of how important the project will be to Eugene’s sense of identity. If it fulfills its promise, Eugene’s Town Square will be a place where everyone embraces and celebrates diversity, equity, justice, and social wellbeing (by providing equitable exposure and recognition, allowing all to occupy the space with accommodation and dignity). We regarded the project as the strongest possible demonstration of the City’s commitment to its urban core and all that entails—a vibrant open space that attracts high-value downtown development and with it jobs, residents, and a concomitant boost to the tax base. 

Additionally, we described how we envisioned Eugene’s Town Square as an exemplar of sustainability, not only because of specific design and specifications strategies but also because it will spur a shift toward walkability and a greater concentration of pedestrian-oriented services and amenities in its immediate vicinity, reducing carbon emissions and fostering healthier lifestyles. We imagined a successful Town Square project being a force for community engagement, where everyone can be seen and heard, and where citizens and their elected officials view each other as equals—characteristics common to the most equitable and democratic of forums. Above all, we emphasized our belief that good design should benefit everyone. 

It’s helpful when a client is committed to TBL principles. A challenge for architects is to avoid the urge to press their own agendas if their clients do not share a sympathetic perspective. Working primarily for a client’s benefit, the architect acts as a service-provider and the product should reflect the client’s desires. On the other hand, an architect’s ethical obligations include giving due regard for the interests of all who will be exposed to the impacts of their work. If these obligations are at odds with the client’s initial wishes, the onus falls upon the architect to fully research alternatives (architects need to ask the tough questions and not presume their clients will do likewise) so they can in turn educate their clients about the range of practical options available to choose from. In this context, framing the discussion from a TBL perspective can be helpful. 

Ideally, the triple bottom line is a winning proposition on all fronts, of mutual and synergistic benefit for the environment, economy, and society. Applying the TBL to every project—regardless of whether the project starts with TBL as a mandate—is a responsibility every architect should embrace.