Tacoma Community Stewards Network

I have gone to a few of the Tacoma Community Stewards events where Tacoma citizen issues were identified then group leaders volunteered to head each issue to research, set goals, determine who would interested in the issue and how to achieve that goal to make a positive impact in the community.

The issues that were identified were:

- Turn surplus city property into community gardens and parks

- Link disconnected bike trails and walking paths into and through Tacoma

- Transform the Dome District into a vibrant, walkable and livable community


I think that as design professionals we can provide insight to help guide change within our community and this could be a positive group to be involved with.


The next event is next week on Thursday May 28th from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Hub. At this event campaign leaders will present their research and plans and show how you can get involved to make the change you want to see in Tacoma.

I plan on going to hear what these folks have to say and talk with other neighbors that want to be involved in positive change in Tacoma and of course partake in some good food and beverages at the Hub.

- Kelly Myles Braun

Quality AutoCAD Masonry Details from the Masonry Institute of Washington

A number of weeks ago I went to a lunch-n-learn at Bellevue Community College that was put on by the Masonry Institute of Washington. They have created a new website www.masonrydetails.com where you can download masonry details for free in both DWG as well as PDF formats. The website is intuitive and very easy to navigate. There are brick, CMU & Stone details showing typical wall sections, parapet details, details around windows, expansion joints etc. Prior to providing the info on the website, the details are created and reviewed by both architects and masonry contractors. The idea is that the site will expand and more details will be added as well as more info will be added in the future with suppliers and possibly a forum.

www.masonrydetails.com seems to be a great resource to for masonry details to start from when developing construction document sets.


- Kelly Myles Braun

Young Professionals Network - Prospective Members Meeting

Tonight is the Young Professionals Network Prospective Members Meeting. Like Love Tacoma, this is another opportunity to network outside of the building profession. Click on the title of this post to learn more about the group. Hope to see you tonight!

- Caroline N. O'Leary

Habitat for Humanity

Today was orientation for Habitat for Humanity. Marianne is organizing the event(s) but you need not be a member of either ELG or AIA to participate, although you must attend an orientation prior to participating unless you've already worked with them.
The turn out was great. I estimate we had 40 people attend. Build dates are May 30th, June 13th, July 11th, and August 8th. ELG is also working on participating in the build at the Puyallup Fair this September. That event will be contingent upon Habitat for Humanity but we will let you know as soon as we find out.
If you're interested in working any of the above dates please e-mail Marianne at mwombacher@bcradesign.com.

- Caroline N. O'Leary

Love Tacoma!

I'm not sure how many of you have heard of Love Tacoma but if you click on the title of this post you can view their website, including photos from past events.

Kelly Braun (Myles) and I have attended a few of these events and really enjoyed them. The group is very lively and social and seems to consist of a large portion of the "creative class" in this city. What has been really great about it is expanding our network outside of architecture. We've met people from the Chamber of Commerce, realtors, Derek who started Exit133 (my personal favorite T-town blog, that is until we get this one rocking!), numerous young entrepreneurs, etc. All share one thing in Tacoma - we love it!

Check out their site and keep up with our calendar here to join us at the next event!

- Caroline N. O'Leary

SPACEBUSTER - Raumlabor Architects, Berlin

image courtesy of Arch Daily

image courtesy of Gothamist

image courtesy of Storefront for Art & Architecture

Spacebuster is a mobile inflatable structure...that is designed to transform public spaces of all kinds in to points for community gathering

The pavilion is made of a translucent plastic which allows the activities inside to be discerned by passers-by. This material also allows for those participants inside to maintain a connection to their context.

The dome itself is inflated by a generator which is contained within the back of the van, allowing it to be "installed" anywhere one can find the space for a van and the pavilion - parks, fields, city streets, etc. As an inflatable structure there is slightly more flexibility with site constraints as the foot print is moldable. I'm envisioning an alley which by definition is often very narrow in width. The footprint may as an area be the same size, as would the volume, but the form which the structure takes would be affected by the existing walls of the building which form the alley. As a design exploration it could be very interesting.

I can see the value in the project - small community gatherings, temporary self-initiated exhibits - yet as society has become more focused on sustainability, I must wonder, is the generator solar powered? Is the cradle-to-cradle footprint less than using an existing building? Would not a well designed "tent" which does not require energy to stay erect be a more honorable solution to an architectural "problem" which may not really be a problem? I will admit that I do wish I could have been there to photograph it myself - some of these images are very enticing!

I'd love to hear you thoughts.

- Caroline N. O'Leary

Information provided by: Storefront for Art & Architecture,
The Architect's Newspaper, Gothamist, and my favorite site with the most enticing photographs Arch Daily

My travels through the Worksource Unemployment office

Some of you were interested in my travels to the unemployment office, so here is a quick synopsis on what I am doing to try to get my ARE and LEED tests paid for by the unemployment office.... An excerpt from an email describing what I am doing below

You are correct Cheryl, its a need based benefit. So far to get where I am have attended a 2 hour orientation class, and a 1 hour class on just the EOC (Education Occupation C?) I have an application that I am filling out that I received from the last class that will get me in front of a counsler. I am told that from the time I fill out the application to the time I see a counsler is 3-6 weeks.

FYI - the EOC is a seperate agency that is responsable for worker retraining when you find yourself in a field of work that is not there anymore. It is one of the dozens of federal, state, and local agencies that make up the Worksource coalition. Because the number and type of agencies change per region, this resource is different depending on what region you live in.

Once I am there I will have to proove that I am in a declining or dieing profession and need to have new skills or be retrained. There is a specific website that shows the career survey that the state pulls this information from. Last I checked Architecture was in the stagnent catagory (the last research date was august of '08). This doesnt mean that I am dead in the water. I just have to proove that there are very few positions open and that there is a high competition for the positions that are out there.

I think that I can tell people that they can skip the orientation classes, and go right to the worksource office on Tacoma Ave, and ask for an EOC application. That would save ground from the route that I have taken. I will keep you updated on my travels through the unemployment office.

So I think that the bottom line of all this is to go to the worksource office on Tacoma AVE. (I think its off 11th) and ask for an E.O.C. application. Fill it out letter by letter and DO NOT leave anything blank without checking with the office first.