DESIGN ANNUAL Crafting a Message By Jenna Fribley (AIA, LEED AP) 2015 AIA-SWO President
Design Details
Craft is visceral. It’s hard to define in words, but you sense it as soon as you see it or touch it. It evokes emotion, respect, and a sense of stewardship for an object. It’s often a tactile experience, but it can affect all of the senses. It is simultaneously an abstract concept and very grounded virtue, hard to measure or define, yet clearly and immediately recognizable. Craft transcends the notion of style and spans all physical mediums. From expressive wood joinery to a perfectly-pulled espresso, craft results from and inspires pride in the work. In the architecture and construction fields, excellent craft is often invisible. Here are three examples: 1) “Clean lines” are only achievable with precise execution and undivided attention to detail, typically requiring significantly more work than simply covering rough edges with trim; 2) The successful implementation of a project is often dependent on key project leaders and managers, who are instrumental in uplifting the integrity and quality of the project; and
is in the
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IN THIS ISSUE
Photo Illustration by Karen E. Williams and Craig Runyon of PIVOT Architecture
People’s Choice Awards Winners
Whole Must be More Than Sum of its Parts
Designers in Their Own Voices
The Future of Architectural Craft
Craftsmanship Awards Nominations
AIA-SWO + ASLA awards showcase local projects to educate and inspire our fellow citizens
A look at how a shared vision for Eugene depends upon the way we craft it at all scales.
Local representatives share their perspective on current and future trends in architecture
Craft as a value. There is a way out of our current low craft, technology-driven design paradigm.
Recognizing and celebrating the time-honored ideals of regional craftspeople held on Nov. 18.
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Craft. Clients. Community.
pivotarchitecture.com @PIVOTarch
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People’s Choice Award Winners Each year, the AIA-SWO and ASLA sponsor these awards to educate and inspire our fellow citizens by showcasing architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture projects which are created within the chapter area.
COMMERCIAL
INTERIORS
Sponsors: • Appliance and TV Center • Arbor South Architecture • Builders Electric • The Cabinet Factory • Cliff Davis Painting Inc. • Comfort Flow Heating • Dorman Construction Inc. • Dustrud Architecture • Rubensteins’s • Stone Works International Inc.
Ninkasi Administration — Chuck Bailey
CBT Nuggets — Arbor South
Submissions:
LANDSCAPE PRIVATE
LANDSCAPE PUBLIC
Fineline Landscape — LandCurrent
Siuslaw Interpretive Park — DLA
PUBLIC / INSTITUTIONAL
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL
UNBUILT PROJECTS
Monroe Community Library — Broadleaf
Mulbry Residence — Jim Givens Design
Eve Micro Housing — Michael Fifield
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• Arbor South Architecture • Broadleaf Architecture • Cameron McCarthy • Chuck Bailey Architects • Dougherty Landscape Architects (DLA) • Honn Design and Construction • Jim Givens Design • LandCurrent • Michael Fifield • Nir Pearlson Architects • PIVOT Architecture • Robertson Sherwood • Rowell Brokaw Architects and Opsis Architecture • TBG Architects + Planners • Will Dixon Architects • Robertson Sherwood • Schlesinger + Associates • Stangeland and Associates
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Architects in Schools Helps Inspire Future Designers Inspire elementary school children to learn and grow by integrating design and architecture into their classroom. Local design professionals are helping craft the next generation of designers, architects, engineers and clients by sharing their passion with 3rd through 5th graders in the Architects in Schools program! By partnering with teachers for a 6 week curriculum based residency in winter or spring, architects and other design professionals help students be productive
workers and informed citizens through design related lessons teaching visual arts, math, language arts, social studies and science, and linking directly to Common Core and New Generation Science Standards and daily experiences. Architects in Schools is designed to develop an awareness of architectural elements and construction methods through classroom sessions, projects and field trips that enhance learning in all classroom subjects. The content is
What makes a craftsperson? By Dave Veldhuizen Six Degrees Construction I know what craft is when I see it. I think that we all do. It is fairly easily identified. However, in collecting my thoughts for this article, I ended up with more questions than answers. There are homebuilding styles, techniques and traditions that I think are clearly identified as high craft; timber framing for example. In the very long, somewhat romanticized, history of timber framing throughout the world, those wooden components were milled and fabricated by skilled craftsmen who started as apprentices, spent years working with their mentors and developed into crafts people who produced frames which have lasted for hundreds of years. On many of these frames one can still see the axe marks from hand hewing and the layout marks they used. We can appreciate the beauty of these enduring structures often built with rudimentary tools. I believe timber framing is a craft, and as a company, several of us have been fortunate enough to learn from truly master craftsmen from the US, Germany, France and Japan. We’ve had the opportunity to layout, mill, and erect timberframe structures using these traditional techniques. However, does the craft of a timberframe project end with the frame itself? What about the infrastructure, wall surfaces, finish work, tile work? A lot of the components and materials we use are mass produced (lumAIASWO.ORG
ber, siding, heating systems, plumbing fixtures, windows and doors.) How can something which is a collection of mass produced elements become crafted, and why is it that so many homes using those same components are not well crafted? The idea of craft as an attitude, an intentional attention to detail, artfulness and skill can be applied to all work including houses built with conventional methods (which is the bulk of our work), and we’ve tried to instill this in our crew. At the end of the day, a craftsperson’s commitment and engagement with a project goes beyond just economic considerations. I believe that what’s happened in the contemporary building world is that the trade and products of construction have become mostly a commodity. The bottom line is the final line for most workers and owners. Of course, a craftsperson should and needs to be paid fairly for their skill but their commitment to craft goes beyond a simple pay check. Craft is not a destination or an end. It’s a process. In the reality of the building world mistakes happen; even for the craftsperson. There are bumps along the way. If craft is an attitude or intention, then that same craft can also be applied to a fix or solution. Merriam-Webster Webster defines craft as: (V) to make or produce with care, skill or ingenuity. I believe craft is all these done with a sense of engagement and connection.
guided by an architectural curriculum specially prepared to create understanding and appreciation of the built environment in which the students live, learn, and play. At the end of the residency period, final projects are exhibited publicly for the admiration of the community, family and friends at The Octagon (Eugene’s Center for Architecture) and other venues like Jacobs Gallery or Shelton McMurphey Johnson House. The Architects in Schools program
has been serving Oregon school children for over 40 years, and has been steadily growing in the Eugene area for the last eight years under the administration of the Architecture Foundation of Oregon. Learn more about the program and apply online through our website at af-oregon.org/programs/architects-in-schools.
If you have questions, please contact Program Director Kim Ruthardt Knowles.
Last year, Architects in Schools was able to bring the enriching program to 150 elementary school children.
Dave Veldhuizen is the founding partner at Six Degrees Construction
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In Eugene, the Whole Must be More Than Sum of its Parts
n yBy John Lawless (AIA) tTBG Architects + Planners f The craft and skill architects bring to our clients is in the planning, makding or executing of their individual proj-ects within the broader context of their .site-specific conditions, the improvement of their neighborhoods, contributions to the achievement of higher community goals, alignment with adopted State Land-Use Rules, and progress toward a more sustainable future globally. Contractors, builders, engineers and architects don’t make communities happen on their own. Our local, state, regional and national governments all play integrated roles in crafting a wide spectrum of visionary and functional conditions within which we will build, renovate and renew our communities as adopted in our planning policies. The recent awakening of interest in the long range planning efforts in the South Willamette District of Eugene is a
great example of how all the parts, pieces, politics and perceptions need to be carefully researched and understood. In essence, the emerging visionary plan for the area is an outgrowth of bigger-picture recognition of the potential conflict between evident and projected change, and remaining status quo. Few people remember TransPlan and the Nodal Development era. What about Transit Oriented Development and how EmX plays a part in the strategy to provide alternatives to road-clogging single-occupant-vehicles? They are all about protecting our State’s nationally acclaimed big-picture land-use policies. I believe that if you don’t start with the big chunks (farm, forest and open space protections), then follow with the medium-sized pieces (Cities and communities) and finish with the fine-grained details (neighborhoods and individual properties), you will never be able to attain the really important things we need to sustain us in our limited development
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areas. Specifically, our city (and the world) is only so big. If we keep filling it up with sand first instead of stones and boulders, some things that are more important (farm, forest and open space) would have to be sacrificed along the way. The South Willamette visioning concept plan and code change implementation project has been a 5-year effort to explore how a vibrant business, residential and recreational neighborhood could craft a future that is capable of growing in density to serve even more residents with better universal access by auto, transit, bike, pedestrian and mobility scooter to even more daily business and service destinations. The obvious threat is any change that reduces or impairs the value or physical attributes of existing properties. This comes in the imagined form of potentially reduced business parking, higher buildings looming over neighbors, loss of light and privacy, and more traffic congestion. But what is missing from the
conversation is the “Form Based” design elements of the proposed new code that address these issues by considering the shape and size of spaces between streets and structures, limiting excessive heights that are currently allowed, requiring view and light-preserving step-backs at taller structures, and mandating street-level set-backs to provide more space for enjoyable interactions between the public and commerce. The ultimate success of this vision will depend upon the craft we apply to the policies, design and construction of our shared environments. It’s so easy to focus on the fine-grained elements in this complex mix of the small now, and to overlook the vision and support needed to achieve the really important big-picture, incremental, achievements our society requires to survive and flourish in the future. John Lawless (AIA) is a senior principal at TBG Architects + Planners.
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Achieving a Sense of Place Continued from page 16 and to reinvent the way they inhabited the building. We chose to nest the new within the old, entwined and related to each other, combined in the service of a common goal. In this church the new combined meaning had to have an architecture that was imbued with the right spirit. The Sanctuary was newly conceived as a room within a room. Seating was significantly reduced, placed in the center, and surrounded by layers of space and light. On the sides, paired wood piers alternate with panels of metal-framed glass, creating screens that frame the new seating area, transfer the light from the large exterior widows, and emphasize the height of the space. The back edge of the Sanctuary was transformed into a threshold between the Lobby and seating area. A lowered ceiling articulates the threshold while angled walls on each side receive and reflect light from nearby windows, dispelling the dark from the previously shadowed back corners. The focus at the front of the Sanctuary is a tripartite wooden screen that forms a backdrop to the Reader’s Rostrum. Above the central seating area new wood ceiling trims reiterate the alternating rhythm of the side screens while articulating the length and scale of the room. The pattern of ceiling trims became the framework for repositioned mechanical and electrical features. Special attention was paid to lighting, materials, and details in order to achieve a room of quiet dignity, alive to the nuances of natural light. The rift-sawn oak of the side screens, platforms, railings, and ceiling trims relates to the wood wainscot of the original building, bringing rich warmth to the new inner room. The darker cherry wood used as accent panels in the side screens becomes the dominant material of the rostrum screen, focusing attention at the front of the Sanctuary. Dark metal open railings define edges while maintaining spatial flow. Our overall design strategy for achieving an appropriate architectural quality
for the Church was guided by five key considerations: The employment of geometric simplicity and clarity to enhance perception of the new spatial components. An emphasis on vertical features as an eventful counterpoint to the existing horizontal emphasis within the building. The recognition of ceilings as the most perceivable and therefore the most important space defining enclosure. The introduction of a new, but related, material palette with careful detailing to honor and express building craft. Attention to and management of light to create the appropriate ambient spirit. Chris Page, a local remodeling contractor and a member of the congregation stepped forward to be the General Contractor. He then made a fortuitous project decision by hiring Robert Havas as the lead carpenter. Robert was, in my mind, the key to the successful implementation of the design. This project required special care and craftsmanship in the making of the new components that sit within the context of the existing building. The freestanding screens, designed to form the sides and end of the auditorium, were complex undertakings requiring considerable construction and management skill. The purposely minimal detailing required greater accuracy and care of assembly than conventional construction. It is important that the problematic issues that inevitably arise in the building process of a complicated project get identified early, are thoughtfully considered, and cooperatively resolved. It takes collaborative effort to produce good work. In this project the members of the Church, the contractor, the craftsmen, and the architect worked together to achieve a functional work of enduring value.
Gary Moye is the principal at his Eugene and Portland-based firm and an Associate Professor Emeritus of Architecture of the UO’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts.
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Designers Own Voices in their
The perception of architectural craft is changing to the general public, to the media, and to the world towards an evolved future for the profession. The time when master architects dictated the field has ended; a new future lies in front of us. Architectural administrators, educators, students, and emerging professionals are all integral to architecture staying current and progressive. Collectively, their views are contributing to shape the direction of the profession. We asked a local representative from each experience group to share their perspective on current trends. Their individual profiles in the sidebar include an alternative word to describe “architect” and how we can communicate the value created through good design.
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What do future architects need to learn to develop a craft that is relevant to the practicing world? We need to learn to be facilitators. Architecture is a profession that has to change and grow to meet the many and varying demands of both society and the environment at multiple scales. Complex problems require the expertise of many to create reasonable solutions. In order to stay relevant, architecture needs to be able to synthesize diverse input into an end product that gracefully satisfies the requirements of each unique scenario.
design process, enhanced performance analysis, and creating responsive environments that respond real-time to environmental and human factors. Additionally, advancements in robotics and digital fabrication have opened up opportunities for rapid prototyping at new scales. While these technologies aren’t necessarily new, they are somewhat slow to adopt in mainstream practice where the stakes are high. What is recent is the unprecedented ease and accessibility that these technologies now offer. That, coupled with the maker/ hacker/open source culture of the rising generation makes this an exciting time to be teaching in the field.
CT
JS
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New Architects need to learn how to listen to the world outside of architecture. By learning about the world that surrounds us we become more sensitive and better understand the needs of those that will make use of what we create. Also it is important to have patience as designing requires patience and love. Having the knowledge of what is wanted along with love and patience seems to be the perfect ingredients for a successful creation.
While new technologies bring change, critical thinking, the ability to synthesize knowledge, willingness to keep learning new ideas, thinking broadly and openly about architecture and society, are all likely to continue to be important to making good architecture and environments.
DW
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Future architects should seek to maximize their opportunities for collaboration across disciplines. Collaboration requires effective communication, being self-aware of the expertise that you present to a team, and valuing the knowledge base and skill set of your colleagues.
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They need to be critical thinkers who can embrace many forms of knowledge – aesthetic, technical, social and political – and many modes of design practice by being flexible, nimble, collaborative and have the ability to keep learning.
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What is the foundation for crafting a future professional? How is this best accomplished?
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Education plays a significant role in shaping who we become in our careers. Building a personal philosophy and a set of professional values are two important elements in crafting a future professional. For me, the faculty I have worked with have been very influential in building my own set of principles. They have helped me develop a broader understanding of the built world as a system. It has changed the way I view and experience my surroundings and how I think about my role as a future architect. Through these reflections, I know that I value architecture that considers the complexities of the world. I want to work towards a career that promotes energy consciousness in both performance and materials, while making places that consider the need for adaptability in our rapidly changing communities.
CT
I believe that the foundation for crafting a future professional is multifactorial. Curiosity and an open mind are on top of my list. If you are curious you will ask questions and meet people both of which will help you not only improve your knowledge but also grow as a professional in your community. Being open minded allows you to acquire more knowledge while challenging yourself with new concepts and ideas.
DW
As an educator, my hope is that graduates would enter the profession with effective visual, verbal, and written communication skills in addition to a solid base of knowledge in the subject areas that define a traditional architecture curriculum (building science, environmental systems, human context, history, theory, etc.). Academic qualifications aside, it is important for future professionals to value collaboration, develop professional integrity, and maintain a sense of agency, empathy, and optimism in what can be a very complex field.
How do you suggest that we create bridges from education to a career in architecture (practice)?
Mentorship is essential in navigating the transition between school and the professional world. It is easy to get caught up in academia, but it is necessary to use the time to explore your interests within the many facets of study associated with a career in design. However, we are all preparing to enter a profession that has its own culture and expectations. A good mentor can remind you of what you should be getting out of your education and how it is preparing you for success in achieving personal and professional goals.
CT
Bring more reality into schools. Academia values creativity which is important but to a point that alienates younger students from a clear view of practice. I went to architecture school a little older and noticed almost a certain animosity to my rationality. I understand that the focus in school is to exercise creativity. However, one can be creative in different ways. Learning how to create beautiful spaces while dealing with “real life” constraints is also a way of being creative. Having students more connected with their community and involved with design-build projects would help with preparing them better for the working world.
DW
It is important to consider this question at multiple scales. At a national level, I believe that a transformation is already well underway due to ongoing changes in the path to becoming a licensed architect. Allowing students to work toward the three steps to licensure (education, internship, and examination) concurrently rather than sequentially, in addition to efforts to streamline examination content with internship requirements, have been game changers. However, as the field strives to become more inclusive, additional research is needed to better identify and remove barriers unique to underrepresented populations. At a local scale, students need access to practitioners throughout their academic education. Our department is fortunate to benefit from a deeply committed and active community of local and regional practitioners who regularly teach courses, review student projects, and act as consultants for design studios. For the individual student, professional mentors remain one of the most influential factors for achieving success in licensure.
JS
Schools, architecture firms and professional organizations need to work closely together so that the best values of all groups can form a smoother transition for students of architecture into practice.
Q Q Q JS
In architecture schools we need to teach students to design and think critically and broadly, to keep learning new skills and to incorporate many aspects of architecture into their designs. We need to teach them to appreciate related professions, to collaborate and to stay open to new ideas, methods and skills. Is there an emerging skill or technology that will fundamentally affect the way that architects craft buildings and environments?
NS
Understanding a more holistic view of the built environment that critically examines our material choices is something that has to change in the future of architecture. Environmental footprint will go beyond the importance of understanding energy use in finished products, to being accountable for quantifying and balancing the impacts of material production in the building industry.
DW
I think it is safe to say that BIM (building information modeling) and parametric design have offered a new paradigm for a highly integrated
How can architecture turn into a timeless profession?
DW
All five of the collateral organizations that guide architectural education and practice in the United States play a collaborative role in ensuring that the profession maintains its relevance to the economy and the community it serves in the years to come. However, from the perspective of an educator, we in particular, have a responsibility to take the long view regarding the impact of practice on society and the environment. Our work is to ensure that graduates emerge with values and a knowledge base primed for current practice and future change. How can you be a resilient architect weathering the storms of the profession?
JS
Learn a large variety of skills, try to have many different experiences, read broadly and be active in professional and civic organizations.
Editor’s note: These responses have been edited for length and clarity by Karen E. Williams (AIA, LEED AP BD+C) an architect at PIVOT Architecture.
Nicolette Stauffer Student, University of Oregon Bio: She is a Master of Architecture candidate at the University of Oregon. She is originally from Olympia, WA, where she fostered her interest in grassroots urbanism. She is focusing her thesis on sustainable materials and community engagement in building reuse. In 2014, Nicolette and a fellow classmate founded STAnDD (Supporting the Advancement of Diversity in Design), a student group focused on advancing equity in the field of architecture. Word: Place-maker Good Design: Value speaks for itself. Good design serves a purpose and fulfills the needs of those affected by it, making appreciation and worth apparent.
Carolina Trabuco Emerging Professional at Nir Pearlson Architect Bio: She is an architecture intern at Nir Pearlson Architect in Eugene, OR. She received her Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon, where she advanced her interest in studying the effects of building on people and her desire to be a socially conscious designer. In her native Country of Brazil, Carolina completed studies in Neurology as her first career path. Word: Crafter Good Design: To me good design has a function and practical use while capturing the attention of observers. A good design, “speaks” through its form, colors and texture. To communicate the value of a good design we must support it and teach students and young professionals the importance of it.
Daisy O’lice I. Williams Assistant Professor, Universtiy of Oregon Bio: She has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Oregon since 2011. Prior to joining the faculty at UO, Williams taught with Hampton University’s Department of Architecture since 2005. She completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture degrees at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and specializes in architectural visualization. Word: Place designers Good Design: Two critical windows of opportunity for addressing the merit of possible design ideas are during pre-design and post-occupancy. It is critical to work with clients and community stakeholders to arrive at a shared understanding of what is relevant and meaningful to a project at its onset.
Judith Sheine, RA Administrator and Educator Professor and Head, Universtiy of Oregon Department of Architecture Bio: She is a Professor and Head, Department of Architecture, University of Oregon. She has published several books on the architect R.M. Schindler, including R.M. Schindler (Phaidon Press, 2001) and Schindler, Kings Road and Southern California Modernism (University of California Press, 2012), co-authored with Robert Sweeney. She is also a practicing award-winning architect. Word: Designer Good Design: By writing, talking and teaching about good design in schools and public forums. By demonstrating it with good designs that serve the public good and help to make the world a better place.
Craft in Architecture Will Return and Thrive Again By Randy Nishimura Robertson Sherwood Architects The technology-fueled, accelerated existence many of us lead seemingly leaves little room for applying measured, considered craft to the work we do. Indeed, the notion of craftsmanship—the human skill of making things well—has become quaint, our yearning for it largely nostalgic. The primacy of economy and speed in all that we manufacture today is simply incompatible with the logic of craft. It’s rare anymore to witness the pedestrian become poetic in the hands of a true master. On the surface at least, our society has sacrificed craftsmanship at the altar of expediency. Architecture and construction have not been immune. The evidence is all around us. Too much of our built environment betrays an absence of human caring and craft, compounded by a disproportionate reliance upon manufactured building components. Invariably, these manufactured components lack traces of work by human hands; their hallmarks are an inhuman consistency and thoroughly predictable precision. It should come as no surprise many of the buildings we assemble using such materials correspondingly appear deficient to us. There’s a marked absence of “life,” even if these buildings otherwise solve problems well and are objectively beautiful. Additionally, today’s global marketplace and its free flow of resources and goods too often trump regional sourcing and hand-fabrication of building components tailored to project and site-specific needs. To date, the efficiencies and economy of worldwide mass production by computer-controlled machinery or cheap labor have proven difficult to overcome. Until this changes, craftsmanship will not rank highly among the values our society upholds. The shame is our failure to adequately recognize the importance of craft and what is learned through using our hands. So, is there a future for craftsmanAIASWO.ORG
ship in architecture? I say yes, unequivocally. In his 2008 book The Craftsman, sociologist Richard Sennett advocates craftsmanship as a template for modern living. He equates craftsmanship with thoughtfulness, exploring how “making is thinking.” Sennett argues the values we associate with craftsmanship—the desire to do a job well for its own sake, the “slow learning that enables reflection,” and the application of mastered technique—produces superior work in any modern industry. Sennett numbers construction, architecture, and even urban design among these industries. Most architects wouldn’t immediately apply the label of “craftsman” to themselves, yet the training that prepares us for the profession and much of what we regularly engage in typifies the craftsman ethos. After all, like craftspersons who master any trade, we endure a lengthy education and indoctrination into a culture that highly values the obsessive energy required to do good work. We subsequently learn at the feet of those who, by virtue of their experience and command of the professional skill set, provide mentorship and model desirable performance. We learn by doing. Ultimately, we likewise achieve a level of competence (validated by licensure) to skillfully and knowledgeably practice architecture. Many architects believe our ability to truly ply our trade is limited by our current tools. The advent of computer-aided design has distanced us from the tactile, tangible, immersive, and physically natural craft of drawing by hand; however, our computers are merely tools, just as the pencil and pen are. Ideally, the electronic interfaces we employ will become increasingly interactive, ergonomic, and natural to use, bridging the rift between hand and eye, idea and execution. The application of craft works using all forms of media, across many scales in the built Continued on page 11
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The Future of Architectural Craft Continued from page 10 environment, from the knowledgeable detailing of a building component to the organization of life-enhancing public spaces within our urban fabric. The common thread architecture shares with all traditional crafts is meticulousness about the details and an appreciation for the quality and cohesiveness of an overall vision. It’s easier for most of us to imagine the many tradesmen and women who do get their hands dirty doing the work of assembling buildings as engaging in craft; however, if they’re not required or allowed to exercise the thoughtfulness and patience Sennett regards as essential to craftsmanship, is this true? The answer to this question is “no.” Craftsmanship is an attitude and a practice, not merely a skill set. If they do not regard their work as an intellectual activity exploring the possibilities and processes to produce unique objects, they are not craftsmen or women. True craft is a consequence of the quality of effort that created the work. Fundamentally, our society’s future embrace of the values of craftsmanship will boil down to whether we are willing to radically alter business-as-usual and cast aside the socioeconomic paradigm that has dominated our recent history. The waning of craftsmanship, which generally corresponds to the ascension of global industrialization and mechanization, will reverse if the way we approach construction and the making of things of lasting value itself changes course. Bet heavily on change. The tribulations wrought by global heating, social inequity, overpopulation, and political upheaval are progressively compelling us to reconsider how we do things. The production of consumer goods—especially the disposable, ephemeral kind—will inevitably decline. The world’s economies will increasingly localize and differentiate. By necessity, our settlements will become more resilient, self-sufficient, and agile. Because of their scarcity, we’ll aggressively conserve limited resources. We’ll confront the rapidly shifting and complex challenges by
“The craftsmanship we extol is an ideal to which to aspire, a means to assert an essential humanity in the making of things regardless of the tools at hand. Craftsmanship is technology-neutral.”
simplifying how we live and cherishing what is truly meaningful. We’ll produce and preserve valued objects possessing lasting quality because we cannot afford to do otherwise. There is a future for craftsmanship precisely because of the magnitude of changes we’re witnessing. This will be as true here in Eugene as it will be in Akron, or Shenzhen, or Buenos Aires. I predict craftsmanship in architecture and building will return and thrive again. It will blossom in many forms, each unique to its specific geographic and cultural context. The entrenched system isn’t likely to relinquish its grasp on the construction industry without a fight, but I do believe it will happen and within my lifetime. Richard Sennett is no Luddite and neither am I. We’re not wishing for a return to a pre-industrial existence. The craftsmanship we extol is an ideal to which to aspire, a means to assert an essential humanity in the making of things regardless of the tools at hand. Craftsmanship is technology-neutral. Craftsmanship, now and in the future, is defined by competence, technique, and acquired skill. It accepts that progress won’t always be linear. It acknowledges contingency, anticipates ambiguity, and rewards improvisation. Craftsmanship will always be about the pride and the dignity to be found by people producing useful, beautiful objects, buildings, and places. Randy Nishimura, (AIA, CCS) is a senior associate at Robertson Sherwood Architects
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Building Quality Small Homes Takes Skill and Knowledge By Michael Fifield (FAIA, AICP) Fifield Architecture + Urban Design If you think of craftsmanship as the beautiful or impressive quality of something that has been made using a lot of skill, we typically associate that craft of making with the builder, cabinetmaker, or artisan. However, the success of any project is the collaboration of many individuals, including but not limited to the client and her or his goals, the architect or landscape architect and her or his vision and translation of that vision, and the person or people responsible for the execution of the finished product, be it a building such as a house, a room, a built-in cabinet, a fireplace, windows or doors, a bookcase, etc. This collaboration of individuals who are involved in the design and execution of a project relies on their expertise. It is inexpressible knowledge that resides in the mind of an expert. It incorporates measures of that person’s intuition, experience, talent, judgment, and expertise. It is part of what is known as a knowledge-based economy which differs greatly from a product-based economy. In a product-based situation, buying a flat-screen television for example, you would shop for the best price, but eventually you would pay for the stated price from a specific store or vendor. It is more difficult to see the tangible benefits of someone with inexpressible knowledge. I always remind prospective clients of
the value of an architect in making the client’s goals realized, hopefully in ways that exceed their expectations. I am also reminded of a story of Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. Mrs. Carnegie, they say, wanted a new hat for Easter, so she sent for Paris’s most famous chapelier to come to New York and fit her. “And where in the church will you be sitting, Madame?” he inquired. “and what will you be wearing, what time of day, and what impression would you like to leave?: Finally, he took a crimson ribbon from his bag, fussed it around a plain straw bonnet, tied the bow just so, and put the hat on her head, giving a forward slant. He held a mirror to her face – Mrs. Carnegie beamed. “Oh, Monsieur, it is perfect! How much do I owe you? “Five hundred dollars, Madame.” She spied him coldly. “Five hundred dollars for a ribbon?” He tugged the ribbon out of the hat, laid it across her forearm and bowed. “Madame, “ he said, “the ribbon is free.”
hardware to fully articulated rooms with built-in desks, cabinets, and bookcases. This same craftsmanship is highly desirable in much smaller homes. In the 1950s, the median house size for new construction in the U.S. was about 975 square feet. A few years ago it was 2,400 square feet. It is interesting to note, that while Eugene has many sustainability programs to be proud of, the median house size for new construction
in Eugene just a few years ago was almost 2,800 square feet. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has done studies that demonstrate that smaller homes have a greater impact on reducing energy usage, both in initial costs and life-cycle costs, more so than highly efficient energy rated homes. With household sizes concurrently deContinued on page 15
Craftsmanship requires not only the vision but also the expertise to translate that vision in a meaningful and appropriate manner. It isn’t buying a television. While craftsmanship may be seen in many building types, we see it a lot in custom homes of considerable size. Custom houses are all about the details, big and small. They might include custom milled siding to minimize visible
Minimal Live/Work Studio window/door detail by Fifield Architecture + Urban Design. AIASWO.ORG
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS | SOUTHWESTERN OREGON CHAPTER
Resetting the Craft in Architecture in the Northwest By Timothy Fouch, (AIA, LEED AP) Fieldwork Design & Architecture The profession of architecture is enjoying a creative rebirth in the Pacific Northwest. A wealth of small and medium sized creative studios have emerged to reset the parameters of the profession into something invigorated by a reawakened creativity and supported by proximity to the work. The Pacific Northwest is
again a laboratory for urban design and architecture, and a deep talent pool is currently producing a wealth world-class urban infill projects in our own backyard. The reinvigorated progressive architectural atmosphere in the Pacific Northwest has developed in concert with a rich maker movement in the region. DIY culture has matured into a wide-ranging cast of craftspeople and makers that are every bit as rigorous and skilled as ped-
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3) Many trades’ work is concealed within walls or intentionally tucked out of view, but excellent craft is achievable in all fields, and embodies both the tangible outcome as well as the work ethic and ingenuity that results in the best possible project. In 1952, a group of local architects rallied together to charter the Southwestern Oregon Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Their very first initiative as a group was to hold an event to celebrate the local craftsmen (and women…but mostly men at that time) who translate their architectural visions into built places that people experience and enjoy. This November, the AIA-SWO will be continuing this tradition with the 2015 Craftsmanship Awards. This inspired the theme of “Craft” for this year’s AIA-SWO Design Annual publication. In this issue, we will take you on an exploration of craft from many different architectural angles, ranging from the relevance and influence of craft on the profession, as well as shaping the community and built environment around us. Enjoy this publication, but of course “craft” your own opinion!
making, we add value and meaning. The practice of architecture is a navigation of complex and ever changing technologies, methods, and jurisdictional minefields. The profession has often stumbled under the weight of technical proficiency and firm bureaucracy, strangling creativity with inefficient processes and firm structures. These pressures often lead to an over specialization that isn’t good for the profession or the work. As architects it is all too easy to become ‘experts’ at the expense of being collaborators and team members. Architects were once master builders, now too often they rarely leave the glow of their computer screen. We are too often divorced from the building and making process, and from the craftspeople that bring our work to life. Consistency, once a hallmark of quality, is now perceived as mundane. The human touch, the unique is again considered authentic and desirable. Hints from traditions and the skills of the trades that are generally passed from one craftsperson to the next, rooted in well tested methods and means, are not an anachronism, but a stamp of the present, and the ‘real’. Meaning is naturally derived from both form and function, but also expression, and from the story an object carries with it, the means and methods of it’s making. As architects continue to delve deeper into their process and the physical assembly and detailing of a structure, consumers are increasingly aware of the value of design and craftsmanship. Clients, and the public in general, continually educate themselves about production and design processes so that they can be sure products and services are in line with personal values. They also understand a building is a physical, experiential object. We, as architects, must look deep into all phases in the process of creation because our clients are increasingly interested in the story and meaning of the architecture we produce.
Jenna L. Fribley (AIA, LEED AP) is the principal at envelop design.
Timothy Fouch, (AIA, LEED AP) is a partner at Fieldwork Design & Architecture
igreed professionals, and frequently far more passionate. The profession can learn a lot from this innovative atmosphere. This culture of making illuminates the path from which we can reinvigorate our profession with creativity and experimentation without sacrificing the necessary rigor, discipline, and organizational focus the architecture requires. By truly reinvigorating the complete process of space
The Art of Building - Now Continued from page 1
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New Homes
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Remodels
Kitchens
Outdoor Spaces
Rainbow Valley: Where Green Building Meets Beautiful Living. It was important to this sustainability consultant that her kitchen remodel meet her needs and values. Sustainably-sourced materials like the concrete countertops with recycled glass flecks, local wood, and repurposed cabinetry are a testament that green building and beautiful living can go hand in hand.
Ready for an update? Come to Rainbow Valley.
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R AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS | SOUTHWESTERN OREGON CHAPTER
Expertise a Must for Small Homes Continued from page 12 creasing (since 1970, households comprised of married couples with children have decreased from over 40% to less than 23%, while individuals living alone has increased from 17% to over 26%), along with diminishing natural resources, available land, and affordability, it is apparent we need to consider alternatives to the large house in the suburbs. Lately there have been two forms of housing that are getting a lot of attention. One is the Tiny House movement – very small homes in the range of 75100 square feet. The smallest of these is especially attractive for those individuals who may be limited in having any form of meaningful shelter. Slightly larger ones, perhaps in the 150-275 square foot range, are now being proposed by SquareOne Villages as permanent housing at Emerald Village Eugene (EVE). “The mission of (EVE) is to expand affordable housing options for very low-income individuals and families through low-cost tiny houses within a stable community setting in which residents can build equity.” The challenge in smaller home design is to provide as many of the qualities one finds in larger houses, but done creatively at this smaller scale. Many design principles help achieve a greater sense of meaningful living spaces in smaller homes. While the very small dwelling unit may not be able to take advantage of all of these, cottage houses in the 775 square foot range, and houses in the 1,200-1,400 square foot range can certainly use many of these principles. While I am one of a number of architects designing very small houses at EVE, I am also especially interested in the 1,200 - 1,400 square foot house as a viable alternative to the 2,400 square foot house for those who may want to downsize. I also believe that secondary dwelling units (400-800 square feet), if designed properly and regulated for appropriate occupancy, provide a much needed form of housing that addresses issues of affordability, household type and size alternatives, as well as aging in place for seniors who may want to stay
in the same neighborhood where they raised a family, but are no longer in need of the large house. Some of the design principles that might be considered in the design of smaller homes include: multiple uses instead of separate rooms, promote indoor/ outdoor relationships, outdoor rooms, borrowed landscapes (take advantage of views), use of articulated surfaces (built-in shelving, exposed ceiling joist to extend the perception of volume), open plan, creative use of storage, and dissolved corners (views past the wall of a room into another room, space, or outdoors). Many of these require the craft of the designer, be it an architect or landscape architect, but it also requires the craft of the building professional who constructs the design. This is especially true when considering design solutions such as built-in seating for a dining nook, versus a separate dining room, or built-in shelving that allows a room to be used as a bedroom, study/guest bedroom, or home office instead of a single function room. In order for people to consider downsizing, we have to provide as many of the items one might find in a large house in the suburbs, but do it creatively at a smaller scale. They includes issues of privacy, usable outdoor areas, safety and security, storage, parking, adequate space for food prep, eating, entertainment, relaxation, sleeping, guest, bathing, work, hobby, flexibility for change over time, identity, affordability in initial and life-cycle costs, proximity to services (schools, grocery, restaurants, shopping, recreation, and work, and a sense of community. The craft of designing and executing the design to achieve these desirable elements is the challenge we are facing now. If we truly want to live in a home, and not simply shelter, no matter what size it is, we need to consider the craft required to design and build these homes. Michael Fifield (FAIA, AICP) is principal at Fifield Architecture + Urban Design and a professor and director of the Housing Specialization Program in the Department of Architecture at the University of Oregon.
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Achieving a Sense of Place in Architecture
By Gary Moye Gary Moye Inc.
To deal adequately with different projects, an architect needs to be skilled in interpreting the client’s program (in poetic as well as functional terms), in situating the project to maximum effect in its context, in assessing and adhering to a budget, and in establishing the materials and details of construction. We are gregarious beings, able to realize our deepest spiritual and aesthetic nature best in groups. This gives special architectural significance to places of public assembly. For this reason, I was grateful to have the opportunity to be the architect for the interior remodel of the First Church of Christ Scientist in Eugene. While most remodel projects are about expansion, the primary objective of this unique and interesting project was to reduce the seating capacity of the existing auditorium while simultaneously improving its spatial and architectural quality. The church was built in 1948 for two worship groups, one of which moved to Springfield and never occupied the building. The auditorium was built to seat 500 and was too large for the remaining group from the beginning. The attendance for its current services ranges from 40 to 50 members. While the post-war building was well planned, and well maintained, it was built in a stark and pragmatic way. When faced with the decision to move or stay the small congregation chose to stay
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2015 CRAFTSMANSHIP AWARDS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2015 | UO FORD ALUMNI CENTER A craftsman is one who practices a craft with great skill. Craftsmanship is that skill used in one’s occupation or trade. During the past 60+ years the American Institute of Architects Southwestern Oregon Chapter has given special recognition to those individuals in the building industry who have mastered the ideals of Craftsmanship. In appreciation of the contractors, suppliers, manufacturer's representatives, and other industry individuals we work with on our projects - for their superior skills and attentive effort - the AIA-SWO has honored the most deserving of these individuals with the presentation of a Craftsmanship Award. The awards program ensures that the time-honored ideals of craftsmanship are recognized and celebrated. AIA-SWO has invited its members, associates, and others involved in the construction industry to nominate individuals who have demonstrated outstanding skills in the execution of their work for the 2015 AIA-SWO Craftsmanship Awards program. A jury comprised of AIA-SWO chapter Architects, members of the local construction industry, and past CA winners has selected recipients of this year's Craftsmanship Awards from the following list of nominees. All nominees, and the Award recipients, will be recognized at the Craftsmanship Awards Dinner on November 18, 2015.
THIS YEAR’S 16 NOMINEES ARE: Noah Barth, Electrician Contractors Electric George Bleekman, Owner’s Rep. UO Capital Construction Mark Bruer, Project Manager Essex General Construction Larry Kovarik, Carpenter Essex General Construction Bryce Gardner, Millworker-Cabinet Maker Advance Cabinets Mike Gerot, Landscape Contractor Woodruff’s Nursery Robert Havas, Finish Carpenter Self-employed Mark McGee, Sheet Metal Worker Phoenix Mechanical
Tim McMahen, Project Manager Essex General Construction Patrick Morgan, Millworker-Cabinet Maker The Cabinet Factory Robin Olofson, Millworker-Cabinet Maker Yankee Built, LLC Nick Pappas, Construction Superintendent Chambers Construction Dave Quivey, Construction Superintendent Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty Company Kean Rager, Construction Superintendent Fortis Construction Rick Robertson, Residential Construction Six Degrees Construction Dave Veldhuizen, Residential Construction Six Degrees Construction
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO JOIN THIS EVENT. The First Church of Christ Scientist in Eugene. AIASWO.ORG
TICKETS ARE $35 (INCLUDES DINNER) AND REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE HERE: http://aia-swo-craftsmanship.eventbrite.com
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS | SOUTHWESTERN OREGON CHAPTER