SW Oregon Architect

MARCH 3, 2024

I participated this past Thursday in the kickoff meeting for the City of Eugene’s Urban Growth Strategies project. The goal of the project is to identify the essential tools, actions, policies, and land required over the next two decades to support housing and living wage jobs in our community. Given the number of ongoing projects related to housing and economic development, City staff reached out to a broad list of housing and development experts, employers, and business owners to help inform t

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SW Oregon Architect

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Yes, it’s true! This post marks my one thousandth entry since I started SW Oregon Architect back in 2008. Though the accomplishment hardly ranks up there with the greatest of human achievements, I will pat myself on the back for my dedication to writing on a regular basis. I embarked on my blogging journey with only modest goals. Initially, SW Oregon Architect primarily served as a means for me to communicate with the membership of the Southwestern Oregon Chapter of the American Institute of Arc

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Restoration Housing Windows Architect 209

SW Oregon Architect

FEBRUARY 18, 2024

I attended the latest Committee on the Environment (COTE) book talk hosted by AIA Oregon back on February 8. The virtual presentation, produced by Island Press, featured author Corey Squire , AIA and his new book People, Planet, Design: A Practical Guide to Realizing Architecture’s Potential. Corey’s compelling presentation, along with the subsequent question-and-answer period moderated by AIA COTE Leadership Group member Lyndley Kent AIA , focused on the idea that successful buildings should no

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Design Sustainability Firms Environment 195

SW Oregon Architect

FEBRUARY 11, 2024

The Robertson/Sherwood/Architects team during our construction tour of the new Lane Community College Health Professions Building. The Robertson/Sherwood/Architects staff recently toured the new Health Professions Building (HPB) project under construction on the Lane Community College main campus. As the design team’s project manager, I led the tour, helping to explain what is now coming together very quickly.

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SW Oregon Architect

FEBRUARY 4, 2024

Moravian Pottery and Tile Works (photo by Concord, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) The following is the second of two posts devoted to a lengthy passage from Bill Kleinsasser ’s 1981 edition of his self-published textbook, SYNTHESIS. (Read Part 1 here ). His fascination with the work and interests of Henry Chapman Mercer i s perhaps no more evident than in this reading.

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Roofing Construction Construction Space 205

SW Oregon Architect

JANUARY 28, 2024

Fonthill, the home of Henry Chapman Mercer, Doylestown, Pennsylvania (photo by Concord - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, [link] The following is the first of two posts devoted to a lengthy passage from Bill Kleinsasser ’ s 1981 edition of his self-published textbook, SYNTHESIS. His fascination with the work and interests of Henry Chapman Mercer is perhaps no more evident than in this reading.

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SW Oregon Architect

JANUARY 21, 2024

Quackenbush Building (my photo) This is the next in my Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet series of blog posts, the focus of each being a landmark building here in Eugene. Many of these will be familiar to most who live here but there are likely to be a few buildings that are less so. My selection criteria for each will be threefold: The building must be of architectural interest, local importance, or historically significant.

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Architecture Commercial Windows Construction 213

SW Oregon Architect

JANUARY 14, 2024

This is another in my series of posts inspired by 1000 Awesome Things , the Webby Award-winning blog written by Neil Pasricha. The series is my meditation on the awesome reasons why I was and continue to be attracted to the art of architecture. At its core, architecture is about problem-solving. In the process of solving specific design problems, architects overcome challenges, innovate, and bring visions to life.

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Architecture Innovation Sketching Art 202

SW Oregon Architect

JANUARY 7, 2024

Sunrise over the Lane Community College campus. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work on a variety of significant projects throughout my career. The latest is the new Health Professions Building (HPB) for Lane Community College. Now under construction, it has proven to be one of the most rewarding assignments I have ever had the pleasure to be involved with.

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SW Oregon Architect

DECEMBER 31, 2023

It is New Year’s Eve as I write this, and people everywhere are or will shortly be celebrating the turn of the calendar to 2024. By marking the end of one year and the beginning of another, they reflect on the past and look forward to the future with hope and optimism. It is a time to embrace new beginnings and anticipate what lies ahead. This year’s celebration is a particularly momentous one for me, as I intend to retire next spring, shortly after I turn 65.

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SW Oregon Architect

DECEMBER 24, 2023

Long winter solstice shadows, Howard Buford Recreation Area, December 21, 2023 (photo by R. Fletcher). I played hooky from work this past Thursday afternoon to join a group of friends on a hike at the Howard Buford Recreation Area near Eugene. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions as the weather was unseasonably dry and sunny, perfect for a pleasant stroll along some of the park’s forest and oak savanna trails at the base of Mt.

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SW Oregon Architect

DECEMBER 17, 2023

Pergola, Hendricks Park, Eugene (my photo) My wife and I took advantage of the clear, crisp weather here in Eugene yesterday by taking a leisurely stroll through Hendricks Park. Hendricks Park was the site of our wedding back in 1988, so it is a special place for us. We frequently visit to enjoy the rhododendron garden (when in season), the native plant garden, the mature forest, and the views overlooking the city.

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Structure Nature Contemporary Roofing 189

SW Oregon Architect

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (all photos by me) This is the next in my Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet series of blog posts, the focus of each being a landmark building here in Eugene. Many of these will be familiar to most who live here but there are likely to be a few buildings that are less so. My selection criteria for each will be threefold: The building must be of architectural interest, local importance, or historically significant.

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SW Oregon Architect

DECEMBER 3, 2023

Rendering of the Flora M. Laird Memorial Library Expansion & Renovation Building projects do not happen overnight. Indeed, many only unfold over a protracted period, shaping and reshaping themselves as functional needs evolve and the vicissitudes of the construction marketplace dictate. I’ve been involved in several such projects, one of which—the expansion and renovation of the Flora M.

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Concept Estimating Architecture Renovation 215

SW Oregon Architect

NOVEMBER 26, 2023

I am both fascinated and concerned by the voices outside of my profession who have weaponized the aesthetics of architecture for use at the front of the culture wars. My thoughts on the topic are hardly original as many others, such as Robert Bevan (author of Monumental Lies: Culture Wars and the Truth about the Past ), have astutely commented on what is happening.

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SW Oregon Architect

NOVEMBER 19, 2023

Skinner Butte viewed from the west along 1st Avenue in Eugene. This is not a regulated view corridor. (Google Street View) View corridors are planning tools used in urban design and city planning to protect and enhance specific views within a city. They are meant to preserve visual connections between key landmarks, natural features, or other important elements of a cityscape.

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Regulation Cities Zoning Diagram 214

SW Oregon Architect

NOVEMBER 12, 2023

The Tate Modern, an example of adaptive reuse (photo by MasterOfHisOwnDomain, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) This is another in my series of posts inspired by 1000 Awesome Things , the Webby Award-winning blog written by Neil Pasricha. The series is my meditation on the awesome reasons why I was and continue to be attracted to the art of architecture.

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SW Oregon Architect

NOVEMBER 5, 2023

The Dutch are renowned for their innovative and forward-thinking approach to urban design, and consequently their livable, sustainable, and safe cities. Their urban spaces are frequently organized along woonerven (living streets), which prioritize cyclists and pedestrians over motorized traffic. The corresponding impact upon the morphology of urban environments and streetscapes in the Netherlands is profound.

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SW Oregon Architect

OCTOBER 29, 2023

Calvin & Hobbes (most worshipfully borrowed from Bill Watterson for fair use). I have always loved architecture. As a child, I discovered the work of Frank Lloyd Wright , and became utterly fascinated by the shapes, colors, and functions of all buildings. I spent countless hours drawing futuristic projects and planning entire cities teeming with skyscrapers.

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Inspiration Education Students Firms 208

SW Oregon Architect

OCTOBER 22, 2023

This is another in my series of posts inspired by 1000 Awesome Things , the Webby Award-winning blog written by Neil Pasricha. The series is my meditation on the awesome reasons why I was and continue to be attracted to the art of architecture. There are few things more rewarding for me as an architect than witnessing the genuine smiles and expressions of delight from clients and users upon first enjoying the projects my colleagues and I have had a hand in designing.

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Client Clients Architecture Inspiration 168

SW Oregon Architect

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Richards Medical Research Laboratories – Louis I. Kahn , Architect. The brick shafts on the periphery of the Richards labs hold stairwells and HVAC ducts, providing an effect reminiscent of the ancient towers of San Gimignano, Italy that Kahn admired. (photo by Smallbones ) Consistent throughout Bill Kleinsasser ’s many iterations of his self-published textbook SYNTHESIS are his reminders about how the architects’ work reveals what they have considered and whether they have accounted for everyth

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Diagram Engineering Engineering Utilities 218

SW Oregon Architect

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Cost limitations are an almost universal challenge in construction projects. Owners typically have a predetermined budget for their project, so the realities of construction costs force them to make difficult decisions about project scope, quality, or even whether the project can proceed. To address cost limitations, owners may need to work closely with their architects and contractors to identify effective solutions.

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SW Oregon Architect

OCTOBER 1, 2023

Olive Plaza (my photo) This is the next in my Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet series of blog posts, the focus of each being a landmark building here in Eugene. Many of these will be familiar to most who live here but there are likely to be a few buildings that are less so. My selection criteria for each will be threefold: The building must be of architectural interest, local importance, or historically significant.

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SW Oregon Architect

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona; Antoni Guadi, architect (photo by Garry Nishimura) From the moment I first became fascinated with architecture as a child, I have believed the buildings and places we respond to most deeply are founded upon bases that are truly profound. My dilemma was and remains my inability to articulate how we know them. Why is this?

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SW Oregon Architect

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

After considerable handwringing and stoking of my guilt complex, I have decided to relinquish my role as chair of the Construction Specifications Institute/Willamette Valley Chapter’s Certification Committee, a position I’ve held for the past decade. Unfortunately, because I haven’t been able to find someone to take up the mantle, the chapter will not offer its annual preparatory classes this coming winter for the Institute’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) and Certified Construction C

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SW Oregon Architect

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

The "Heartwood" under construction in the River District development (photos by me). Those of you who live in Eugene undoubtedly have seen the construction underway for the initial phase of Eugene’s downtown riverfront development. The “Heartwood” is the first residential building to be topped off. Upon completion, it will contain 95 market-rate apartment homes.

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Commercial Development Developer Construction 253

SW Oregon Architect

AUGUST 27, 2023

Using a scale model, a form of prototyping, to test design concepts (my photo) This is another in my series of posts inspired by 1000 Awesome Things , the Webby Award-winning blog written by Neil Pasricha. The series is my meditation on the awesome reasons why I was and continue to be attracted to the art of architecture. While iterative prototyping is a vital tool for design and innovation in many industries, the use of prototypes is severely limited in the production of architecture.

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SW Oregon Architect

AUGUST 20, 2023

Ninkasi Brewing's Administration Building, 155 Blair Boulevard (my photo) This is the next in my Eugene/Architecture/Alphabet series of blog posts, the focus of each being a landmark building here in Eugene. Many of these will be familiar to most who live here but there are likely to be a few buildings that are less so. My selection criteria for each will be threefold: The building must be of architectural interest, local importance, or historically significant.

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Architecture Utilities Industrial Exterior 178

SW Oregon Architect

AUGUST 6, 2023

Those of you who know me understand how much I enjoy being a fan of the University of Oregon football team. Friday’s news that the Ducks and the University of Washington Huskies will leave the PAC-12 conference in 2024 for greener pastures as members of the Big Ten, as well as the defections of Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah (and before them, Colorado) to the BIG 12, is huge.

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SW Oregon Architect

JULY 30, 2023

The Olive Garden restaurant in Eugene. An admission: My wife and I happily frequent casual dining chain restaurants, such as Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, Applebee’s, and Olive Garden. We appreciate their convenience, consistent menu offerings, moderate pricing, and the familiar and relaxed dining experiences they present. Just yesterday, we partook a standardized, carb-loaded escape at the Olive Garden restaurant here in Eugene, savoring unlimited breadsticks, salad, and pasta.

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Transportation Sustainability Commercial Cities 192

SW Oregon Architect

JULY 23, 2023

Decluttering the very cluttered home my wife and I live in is one of my modest life goals. We have managed to accumulate a ridiculous amount of stuff over the course of our lives together, much of which we no longer have use for or have any emotional attachment to. Our pledge is to be more mindful moving forward, only adding to our home what we truly need, and to live with more intention.

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SW Oregon Architect

JULY 16, 2023

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash My career has spanned a period of significant advancements and achievements in the field of architecture. Whether these qualify the period as a “golden age” for the profession is my own subjective judgement, but I know the magnitude of those advancements and the sociocultural circumstances in which they arose allowed me to flourish.

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SW Oregon Architect

JULY 9, 2023

July 5, 2023 construction progress screenshot from OpenAI of the LCC Health Professions Building comparing a photo capture with the corresponding view of the BIM model in Navisworks. The pace at which innovative technologies are transforming the AEC industry continues to accelerate. I have seen many advancements throughout the course of my career, and several of these have become second nature to how I do my work.

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SW Oregon Architect

JULY 2, 2023

The City of Eugene finally has its new city hall, formally closing on the purchase of the former Eugene Water & Electric Board headquarters last week. For far too many years, I’ve chronicled the almost tragically comic and protracted course taken to provide the seat of our city government with a new home. Now that the question of where Eugene City Hall will be is settled, those of us who have a vested interest in the future of our downtown core can take stock of the long-term implications.

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Cities Government Real Estate Education 228

SW Oregon Architect

JUNE 25, 2023

Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland (photo by Cacophony - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, [link] ) This is another in my series of posts inspired by 1000 Awesome Things , the Webby Award-winning blog written by Neil Pasricha. The series is my meditation on the awesome reasons why I was and continue to be attracted to the art of architecture. Certain buildings or spaces possess an extraordinary quality that gives us reason to pause and appreciate them in their entirety.

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IT Architecture Inspiration Art 180

SW Oregon Architect

JUNE 18, 2023

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash If someone mentions free pizza is part of the deal, I tend to be a sucker and say “yes” to any request. Naturally then, I did exactly that when Kayla Bundy and Sydney Mills (CSI Willamette Valley Chapter president and president-elect, respectively) asked me to lead a discussion on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the design and construction industries during last Thursday afternoon’s “Learning and Libations” CSI meeting at Roaring R

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Industrial Construction Construction IT 174

SW Oregon Architect

JUNE 11, 2023

Downtown Eugene, Sunday, June 11, 2023 (my photo) Here’s the latest on two significant City of Eugene initiatives: 1) The CFEC Parking Reform and 2) the proposed amendment to the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan. The City is making significant progress on both initiatives, considering the valuable insights gleaned from past discussions involving a broad spectrum of community interests.

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