On Memorial Day, politicians, project stakeholders, veterans, and a community came together to dedicate the unique structure and honor servicemembers.
Exactly 100 years after the USS Colorado first set sail in service, it was officially reenlisted as part of the Adams County Veteran’s Memorial in Brighton, Colorado, but this time as a quarter scale replica. The unique structure based on the vessel is part of broader improvements to Riverdale Regional Park and its much-anticipated Memorial Day dedication drew a large response from the community.
Personal Connections, Family Ties, and A Memorial Day to Remember
Turnout for the event included Adams County Commissioners, Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, and Ken Jones, a U.S. Navy Veteran who actually served on the USS Colorado during World War II. Fellow veterans as well as active service members and the community at large rounded out the large crowd in attendance for the event that included a flyover of F16 jets.
““The veterans memorial stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of our community, a labor of love that has brought us together… From the initial stages of fundraising to the meticulous planning and construction, our journey has been one of collaboration and dedication.”
Charles “Chaz” Tedesco, Adams County Commissioner
Project stakeholders were also present, including members of the Otak structural team, Dan Beltzer and Jim Quigley. “It’s excellent to design a completely unique feature for all to enjoy,” said Beltzer.
The structure was so unique in fact that they had a hard time finding other replicas that had been done similarly. “I think for most people it’s safe to say this would be their first battleship replica they’ve worked on,” said Quigley. For one source of inspiration, a contractor for the project just so happened to be spending time at Pearl Harbor where they paid special attention to the detail of the ships stationed there.
In addition to his professional pride in making the memorial a reality, Jim also found a personal connection at the event.
“My grandfather was in the army during WWII and my mom has two brothers [in the service] as well as cousins and in-laws. So, it was really cool to work on something that honors what they’ve done,” said Quigley who also brought his son along. “The flyover was really neat and my uncle flew an F16 so it was great for my son to see how his family has been involved first hand.”
Now officially open to the public, the Memorial also includes monuments for each branch of the military, plaques featuring significant quotes, and a wall dedicated to telling the story of a soldier. Along with the replica ship is also a replica of its bell, made by the same foundry that made the current USS Colorado (an active-duty submarine) to be used at ceremonies.
Because of its importance to the community, the project team worked closely with the Adams County Veteran’s Advisory Board and County staff to ensure public input was incorporated into the design.
As part of the larger park, the Adam’s County Veteran’s Memorial is also surrounded by a variety of other public amenities. An amphitheater will be added later this year as well so the park can host even more events in the future.
For any discussion about the future of design – modular architecture is now part of that conversation.
Trends in the field point to it as well. Back in 2015, the Modular Building Institute notes that modular construction constituted 2.9% of all construction while expecting it to grow to 5% in 2020.
As it turns out, modular buildings now make up more than 6% of new construction in the United States. With a market now expected to grow from $89.18 billion in 2022 to $95.59 billion in 2023, modular construction is in demand because it’s become more cost effective, efficient, and flexible in design.
Modular design’s history can be traced back thousands of years to the ancient Romans who created prefabricated sections of their forts that could be assembled on-site for quick defense. And modular configurations have been commercially available since the early 20th century.
Modular units being constructed on site.
The difference in today’s approach to modularity is advances in technology. From enhanced building materials and greater precision in manufacturing, to the logistics behind transporting building components, the entire process is now done with greater quality and efficiency. The result is a modern architecture approach that’s often more innovative in design and efficient in completion than today’s traditional methods.
In this piece, we’re taking a closer look at the practice of modular design and exploring its details and advantages, as well as implications for the future of the built environment. Feel free to read on or skip ahead:
Modular architecture’s definition is rooted in the term ‘module’: where prefabricated units of a structure are assembled in configurations designed to meet different sizes, complexities, or functions.
Modular Versus Prefabricated
The relationship between modular construction and other types of prefabricated approaches like panelized construction is similar to the relationship between 3D and 2D design. While modules are three-dimensional units comprised of several prefabricated pieces, panels are individual flat pieces assembled on-site. So, one could think of modular construction as a specific application of prefabrication where floors, walls, and roofs are integrated into larger units, often comprising one or more rooms.
Simply put, prefab deals with the manufacturing of the individual units (walls, floors, and other elements) with assembly of entire spaces happening later at the construction site.
Benefits (and Challenges) of Modular Architecture
With a number of factors driving added attention to modular architecture – the rapidly growing need for adequate, affordable housing significantly among them – there are numerous benefits being found by both designers, builders, and the community who eventually uses the final product.
Of course, with the benefits of any approach also come challenges. Below we’ll take a closer look at both in some key areas.
Quality Control A modular approach to design and building allows for greater control of the overall quality of a structure. With units prefabricated in a factory setting as opposed to being subject to field conditions (i.e., short building windows in colder, wetter seasons, etc.), there’s less degradation of materials.
Also, because modular construction is simplified to an assembly process, reliance on different skill levels or unfamiliarity from on-site labor – and quality issues that can arise as a result – are dramatically reduced.
However, since units are prefabricated, often with proprietary materials and methods, if quality issues do arise, they aren’t able to be addressed on-site as easily as with conventional construction.
Constructability A huge benefit of a modular approach is time. Construction time on a modular structure takes a fraction of the time it takes to build from the ground up. The process is also safer for workers as fewer people are needed for less complicated tasks on a shorter schedule, minimizing site risks.
This benefit can be even greater when used at scale while applying templated configurations across multiple sites, as opposed to a one-off approach for each building. It’s estimated that modular approaches can reliably save at least 20% in construction costs, including the potential for an estimated $22B in savings annually across U.S. and European markets. This savings makes sense when you consider the reduced construction time that leads to a reduction in overall emissions from heavy equipment.
While site accessibility is a challenge with any project, because modular design involves the use of larger units, this can be a limiting factor for difficult to reach locations.
Construction site of an office building in Berlin.
Repeatability As mentioned, modular design lends itself to repeatability and scalability. The consistencies gained in minimizing onsite construction issues like weather or access, improve the quality of overall construction while being more insulated from the elements. Using a system of repeated building blocks leaves less room for variation in quality and creates a process that can then be repeated across multiple sites.
Sustainability Modular design is also better for the planet. The approach bakes in an emphasis on minimizing waste in the construction process because the process is primarily carried out in the controlled environment of a manufacturing facility. The units themselves are also often made using recycled materials. Almost every client values sustainable methods that lessens onsite waste and materials, because less waste not only lowers a project’s overall carbon footprint, it also lower costs associated with disposing and transporting that waste.
Establishing Design Goals for Clients The benefits of modular design also extend away from the job site. While of course not exclusive to a modular approach, the use of 3D visuals can be particularly useful in facilitating a discussion that requires an extra degree of predefined design decisions with the client.
A discussion including a modular architecture approach can draw out a client’s true goals for the project, like if they want resilient products that are easy to maintain for a buyer that can be weatherproofed during the short build season. Different components of the structure can be modular in an ‘a la carte’ type approach to meet the design, avoiding the challenges that come with limited variety and allowing for design flexibility.
Example 3D rendering of a sustainable house, using modular design.
A Modular Design Approach: What Makes a Project a Good Fit?
It’s one thing to consider a modular design approach, but it’s another to decide which projects are most suitable for it. The reality is it’s a different design process from what traditionally takes place and might not always be the right solution depending on the project details.
For one, designers have to think in a more integrated way because the pieces of the puzzle are bigger. Units also must be designed to thorough specifications to make sure everything fits just right when it comes time to build. Architects need to think about how one gets the most customization in the fewest components, while also considering the need for flexibility. Owners also tend to invest more in early phases of the project so the prefab process can begin, meaning decisions need to be made early so that can be conveyed to financiers.
Consideration of a modular approach is best done early in the design process to truly reap the benefits in identifying projects that are a good fit.
An Answer to the Housing Crisis: Modular Residential Home Design
Modular architecture can be especially useful for residential home design. With the growing housing crisis plaguing the United States, it’s estimated that 3.8 million more homes must be built now to keep up with population growth in the future, and modular design lends itself to the need in a unique way.
Given its repeatability, scalability, and time-saving capabilities, modular construction allows for a number of cost-effective solutions to building houses en masse. Rather than a one-off approach with a traditional stick-built home, modular home design delivers a shortened schedule, material cost savings, and a more sustainable project, ultimately getting people into homes – and developers paid – more quickly.
Modular Housing Common Questions
When considering modular architecture for housing projects, there are a few common questions to consider:
Can modular homes be stacked?
Modular homes can be designed as a single standalone structure or multiple story building by stacking them. Bottom line: there are many structural and design possibilities.
Can modular homes be renovated?
Modular homes can be modified and renovated, though much depends on the initial structural integrity and design which may require specialized knowledge and resources.
Can modular homes be built anywhere?
One of their greatest benefits is that modular homes can be placed just about anywhere. There are some constraints since the larger components need to be able to be accessible to a site.
Modular Architecture for Commercial Buildings
Large-scale projects don’t just include housing. While not currently as common, commercial buildings are increasingly being built using a modular approach.
Modular construction site.
In cases where there is a need for meeting rigorous quality standards (due to regulation or client specifications) a modular approach can help ensure those standards are met. This is especially common in advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry for example. Efficiency with energy, materials and construction timelines are also goals that lend themselves well to a modular approach to commercial facilities.
Modular Architecture as A Growing Application in Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare is another area where modular design is growing in popularity, and the concept is gaining hold for several reasons.
While the priorities of healthcare have evolved over time to place a greater emphasis on patient-centric model that emphasizes convenience and experience, the physical infrastructure for the industry has comparatively lagged. An effort to catch up has turned many to the benefits of modular design for the development of new healthcare facilities.
Example of modular units.
Modular architecture is helping bridge that gap with healthcare facilities by simplifying coordination and install of multiple, complex infrastructural components that are often needed.
In addition to being more innovative and scalable in design, the cost-efficient nature of a modular approach is especially fitting an industry where creating the convenience for communities of nearby facilities is a priority. Considering the size of these projects, insulation from factors that often cause delays in construction (weather, labor shortage etc.) and other on-site complications is also an important consideration in getting healthcare facilities operational on schedule. These efficiencies also translate to cost savings and a better return on revenue.
Applying Creative Design Approaches to Architecture
Every project is unique and the options for bringing them to completion are numerous. The ability to deliver creative designs that meet a diverse set of client goals and project types is at the heart of our architecture practice. Modular design is just one approach in a world of possibilities to consider.
Take a closer look at our architecture work and learn more about a design-forward mentality that fits into a unique set of multidisciplinary capabilities.
What started as an idea of developing a School District’s local career technical education (CTE) program, quickly turned into a more expansive vision as the Sheridan School District set their sights on a building.
The challenging question that confronted Sheridan SD Superintendent Dorie Vickery Ed.D was how to raise the funds for a projected $20M project. Ongoing efforts from SEDCOR (Strategic Economic Development Corporation) whose mission is “Serving Willamette Valley’s most unique and vital industries” generated commitments in various forms from companies such as Hampton Lumber, Tectonics Tuning, Cascade Steel and Forest River manufacturing (a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary).
Looking for additional support, Superintendent Vickery enlisted the aid of Emerald Flash LLC. Led by Brent Nielsen, the group was created from the simple proposition that organizations must combine agility with clarity of purpose. “We are firmly rooted in the concepts of innovation and change management. We work with our clients to help them build a message about their passions, but then we take this further. Our focus is to help organizations create tangible proof of their intent. These proofs of concept often challenge conventional wisdom; they show a different way of doing things.”
Emerald Flash, Superintendent Vickery, and other stakeholders (including the City of Sheridan, the Sheridan Fire Department, and Program Manager Otak) have been working to secure education funding from Local, State and Federal resources. For example, after submitting an initial request to the Oregon Budget Committee for $1.9 million from the Oregon Lottery, funding came through six months later to support the building’s purchase. The school district also received additional funding from other sources including a CTE revitalization grant, Yamhill County ARPA funds, and $500,000 from the Omnibus.
Four months after receiving funding, purchase of the 24,000 square-foot facility was complete. The facility, named after former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts, is set to be the centerpiece of developing Sheridan School District’s CTE program, which aims to cultivate local talent and opportunities for students.
What is The Barbara Roberts CTE Center?
In 2021 Sheridan School District began creating CTE pathways with the vision of experiential classes and hand-on training opportunities that are open to high school students in Sheridan and surrounding districts. The development of a collaborative, regional CTE program will encourage more students to see the connection between their education and their future while cultivating pride in the pursuit of careers that require technical and trade skills.
The Barbara Roberts Career Technical Education Center (Roberts CTEC), spearheaded by Dorie Vickery, is a 24,000 square-foot facility that aims to fully develop the program. With the help of funding from the Oregon budget committee, Yamhill County ARPA funds, and a CTE revitalization grant, the building is currently in design and early construction procurement to renovate the entire building and site.
Why Are CTE Centers Critical for Education and Today’s Workforce?
CTE centers are crucial for education as trade jobs are increasingly in demand for a workforce experiencing a skilled labor shortage. For context, the application rate for technical jobs dropped by 49% between 2020 and 2022.
The CTE center offers programs in truck driving, manufacturing/welding, fire/EMT training, and agribusiness, with graduates being able to complete high school with monetizable skills and immediately earn a profitable living. The career pathways were selected based on Oregon employment data, leading to a living wage job, and employee demands from our local industries.
Fire Science
The Fire Science program will be developed in partnership with the Sheridan Fire District. Instructors for the program will be provided by Sheridan Fire, who will also coordinate funding and resources for a training tower to be built on site. Students who successfully complete the Fire Science tract will be prepared to demonstrate competency with regards to fire suppression and will have developed skills related to working as a team, personal responsibility, and professional communication.
Diesel and Heavy Equipment – Truck, Logistics & Diesel Mechanics
Students who participate in the Truck Driving and Diesel Mechanics program will develop foundational driving skills, as well as specific skills using a semi-truck driving simulator. Students will also learn basic mechanics for maintenance of diesel trucks. Long-term goals for this tract include a full-scale auto body and repair program.
Students who successfully complete this tract will be prepared to obtain their Commercial Driver’s license (CDL) and have hands-on experience with operation and basic maintenance of diesel trucks. Students will also have developed skills related to record-keeping, personal responsibility, and professional communication.
Manufacturing Technology
Manufacturing will utilize existing equipment and staffing to expand opportunities for students interested in career paths based on manufacturing skills. Students participating in this tract will also learn business skills necessary to run a small business. Students who successfully complete this tract will be able to operate basic equipment and tools, and have a basic understanding of the steps involved for setting up their own small business.
Agribusiness-Sustainable Plant Science and Technology
Agribusiness will focus on sustainable farming practices and bring large-scale agriculture into the classroom setting. Local resources, including visits to local farms and mentorships with local agricultural professionals will also help students understand the variety of careers available in agriculture. Students who complete the Agricultural Business tract will have an in-depth understanding of practices in a variety of careers related to agriculture, including business/sales, hands-on farming, and professional communication.
Higher Education Certification
All CTE programs will include instruction on post-secondary opportunities through community colleges, universities, trade schools and apprenticeships. CTE Pathways will be aligned with community college and trade school requirements. Students will be able to earn some college credits while in high school, and then complete the industry certification requirements at the college level.
The Impact of CTE Center Development
Roberts CTEC is set to make a significant impact, not just on the Sheridan community, but the greater workforce of Oregon. The Center will provide high school students with CTE courses aligned to industry standards, preparing the future workforce. Participating students across the West Valley region will be equipped to enter their industries or further their education with advanced certification. Sheridan School District recognizes the combined effort of Emerald Flash, Otak, and BRIC in the fundraising, project management, and design of the CTE center.
Otak as owner’s representative is proud to be a supporter of the Roberts CTEC because of its expansive vision for empowering students to enter needed career and technical trades. If you would like to get involved in supporting this project, please contact Bob Collins, bob.collins@otak.com or Dorie Vickery, Superintendent about joining us in supporting this exciting and needed project.
Time to raise glasses at Otak! We’re happy to report three of our projects took home awards at the 2023 DJC Top Projects Gala! We’re taking a closer look into the three projects that took home some hardware, so check out the work below.
Hotel Indigo – 2nd Place (Hospitality and Other Special Purposes)
Located in Vancouver, WA with primetime views of downtown and the Columbia River, our client made it a priority take full advantage of the location. Enter a 12-story luxury condo tower with 40 units, and the boutique-style Hotel Indigo, a 138-room high-rise.
Otak provided comprehensive planning and design services for the mixed-use property, which also includes 10,000 square feet of retail and 7,700 square feet of restaurant space. The design highlights the hotel chain’s signature brand while creating an iconic destination on the prime site. A six-story atrium, second-level meeting and conference hall, rooftop bar, expansive terrace, and valet parking will provide visitors and residents with luxury amenities and an inviting setting to enjoy the riverfront festival street and parks. The hotel, one of the few Indigo properties west of the Mississippi, is within easy walking distance of downtown Vancouver.
Taking home 2nd place in the Hospitality & Other Special Purposes category, this project will provide a unique mixed-use hospitality and residential environment for visitors and residents on the Vancouver waterfront. Otak is excited to see this project come to life and earn recognition for its efforts to create a vibrant new community along the Columbia River.
Originally constructed in the 1970s, the unused two-story structure on Casino Road has found a new purpose as an administrative headquarters for a bustling transit company, Community Transit. A complete rehabilitation of the 70,000 square-foot concrete tilt panel building involved full design from our team – from programming through construction documents to ultimately becoming the new home of a number of groups’ operations.
Key to this design was an adaptive re-use project delivery method, including an upgrade to nearly all building systems to meet current building, fire protection, energy, and electrical codes. An added data facility that required enhanced security was also solved in the renovation plans. Added daylighting throughout the building is one element of this energy efficient design.
With 14 user groups set to call the admin building home, the needs of each were considered throughout the process. Through continuous visioning sessions and interviews with key stakeholders, a consensus was met in designing an open office environment that features a large, stadium style gathering space as well as a rooftop deck that offers an employee lounge and amenities.
Taking home 2nd place in the Tenant Improvement & Major Renovation category, this is another project we hang our hat on – exemplifying a dynamic relationship between community, innovation, sustainability, and quality design.
Otak CPM is proud to be a part of this award-winning project, made possible by close teaming with our partners at: Pacific Medical Buildings, ZGF Architects, and Andersen Construction. With over 121,000 square-feet added as a apart of their three-site expansion program, The Vancouver Clinic grew its ability to provide healthcare services for communities across Southwest Washington.
Utilizing a Lean Integrated Design / Design Build approach, the Vancouver Clinic expansion designed all three facilities concurrently. The design processes were augmented by full-scale mock-ups to confirm functionality while leveraging the experiences of clinical staff and medical consultants to prioritize patient care with optimal clinic workflows.
As owner’s representative, Otak CPM was involved through the design and early site work of the Salmon Creek 2 medical office building. At the onset of the pandemic, the project delivery method changed from Design Build approach to a developer-based project with Pacific Medical Buildings (PMB). The original Design Build team of Andersen Construction and ZGF Architects was retained to construct the building in partnership with PMB, with Otak CPM remaining in an advisory role to Vancouver Clinic through the conclusion of the project.
We would like congratulate our partners: Andersen Construction, ZGF Architects, Pacific Medical Buildings, and our client Vancouver Clinic on this wonderful award.
When it comes to transportation engineering, Otak believes in the power of multimodal transportation as an essential design lens. In our view, roads are not only for cars – pedestrian overpasses, bike lanes, and the surrounding landscape all serve to make transportation infrastructure more robust, inclusive, and perhaps most importantly, sustainable for all to use no matter how you’re getting from point A to point B.
Attending events in this space enables us to use this philosophy as a differentiator, where we can not only share our values and approach, but we can also build relationships with the communities we work in. The result is transportation projects using a more involved and community-driven design method that serves the needs of the neighborhood.
It’s this emphasis on community-driven design that makes conferences like the NACTO 2023 Conference in Denver, Designing Cities, so important to us.
We’re happy to report our own Kevin Dooley and Ann Nguyen served as key speakers at the NACTO 2023 conference, working to showcase projects in the region that are helping transform how cities can, or ought to be designed.
What Is NACTO?
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Designing Cities conference is in its 11th year, bringing together over 1,000 officials, planners, and practitioners to advance the state of urban transportation. By bringing city officials, planners, and transportation professionals together, real conversations can be had about how to improve everyone’s access to quality transportation infrastructure – especially while improving a city’s bike network.
This conference is an especially good way to get an idea of what issues or challenges officials from cities around the country are facing in their multi-modal design processes, as well as identify new trends in the industry like sidetracks or protected intersections.
Denver 2023: A Site to Showcase Progressive Transportation Networks
NACTO Route: Boulder’s Core Arterial Network
Right in the backyard of our Colorado locations, this is the first time NACTO has been held in Denver. The city was chosen strategically as a place to showcase some of the most progressive and quick bike network expansions in the country since becoming a major point of emphasis for local government, a trend also catching on in surrounding cities like Boulder or Fort Collins.
What’s key about this for us is that a unique focus is given to the socio-economic factors impacting transportation access, or lack thereof, in a given community. Working sessions were done with historical context in mind, meaning factors like the evolution of transportation and how it impacts different demographics of people are at the forefront of conversation.
Otak leaders also gave presentations directly surrounding this topic, so we’re about to take a deep dive on what they talked about and the ideas they shared.
Prioritizing Safety and Mobility on Major Streets: A Look at Boulder’s Core Arterial Network
These working sessions at NACTO Denver, dubbed “WalkShops,” centered on literal walk-throughs of project sites throughout the city. At each location discussions were had on techniques that were used and what benefits they had to the community.
First, we’ll get into what Kevin Dooley, a Transportation Project Manager, presented on. As part of Boulder’s Core Arterial Network (CAN), more than 30 transportation planners and officials from all over the country rode through our 30th and CO Underpass project – where Kevin was on-hand to provide insight to NACTO attendees.
Improving One of the Most Dangerous Intersections in Boulder
An essential transportation route for both the general community and University of Colorado Boulder students was in dire need of an upgrade – not just aesthetically but functionally. The intersection of 30th and Colorado represented one of the most dangerous in the city. Coordination with our teaming partners based on public feedback and outreach was critical to the design process, all in an effort to make the intersection safer for all who use it, no matter the mode of transportation.
One of the unique solutions for delivering the project was raising the intersection by about five feet to provide a pedestrian underpass. This allows for shorter underpass approach lengths while meeting ADA compliance. The project also includes more 0.5 lanes miles of raised bike lanes, or “cycle track”, and incorporates the City of Boulder first fully “protected intersection” for street cyclists.
Apart from impact on right of way for users among other benefits, the design was meant to showcase that one is not always limited by space in evaluating a site. If you’re able to think outside the box, creativity ultimately pays off when designing a functional pedestrian underpass.
A second design feature also delivered two separate underpasses – the decision was one that took a data and community driven approach to complete. Early findings when researching the site showed the southwest and northeast, plus southern and eastern leg movements were more congested than the other elements of the existing intersection. Modeling also showed that one diagonal underpass would allow for only around 390 users per day, far below the utilization the project needed.
The two-underpass approach captured 61% of all bike and pedestrian crossings at the intersection, with 38% of those users traveling both legs of the intersection. During planning, over 1,000 bikes or pedestrians per day were expected to use at least one of the two underpasses, and 38% of those will use both. Using data and utilization as a guiding light made this project an especially great one to showcase at NACTO this year.
Improving Denver’s Urban Core: A Community-Led Effort Around Transportation, Art, and Culture
Ann Nguyen, an Otak landscape architect and planner, took the lead in her Walkshop around the developing core of Denver’s urban center. Besides being an expert on our team, she’s also involved in the La Alma Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association and serves as an advisory board member for the Art District on Santa Fe, meaning her passion for Denver and its design are always top of mind.
Her Walkshop involved a compilation of projects in the La Alma and Lincoln Park neighborhoods in West Denver. Improvements to neighborhood safety and main street connections in the core of the city also focused on preserving cultural elements of the urban fabric.
Transportation Design and Planning Behind a Cultural and Art District
The projects Ann walked through focus on ‘cultural’ and ‘art’ district designations and their importance to making cities places where people love living.
As a major stakeholder on the Santa Fe Streetscape project, Ann showcased a transportation-focused way of improving safety along a main street that was recently shrunk from four lanes of traffic to three lanes to create a more pedestrian-centered environment. The project represents progress on a long-standing vision for the neighborhood, including the Art District and Business Improvement District situated along this corridor.
Next, she walked viewers through the 5280 Trail project, which is a loop in the urban core of Denver that connects its neighborhoods to each other. Ann led the third phase of that project through community-led design and activating areas along the proposed trail. Ann worked closely with the Art District on Santa Fe, Neighborhood Association, Denver Housing Authority, local artists, nonprofits and youth to install two murals between Denver’s first Art District and its second cultural district.
Finally, Ann walked through her work on the Santa Fe Design Overlay, a rezoning project she’s been working on independently for years. With the goal of developing a true main street, those rezoning plans were passed. This cleared the way for a design overlay on Santa Fe Drive that supports future development that’s integrated with the existing community, ensuring that it complements the existing built environment and character of place.
Critical to the design process in our architecture practice, the charrette represents a crucial step toward achieving practical, beautiful buildings with the needs of the community in mind. But what exactly is a design charrette?
Simply put, the design charrette is a short and collaborative meeting during which an architect or client can share their work with team members. It’s here where most ideation is done, where they can talk through, collaborate, and sketch while exploring and sharing diverse design ideas.
These charrettes are especially useful for projects that require many hands and even more inspiration. Given the importance of stakeholder engagement in this process, a unique approach (including Legos) seemed a natural fit in working with a non-profit aiming to inspire creativity in a new clubhouse.
“We center youth voice in all of our work and the decisions that we make. This feels like a great moment for the kids to see their ideas come to fruition, its empowering for them in a world where they aren’t often empowered.”
Allison Pauletto, Executive Director – Friends of the Children-SW Washington
Who is Friends of the Children?
Friends of the Children-SW Washington is a chapter of a national organization established in 1993 in Portland, Oregon. The non-profit seeks to provide mentorship, care, and consistency for disadvantaged youths. It was founded on the principle that one of the strongest protective factors a child can have is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult.
Starting with just 24 kids and three adult ‘Friends’ in 1993, the organization has since grown to serve locations across the country including this Southwest Washington chapter. With great growth comes a great need for facilities that are innovative and built with community’s needs in mind, the community in this case being the kids Friends of the Children-SW Washington serve.
Designing a Unique Charrette Process
While no two design charrettes are exactly alike, some are more creative that others. Given the goals for Friends of the Children in Southwest Washington, a unique approach to the design charrette process included the imagination of the same children who would eventually call the new clubhouse their own.
The architecture team ultimately designed two charrettes to gauge the needs of the organization and incorporate them into the facilities’ design.
Preliminary Brainstorm
To kick things off, the architects hosted a brainstorming activity to learn more about current facilities and what they mean to both the children and their ‘Friends,’ as well as the greater community. Five questions were posted on the wall meant to help us understand what the group already loves about their clubhouse. The purpose of this was to not lose the original vision of the clubhouse, but instead expand upon it — letting the children and their ‘Friends’ inform the design process directly.
In charrette number two, four more questions were posted on the wall, encouraging participants to use their full imaginations in ideating what the final project delivery should look like.
Responses to each brainstorming activity were placed on the wall with sticky notes, ultimately creating word clouds and design concepts, all of which were used to find out what the clubhouse means to the Friends of the Children-SW Washington.
Lego Charrette: Creation Stations for a Reimagined Clubhouse
After these brainstorming sessions, three groups were created for breakout sessions and assigned one of three ‘Creation Stations,’ complete with Legos to define how the pieces of the new clubhouse could potentially fit together, using the brainstorm and Otak staff to inform their design choices.
“These are the connections our kids need to make them understand architecture, where they can see how art and creativity are used in the real world.”
Allison Pauletto, Executive Director – Friends of the Children-SW Washington
Broken into the categories, “Interiors, Adjacencies & Outdoor Spaces, and Landscape”, the Legos used at each Creation Station were strategic. Allowing the children to figuratively build their own space exposed them to the exploration of architecture and landscape architecture in a tangible, tactile way, inspiring imagination and creativity even further.
Outlining Clubhouse Site Facilities
Each of the three groups arrived at Creation Station #1 to find a 24”x24” piece of green poster paper and premade 3-dimensional shapes built with Legos that represented (to scale) the new clubhouse and other features, including the parking lot and exterior patios.
The groups were presented with the story that a big, new gym building had come down from the sky and landed in a large, grassy field (think Dorothy’s house in The Wizard of Oz). Each group’s job was to arrange the nine primary outdoor activities around the gym building.
One by one, the kids talked about where each of the functional areas should be. They sometimes explored a possibility only to discover a better location.
This exercise led them to consider what activities function well next to each other and what activities require space or separation. For instance, the children considered placing quiet activities next to quiet, noisy next to noisy. The kids were eager to add things initially overlooked, such as a pond, a basketball court, bicycle riding trails, a bicycle storage room, and a barbecue area, to name a few.
Identifying Ideal Interior Amenities
The focus then shifted to the clubhouse’s interior, and the children and their Friends were tasked with imagining the type of amenities the new clubhouse should have, either building their idea with more Legos or illustrating it.
Everything from new gaming consoles to interactive furniture to places to do homework, the children wasted no time in imagining what their space could be. Their Friends also identified needs for a coffee station, a full kitchen, a break room, and more board games. The design element is especially important here, as the needs of the organization directly informed Otak’s choices for the project for the greater community’s benefit.
Creating Outdoor Spaces
The three groups were then asked to represent their outdoor activities and desired amenities through, you guessed it, more Legos. Several children built creations that represented outdoor equipment (i.e., basketball hoop, tree house) while others created scenes that captured different activities or amenities (i.e., pond with a basketball court, a game of rock tag).
The groups were then given markers and trace paper overlaid on a large aerial photo of a potential clubhouse site. They were asked to brainstorm what types of activities they wanted to see outside the clubhouse and then identify the best locations for each. The kids discussed and made decisions as a group on where facilities or activities should be located and the spatial arrangement and relationships between them.
Some key themes emerged between both the kids and their Friends:
Creating a ‘backyard’ for the children, Friends and community that provides different spaces, facilities and activities that evoke a sense of belonging or ownership.
Providing a balance of loud outdoor areas and quiet spaces throughout all seasons.
Separating activity areas to accommodate different age groups and activity types.
Connecting indoor and outdoor spaces
Providing access to nature and the environment through outdoor learning spaces
Preserving friendships through outdoor art or installations that live across generations
Establishing a safe and secure clubhouse and backyard (i.e., perimeter fencing, no pool, no trampoline)
Concluding the Design Charette: A Roundtable Discussion for Preliminary Decision Making
The final session in our second charrette with the Friends was a roundtable open discussion and preliminary decision-making process to identify the necessary spaces that would be designed in the clubhouse, and determine a sufficient square footage or size for each space.
As the group discussed each space, significant feedback from the Friends provided insight into what is needed for these spaces to function successfully, be fully utilized, and accommodate long-term growth.
Establishing Project Programming
This exercise regarding programming set the precedent for the following discussion about adjacencies and how the programming would translate into a visual spatial arrangement. As an example, the group was shown a Lego model created by the children at Creation Station #2 reflecting their thoughts on where different spaces should go and their relationship to others.
The goal was to encourage everyone to reflect on how they move and function throughout the current clubhouse and imagine their role in these new spaces, and a roundtable discussion is perfect for hashing out the multitude of ideas the children and their Friends came up with.
Friends of the Children at Otak’s Vancouver office with the architecture team
A Closer Look at Community-Focused Design
Throughout this unique design charrette process, community engagement and stakeholder involvement were paramount, and baked into the ideation phase seamlessly to understand the needs of Friends of the Children-SW Washington from not just an adults perspective, but from active users of the space – the children. This approach is critical to the ‘why’ of not just Otak Architecture, but Otak as a whole.
Check out more work from our architecture team, and we can’t wait to continue to report on this unique project. Thank you to Friends of the Children for having us, and we’re excited to get started!
Otak is excited to announce that our work on 180th Street SE Improvements for Snohomish County just won Project of the Year at the APWA Washington’s annual Spring conference in the $5 million – $25 million Transportation category!
Read on as we take a deep dive into what this award means, and why we’re so grateful to be recognized among many other deserving winners from across Washington state.
What’s the Project?
The impact of improvements to the 180th Street corridor makes the area safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and critical habitats in the surrounding natural environment.
The unincorporated area between the cities of Mill Creek and Bothell is one of the fastest growing in all of Snohomish County. The east/west 180th St SE corridor runs through the heart of the community, and along with the north/south corridors of State Route 527, 35th Ave SE, and Seattle Hill Rd, is one of the main routes for navigating the southwest area of Snohomish County.
With the steadily increasing population and plans for additional transit options coming to the area, improvements to the arterial transportation system are a top priority for Snohomish County.
Otak partnered with Snohomish County Public Works to deliver transportation, structural, and environmental services for the project’s Phase I improvements, and we’re beyond proud of the final result.
What’s the APWA?
The American Public Works Association is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals dedicated to providing high quality public works goods and services. Originally chartered in 1937, APWA is the largest and oldest organization of its kind in the world, with headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, an office in Washington, D.C., and 67 chapters throughout North America. APWA provides a forum in which public works professionals can exchange ideas, improve professional competency, increase the performance of their agencies and companies, and bring important public works-related topics to public attention in local, state and federal arenas.
The Washington Chapter’s 1,400 (+/-) members come from the entire state of Washington. The Chapter as a whole meets twice a year at spring (Western Washington) and fall (Eastern Washington) conferences and there are several other formal and informal annual events throughout the year.
We’d like to formally thank APWA Washington for bestowing this award on such a deserving and community-driven project. Stay tuned for more conference and award news as this season gets into full swing. We can’t wait to connect with more of our partners and clients at future events, and maybe win some more awards along the way!
For today’s traveler it’s a common, if not inescapable sight—crowds of people seemingly everywhere. This includes places where, in the past, this may not have been the case. Significant growth in tourism across the globe in recent decades has given rise to ‘overtourism’ or simply put, too many visitors in one place at one time.
The trend of overtourism has brought the practice of visitor use management (more commonly found within outdoor recreation areas) into focus for a wider variety of locations. In this piece, we’ll explore the meaning of overtourism, the problems it can create, and solutions for managing its impact that balance site preservation with quality visitor experiences.
Overtourism is the impact of tourism on a destination or location that excessively impacts quality of life for local communities, habitats and/or the overall quality of visitor experiences in a negative way.
It’s important to note that overtourism is relative to capacity and specifics of each location. Local infrastructure, facilities, community and ecology are all among the details that determine where overtourism is a problem and help define the needed solutions.
Problems of Overtourism
With the exploding popularity of destinations across the globe, it follows that overtourism bears a huge impact on those spaces.
Overtourism, especially by those who may not be familiar with visiting national parks and historical sites, brings certain pressures on systems of visitor use management that wouldn’t otherwise be there. That unfamiliarity can create conflict when it comes to guidelines of where they’re visiting, which is all the more reason why visitor use management is becoming increasingly important to preserve spaces and protect people.
The Social Media Impact on Overtourism
In many ways the information age has been a boon to tourism. The ability to find and travel to locations across the globe has increased dramatically. At the same time, for many destinations, heightened visibility now often comes with a cost.
With the rise of social media, scenic locations have been exposed to overtourism through the viral popularity that can come with sharing a destination on these platforms. The visual nature – Instagram in particular – makes the travel industry ripe for social media and the way “influencer” dynamics can quickly drive people to action in pursuit of likes and followers.
Whether it be through general awareness or attempts to replicate perceived success over social media, these platforms’ impact on overtourism – both for well-known and new locations alike – is already apparent and growing.
Overtourism Solutions
When addressing overtourism challenges, a delicate balance found in visitor use management comes into play. Does one use an unobtrusive and indirect approach? Or does one need a more intrusive and direct intervention method when thresholds are broken? The answer is: it depends.
Many issues are specific to the parks and geographies, but can also be understood as a regional system. Consider the questions behind how local use is dispersed – Where are visitors going? What are they doing in light of crowding and increased use of natural spaces?
These questions have not only local implications, but also regional and international impacts when applied to other historic sites where tourism abounds. Professionals in Visitor Use Management need to have a high-level understanding of the system and ask themselves practical questions about how people actually behave, whether they be at a National Park or at the Eiffel Tower.
3 Types of Overtourism Examples
As discussed, a quickly growing travel environment has made the issue of overtourism relevant to an increasing number of locations. Growing accessibility to reach destinations more quickly and at further distances, coupled with rising interest a broader array of destinations, has lead to a trend that’s sure to continue.
There are some primary examples of overtourism where the impact is already abundantly clear and, in many cases, where solutions have already begun to be put in place.
Iconic Destinations
Some of the places experiencing the most acute impacts of overtourism are naturally those that have already traditionally been popular tourism destinations. Many of these locations are also very old, which can leave them particularly vulnerable since their infrastructure often isn’t designed to handle modern visitor use capacities.
Venice, Italy
Machu Picchu, Peru
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Santorini, Greece
Encouraging travel during non-peak seasons and limiting the amount of visitors allowed to certain areas of a given destination are just a couple of the strategies being used to help combat the negative impacts of overtourism.
Historic Sites, Museums and Public Attractions
While the impacts of overtourism can be clearly seen in its effect on natural landscapes, the same challenges are felt at other types of popular public attractions. This is especially relevant for museums and historic sites that have sensitive, often fragile, aspects of their value. Visitor flow at these public sites now often being optimized using the elements of a visitor use management framework.
The US National Park System (NPS) has largely been a victim of its own success. A concerted effort over the years to grow interest in natural landscapes as well as growing popularity with outdoor recreation activities has taken its toll on the parks experience and natural resources.
While still fairly new in practice, the visitor use management framework has quickly become prevalent in the National Park System as well as other public land recreation areas. The framework’s principles of establishing desired conditions, identifying indicators, and setting thresholds and triggers are now being used to address overcrowding on trails and parking. They also protect the valuable natural resources that make these destinations the irreplaceable scenes they are.
Otak is happy to introduce a week near and dear to our hearts. Starting today and going through this Saturday the 25th is National Surveyors week!
Surveyors’ week was created to provide a time for everyone in our profession to think about the impact surveyors have on society, to inform the general public about our work, and to share how enjoyable and impactful a land surveying career is.
To celebrate National Surveyor’s Week, we’re shining the spotlight on our beloved survey team and taking a closer look at what makes survey one of our most integral and far-reaching practice areas. Otak’s team is made up of 18 people working from three offices in Oregon and Washington, with a regional presence that includes Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, North Dakota, and South Dakota. With the help of partners, we also work in Alaska and Hawaii.
Our clients range from Federal agencies to national freight and passenger railroads, to local jurisdictions and even a homeowner from time to time. The variety of work Otak Survey does, along with the diversity of places we do it, is unique and very enjoyable.
What is Surveying?
Land Surveying is a profession as old as the concept of land ownership. The earliest known surveying practices date back to 1400 BC, when land was measured for taxation purposes in Egypt. The position of land surveyor has been held in esteem for just as long. In Oregon, the Office of County Surveyor is in the Constitution (Article VI, Section 8) and is still an elected position in several counties.
Surveyors are historians, measurers, mathematicians, mediators, and treasure hunters, using tools that have been around for a thousand years alongside the latest in modern technology and equipment. Our field and office surveyors map, measure, search, find, set, calculate, adjust, draw, compute, stake, read, scan, fly, float, and plat – sometimes all in the same day.
Meet Otak’s Survey Team
Otak’s survey group is a team that works together for everyone’s success. With a strong foundation of legacy staff, our team members range from seasoned experts to growing talent. All have important perspectives and skills to contribute, and that shows up in our work every day. Below are pictures of Otak field surveyors in their natural element.
Of course, most of the pictures are in pleasant conditions and in nice places – but field surveyors work in the elements every day. That may mean it’s wet, muddy, cold, raining, freezing, next to a freeway, or so remote that hiking into it can take hours. The next day that it’s terrible outside, remember, Otak’s field surveyors are probably out in the weather!
Some of Otak Survey’s recent projects include:
Trimet’s Division Transit Project and nearly every light rail line in the Portland area
Multiple segments of the Willamette Water Supply Pipeline from Wilsonville to Hillsboro, Oregon
Community Transit’s Orange Line and several other light rail lines in the Puget Sound region.
A new 6-mile industrial spur track in Mesa, AZ, for a national freight railroad.
Otak’s survey team uses satellites, robotic total stations, drones, scanners, unmanned boats, and 360° cameras – and as technology advances, so will our utilization of the latest and greatest surveying equipment available.
The Legacy of Otak’s Survey Practice Area
Otak has been providing land surveying throughout its entire history as a firm, with seasoned professionals who have been with us for 30+ years.
We’ve also had four generations of the Lundeen family that have worked for Otak Survey. The first generation started with Gary Lundeen, who worked at Otak for 30+ years until retirement. Gary’s son Joel Lundeen is currently at 29 years with Otak and counting. Generation three included two of Joel’s sons who have since moved on to other careers. Other long-time survey employees that have built the foundation of Otak’s survey practice include: Chris Wiley (24 years), Jerry Osgood (25 years), Mike Rusch (30 years), David Finley (20+ years), and David Breneman (24 years).
“Bob Hawes marked his 39th anniversary with Otak this year! Bob works harder and smarter than most. His tenure gives him a perspective that is nearly unobtainable.”
– Jon Yamashita, Director of Survey
Quality design depends on quality mapping – so early on it was decided that control of the mapping and surveying process was a key to Otak’s overall quality of work. It didn’t take long for word to spread that Otak’s surveying group provided high-quality services – very quickly our client list expanded to work for local and state agencies. We continue to work on on-call contracts with agencies that were initially won decades ago – and some agencies now find that there is more institutional knowledge of their land surveying history at Otak then they have internally.
Celebrating our Staff
Please join us in thanking the Otak Survey Team during International Surveyors’ Week! We’re grateful to have an expert team that is engaged in their work, quick to laugh, and always working on something fun.
The science of engineering is the backbone of the environment we construct around us, and many people perceive engineering in its most common ways. For example, both civil and structural applications are when engineers are most in the spotlight and is arguably the first thing people think about when considering what “engineering” means. These practice areas are often the most visible because they are physical and affect our daily lives as both participators in the built environment and also as members of society.
“I love being able to see a project come to life. It is quite a spectacular feeling to know I have helped bring someone’s idea into reality.”
Hailey Sibert – Otak Civil Designer
However, engineering can be much more varied than meets the eye, and the practice area is defined by the broader applications that a multidisciplinary approach can have on not only the built environment, but also on the communities that call that environment home.
In this post, we’ll explore the ways in which engineering affects multiple facets of society, and show just how important the intersectional practice is to fully functioning communities.
Getting People Around, In Multiple Ways
Transportation engineering immediately comes to mind when thinking about the lesser thought applications of the profession. Options for transportation in the built environment don’t just spring up out of nowhere, and the impact that high functioning transportation infrastructure on communities is hard to overstate.
Quality transportation engineering improves how community members get from place to place and serves as a great socioeconomic equalizer. By increasing access to jobs, opportunities, and services through breaking down transportation barriers, engineering directly uplifts disadvantaged groups within municipalities by ensuring everyone gets an equal shot at getting there.
Multi-modal transportation also plays a role here. Communities don’t solely consist of cars, trains, and busses. Designing pedestrian-friendly areas allow neighborhoods to flourish and encourages healthier, more walkable lifestyles among citizens. Greater still, access between point A to point B is improved for those who do opt for public transport, which decreases reliance on cars. This means everything from sustainability perspective, and it’s all made possible through quality engineering that’s designed to move people, not just vehicles.
Using The Natural Flow of Things
The environmental intersections of engineering with purpose are also huge components of quality design. When we envision communities, we design with natural surroundings and not despite them. By doing this, we place an emphasis on low impact development (LID) which gives way to developing green stormwater infrastructure.
The best part about being a civil engineer is building connections. We building infrastructures and improve transportation networks that connect people and communities.
Eva Ho – Otak Civil Engineer
Without a multidisciplinary approach to this type of engineering, the greener aspects of project work may go unnoticed, or natural systems in place may be harmed or interrupted. Instead, engineers can design around habitats by understanding water flow and hydraulics of the site. In this way , water and natural resources engineers play a critical role in making communities not only sustainable for humans, but also more habitable for other forms of wildlife that may exist alongside something out of the built environment.
Helping the Rain Go Away
Quality water resources engineering also helps us answer unique questions about planning and design, including ones in relation to stormwater and surface water management. One might ask themselves, “When the rain falls, where does it go?”
The answer? It’s been engineered to flow through the community in helpful ways. For one, understanding water detention and retention prevents flooding for neighborhoods already in place. Second, it ensures quality of water for communities and natural habitats impacted by the local watershed and stormwater runoff — engineering for the community of life, not just for people.
“My [engineering] work has given me the opportunity to wear many different (hard) hats. I’ve designed cable stay bridges, a variety of buildings, sculptures… every day is an adventure!”
Greg Mines – Otak Structures Engineer
This ultimately helps prevent more vulnerable communities and areas from experiencing the effects of increased or harmful precipitation by injecting climate resiliency into the existing system, something a traditionally structural engineer might not consider. When multifaceted engineers are tasked with a project, they come up with a multi-pronged way of looking at a project that does more than just house, shelter, or get people to work on time.
Finding the Perfect Place for a Project
Engineering helps us answer even more pertinent questions about the built environment and our relationship with it, even before construction begins. So, just what happens on a site before we start building on it? Choosing the right spot to begin work involves a lot more than one would think.
Scrupulous engineering considers all the possibilities in order to find the right place for a project based on a goals and initial design, giving way to the practice of site development. Coming up with creative, practical, buildable, and permittable solutions is the work of engineers as well, and good ones are context sensitive (to cultural and natural resources that exist around a site) before building starts. Design efficiency has everything to do with pre-construction, from choice of materials to making sure things go smoothly from both a budget and site complications perspective. Engineering opens doors to deeper understanding of a project, not just the calculus to get it done, to ensure timely project delivery.
Enjoying Outdoor Spaces
As much impact as good engineering can have, sometimes the work is about leaving that impact with a minimal footprint. This can not only benefit clients, but members of the community that the project might impact. So much of engineering is about enhancing our open spaces and natural landscapes with low-profile infrastructure that allows for greater access and enjoyment from the populace, which can be as simple as a well-placed jungle gym or as complex as designing administrative facilities for parks and natural attractions.
Bike paths, multi-use paths, all of these are often not thought of as a crucial bit of engineering, however they double down on active transportation of the area while continuing to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
Trails and trailheads play a similar role — allowing people to access and connect with nature while preserving the spaces in which they exist and generating interest in the natural environment while in an effort to preserve it.
The thing I like most about working at Otak is the awesome, interdisciplinary team that I get to work with.
Chris Romeyn – Otak Sr. Water Resources Engineeer
And again, even before construction or the start of a project, feasibility studies in these environments also fall into the wheelhouse of engineering, ensuring the safety, sustainability, and resiliency of the site so people can enjoy it, catching problems in advance that might hinder project completion.
Multiple Engineering Disciplines, One Team
The work of engineers at Otak is multi-faceted and interdisciplinary, and we’re proud that our work goes toward the betterment of the communities we serve. The voices, experience and expertise of the engineering teams within our ranks reflects what their work means to them. Take a closer look at the depth and breadth of project work from one of our most esteemed and recognizable practice areas.
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experience, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
