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Blum's Age Explorer Suit

Blum's Age Explorer Suit

Throughout the year, Rowell Brokaw has Lunch 'n Learns, in which reps come from various building industries to educate the firm on their latest products and services. Recently reps from E.B. Bradley Company of Portland showed us the Blum product line. They also brought along Blum’s Age Explorer Suit, which simulates aging 30+ years. Blum developed this suit to aid in their designs: their engineers experience firsthand what a 70+ year old goes through with something as simple as opening a cabinet. This understanding informs the function, motion and technology in their hardware. Blum has developed a series of motion technologies, lift systems, concealed hinges, runner systems and more.

StaffNicola FucignaMarch 30, 2018Blum, aging in place, staff

The Palomino Blackwing 602

The Palomino Blackwing 602

Architects are passionate about pens and pencils: their heft, smoothness, mark. For many, they hold a talismanic power. After heated debate in the office, the Palomino Blackwing 602 has emerged as a staff favorite.

RBA Office, StaffNicola FucignaFebruary 21, 2018Palamino Blackwing 602, staff

Shadow Mentor Day 2018

Shadow Mentor Day 2018

As part of UO’s shadow mentor day, Mark Young hosted Paul Turner, a first-year undergraduate in the architecture department. The mentor day pairs students with professionals throughout Eugene, Portland, and Seattle. Students experience a “day in the life” or an actual work day in an actual work setting.

StaffNicola FucignaFebruary 5, 2018mentorship, University of Oregon

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

This year the Rowell Brokaw annual holiday party was cruise themed. Throughout the afternoon, there were shuffleboard, ping pong, Nerf gun, and Jenga battles.

Staff, RBA OfficeNicola FucignaDecember 18, 2017holiday party, staff

Rowell Brokaw wins Interiors Award and a Mayor's Choice Award in 2017 AIA/SWO People's Choice Awards

Rowell Brokaw wins Interiors Award and a Mayor's Choice Award in 2017 AIA/SWO People's Choice Awards

The AIA-SWO annual People's Choice Awards results are in! This year there was a record 52 entries. Rowell Brokaw entered 5 boards and was pleased to win the Interiors Award and a Mayor's Choice Award. Check out the video of Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis sharing her reasons for selecting 1203 Willamette among her award choices. Below is a list of the award winners in all 11 categories. To view all 52 boards, visit the AIA website.

News, Staff, RBA OfficeNicola FucignaDecember 14, 2017awards, AIA SWO Peoples Choice

Virtual Reality as a Design Tool

Virtual Reality as a Design Tool

Rowell Brokaw has been using Virtual Reality (VR) to understand their new office space in 1203 Willamette. Project Architect Paul Harman helps explain the benefits of this new medium: “Even though we have robust digital tools and the ability to see things on screen in perspective, we are still limited by our renderings: they are not always convincing and navigation with a mouse can be clumsy..

StaffNicola FucignaDecember 5, 2017VR, staff, 1203 Willamette

RB visits Mid Valley Metals

RB visits Mid Valley Metals

Dustin Locke, the Marketing Director and Architecture Design Lead of Mid Valley Metals in West Eugene, gave RB a tour of their facilities. RB is developing a custom desk for our new offices on 1203 Willamette. Though still a design in progress, the sit-stand desk will have a 1 ¼” oak plywood top with a marmoleum surface and a perforated stainless steel back panel. After the tour of Mid Valley Metals, RB headed over to Altech Finishes to view their powder coating options.

StaffNicola FucignaNovember 27, 2017Mid Valley Metals

Paul Harman at the Intersection of Hand and Digital

Paul Harman at the Intersection of Hand and Digital

When not being an architect, Paul likes to make things, particularly furniture and architectural ornament. One of his pieces, the Owl Wall Sconce, was exhibited this summer at a juried show of local furniture makers at the Maude Kerns Art Center in Eugene. The following is from an interview with Paul on his development as an artisan/artist:

StaffNicola FucignaNovember 8, 2017staff

Student Tour of Amazon Corner

Student Tour of Amazon Corner

Ken Hutchinson of Rowell Brokaw and Andy Driscoll of Essex Construction lead a tour of Amazon Corner for University of Oregon architecture students. Amazon Corner is a 120,000 sf mixed-use apartment building in South Eugene. This 4-over-1 building has four floors of wood framed construction above ground floor and second floor post-tensioned concrete slabs.

Construction, StaffNicola FucignaOctober 18, 2017Amazon Corner, University of Oregon, Students, Construction

Andersen Construction Performs the Impossible

Andersen Construction Performs the Impossible

During a planned power outage for the Pacific Hall renovation to replace the rooftop electrical transformer this weekend, the Pacific team encountered a serious problem. When power was transferred to backup Friday evening around 6pm and the old transformer removed, it was discovered that the steel structure under the platform supporting the existing transformer was nothing like the as-builts the design team had been working from. The original plan to modify the existing structure to accommodate the new, 40% heavier transformer no longer made sense.

Construction, Projects, StaffNicola FucignaOctober 9, 2017construction, Pacific Hall, staff

Grand Opening of the Arts & Technology Academy

Grand Opening of the Arts & Technology Academy

The grand opening of the Eugene 4J Arts & Technology Academy at the Jefferson Middle School featured a ribbon cutting, student performances, and architectural tours of the building. The design of the new building supports ATA’s innovative STEM program, which integrates science, technology, engineering, and math into the curriculum in hands-on, real-world ways. For a more in-depth explanation of the design, see the brochure we created for the event:

Events, Staff, ProjectsNicola FucignaOctober 2, 2017ATA, school, opening, STEM

Mentoring the Future

Mentoring the Future

John Rowell spent the last couple of weeks mentoring Phillip Bindeman, a senior at South Eugene High School. Phillip shadowed John, observing all that goes into his job as a Principal. He says of his experience, “I had an image of architecture as people drawing all the time. I realize now it’s a lot more social than I thought. There are lots of meetings, especially for John and Greg.

StaffNicola FucignaSeptember 12, 2017staff, mentorship

RB Summer Party in Dexter

RB Summer Party in Dexter

RB celebrates another great year as a firm at the annual summer party. This year the party was in Dexter, OR.

Staff, RBA OfficeNicola FucignaSeptember 5, 2017staff

The Saga of Sawdust: Creating a Wall of Sawdust for the Roseburg Forest Products Headquarters

The Saga of Sawdust: Creating a Wall of Sawdust for the Roseburg Forest Products Headquarters

Early in the design phase of the Roseburg Forest Products (RFP) project, Rowell Brokaw travelled with the RFP design team to the DIRTT headquarters in Calgary, Canada. Since 2003, DIRTT has been creating innovative modular wall systems. During their visit, the design team saw a glass wall full of lemons that DIRTT had created for Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

Construction, Projects, Staff, PublicationsNicola FucignaAugust 30, 2017Construction, interiors, staff, Roseburg Forest Products

Watching the eclipse from the RB rooftop

Watching the eclipse from the RB rooftop

Peter Utsey and Nicola Fucigna climbed up on the office roof to experience the solar eclipse. Many other Eugenians had the same idea. Kesey square also had a small crowd of solar gazers. Note the streetlights coming on at 10:17 in the morning.

StaffNicola FucignaAugust 21, 2017staff

South Hills House Construction Underway

South Hills House Construction Underway

Project architect Frank Visconti and landscape architect Lorri Nelson go over details with Wilbur Burge, project manager for 2G Construction. The South Hills Houseis taking shape: concrete retaining walls and foundation have been poured, the wood formwork will come down soon, and the footprint is starting to be framed.

Construction, Staff, ProjectsNicola FucignaAugust 18, 2017South Hills House, staff, Construction

RB Staff visit their soon-to-be home at 1203 Willamette

RB Staff visit their soon-to-be home at 1203 Willamette

RB staff envision their open office at 1203 Willamette. The plan includes new skylights, a gypcrete floor system, exposed wood roof framing and board formed concrete walls, and a REHAU window system on the second floor exterior.

Construction, Staff, RBA OfficeNicola FucignaAugust 9, 2017staff, Midtown Creative, construction

Soft Opening of Hot Mama’s Kitchen+Bar

Soft Opening of Hot Mama’s Kitchen+Bar

RB Staff enjoyed some wings and drinks at the soft opening of Hot Mama’s Kitchen+Bar in Oakway Center. The new space has a 12-seat teak wood bar, a 90-seat dining room, a 40-seat mezzanine level, and a 20-seat outdoor area.

Staff, EventsNicola FucignaJuly 28, 2017interiors