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Welcome to the latest GGLO news.
Hooley ('hu:li): A wild or noisy party
Come on down to the Harbor Steps tomorrow, August 6th from 6-9 pm for the Third Annual Post Alley Hooley! Join GGLO and fellow hooligans as we partake in the live music, beverages, games and art installations from locals across this great city. GGLO's Emerging Professionals Group is participating by creating a string art installation at the midpoint of the Harbor Steps. This installation is an exciting opportunity for young designers at GGLO to reach out to the community.
The EP group's vision for the installation is to create a winding and weaving flurry of bright fluorescent chords. Taking inspiration from the activities and spaces along Harbor Steps, these chords twist hither and thither to create a composition of energy and motion. The artfully strung string will spread and connect banisters, railings and columns to create a gateway into Post Alley from the Harbor Steps.
The installation will be complete by 6 pm just in time for the Hooley to kick off. While the event will only last until 9 pm, GGLO's installation will remain up throughout the weekend and possibly longer. Stop by, check it out and say hello to the GGLOers who have put a lot of hard work into this awesome piece!
“Design
that stimulates community goes beyond the project design of great buildings and
places. Our commitment to community begins right here at home with our own at
GGLO.” – Jeff Foster AIA, Managing Principal, GGLO
"In a
relatively short timeframe since our program launch, the JUST Program has
garnered worldwide interest and is helping organizations to develop better
employee engagement policies and community stewardship practices. We are very
happy to see GGLO join the ranks of JUST labeled organizations with the
distinction of being the first design firm in Washington State to earn the JUST
Label." - Francis Janes, JUST Program Manager, International
Living Future Institute.
ILFI's Living Building Challenge (LBC) now requires at least one
JUST organization to be a 'major team member' for projects targeting LBC v3.0
certification. GGLO has been the Landscape
Architect for two projects for LBC certification, and is currently working on
its third, Eastern WashingtonUniversity's new Sustainability Center in Cheney, WA. The
Sustainability Center's landscapes will act as an incubator for resilient,
high-producing sustainable research and practices.
GGLO
qualified for the JUST label through internal policies in key JUST categories such as diversity, equity, safety, employee benefit, local
benefit and community stewardship. For example:
- Diversity: GGLO’s gender
diversity firm-wide (50% male / 50% female) and in senior leadership (56% male
/ 44% female) garner the top - Level 3- recognition in the JUST program’s
Gender Diversity indicator for high levels of gender balance.
- Worker Happiness: Because
GGLO is frequently highlighted in Seattle Best Places to Work, and high levels
of newly hired staff come from current GGLO employee referrals, it is no
surprise GGLO earns high marks in the worker benefit category of JUST.
- Charitable Giving: Our deep commitment to community in our practice,
our support, and our staff’s contributions has been recognized by AIA Seattle with an Honor Award for Community Service in 2011; by Puget Sound Business Journal’s list of Top 75 Corporate Philanthropists for 2013 and 2014; and
highlighted in our 2012 ‘Giving by Design’ publication which highlights our staff’s involvement in causes & organizations; and also contributes to the stewardship category of JUST.
“The JUST program helps organizations meaningfully address the triple bottom line. Of the three pillars of sustainability – Economics, Environment, Equity – our industry is exploring ways to address equity. JUST promotes the equity discussion beyond projects with a public use or affordable housing program element, and is helping create a common language for equity issues.” – Alicia Daniels Uhlig NCARB, Principal, Director of Sustainability
The Living Building Challenge was
the first green building program to incorporate equity criteria with the launch
of the Equity Petal in 2009; version 3.0 of the standard further highlights
impacts on communities with the addition of new imperatives. GGLO is
participating in the JUST program in support of elevating the equity
conversation in all organizations that shape our community, not just those who
manufacture products and construct projects.
We look forward to working together
to promote equity discussions in every aspect of our built environment.
It's been almost a month since Bike Month wrapped up and our legs are only now recovering!
GGLOers celebrated May with teams competing against each other to see who could peddle to the top of the firm rankings in this year's Bike Month Challenge. We would love to share the numbers with you:
Here is a belated congratulations to the Berserk Hurtin' Hustlers who road a staggering 1,247 miles and 223 total trips!
The rest of the teams were not far behind and put up some equally awesome numbers. Below is a snapshot of how the teams did, how the firm did as a whole and the individuals who stood out from the rest of the pack:
Team Statistics:
- Berserk Hurtin' Hustlers: 223 total trips, 114 commutes, 1247 miles ridden.
- Wheelvel Knievels: 195 total trips, 127 commutes, 744 miles ridden.
- Veloci-cycles: 194 total trips, 127 commutes, 886 miles ridden.
- The Wheady Milers: 175 total trips, 110 commutes, 949 miles ridden
- Pancake Promised Peddlers: 125 total trips, 59 commutes, 1031 miles ridden.
Office Statistics:
- 39 riders
- 912 trips
- 4,861 miles ridden
- 4,278 lbs of CO2 avoided
- 238,220 calories burned
The top three Riders:
- Most trips & most miles: Bron H who rode 78 total trips, 34 commutes and an overall distance of 416 miles.
- 2nd Place: Justin S who rode 77 total trips, with 34 commutes totaling 268 miles ridden.
- 3rd Place: Ross L road 50 total trips, 34 of which were commutes for a total distance of 155 miles.
Some quick updates to
all those waiting with baited breath to know how the GGLO Bike Challenge is
going:
- GGLOers have clocked in a staggering 595 trips as
of the latest tallying
- Those trips total over 3,200 miles ridden
as of May 1st!
- Adding these figures up, GGLO riders have avoided the
release of over 2,800 lbs of CO2 into our air.
Beth Dwyer is our winner for the
Bike Month Challenge Week #2! We caught up with her and she shared some wise
words with us on what it is like biking from West Seattle (spoiler: it involves
baby ducklings!)
What type
of bike do you ride?
I am in the process of deciding
what kind of new bike I want. I actually have a cool Schwinn cruiser but
it’s really heavy to commute with. I was promised a new road bike for
Mother’s Day so for right now I am using my neighbor’s Raleigh.
How many miles is your daily
commute?
It depends on the route,
it can range from 16 miles to 24 miles. Some days I go along Alki and
under the West Seattle Bridge. Other days I might go along Fauntleroy and grab
the Water Taxi. I often will do anything to avoid riding up Avalon Way
hill (although I have done it nonstop twice this month!!!)
How many trips have you made on
your bike this month and the distance?
I have only done 3 averaging
about 22 miles each trip. This is due to work schedule.
Did you ride your bike before
Bike Month this year, and will you keep it up?
Yes on
occasions. I will try and keep it up through the daylight months, however I
have no desire to ride next to the 18 wheelers in the dark..
What is the most interesting
thing that you've seen riding your bike in Seattle?
I have shared space with a baby
duckling, a few homeless camps, and a group of protesters. I also love the bike
trip counter under the WS Bridge– I think it’s cool that I can contribute to
“how many bike trips per year”.
Have you learned anything from
biking to work?
I have learned to appreciate
the diversity of my surroundings. I love riding along Me-Kwa-Mooks park and
Alki watching the seals in the water. The smell of the beach roses along the
path under the West Seattle Bridge is so heavenly. It completely counter
balances the deep bass of the teenagers cars on Alki and the diesel of the 18
wheelers along Alaskan Way as they whip by me.
Have any handy tips for other
riders?
Don’t forget to bring your
clothes for work. It can be really awkward to attend a meeting in spandex.
Biking is, admittedly, a pretty big deal at the GGLO office. Our firm has been an enthusiastic participant in Bike to Work Month (now Bike Month) for many years. We even invested in our own branded bike fleet. Always up for a bit of friendly competition, our staff is currently in the thick of the Bike Month Challenge where participants challenge themselves and others to ride as much as they can in the month of May.
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| We... really like bikes (if you couldn't tell) |
When May rolls around, the GGLO biking community splits into several different teams who compete with each other to see who can ride the most miles, with the most trips and commutes. Our esteemed teams for Bike Month 2015 are...
- Veloci-cycles
- Berserk Hurtin' Hustlers
- Wheelvel Knievels
- Pancake Promised Peddlers
- The Wheady Milers
The competition is in full swing with the teams above all vying for the top spot. Nearly half of our staff is participating in the Bike Month Challenge and as of yesterday our staff has ridden 372 trips totaling 2137 miles. That is equivalent to the release of 1,875 lbs of CO2 into the air avoided (when compared to a traditional car) and is also equivalent to 100,000 calories burned. Way to go guys!
For the remaining weeks of Bike Month we will be shining a spotlight on our office's weekly ride winners as well. Michael Lipko won our first week's prize, and he has shared with us some insight into his riding:
What type of bike do
you ride?
2014 Jamis Bosanova
touring bike with two wheels. That’s just how I roll.
How many miles is your daily commute?
8
miles to the gnat’s rear-end. West Seattle via the Harbor Island Bridge to
downtown. Some days I catch the water taxi back to stop at MARINATION and bask in the beer
and view.
How many trips have you made on your bike this month and the distance?
22 trips of which 16
are round trip commutes. 106 miles and counting…..
Did you ride your bike before Bike Month this year, and will you keep it up?
No and yes.
Before my schedule was too early and too late and I do enjoy the bus ride
except now it’s getting a bit crowded. I’m enjoying the freedom of riding
in and riding home.
What is the most interesting thing that you've seen riding your bike in Seattle?
Locks Park in
Ballard. It’s fascinating watching this mechanism raise and lower
boats. I could imagine a car bridge (or bike) lot doing the same
thing.
Have you learned anything from biking to work?
Diesel fumes are
abundant along the waterfront. Also, it takes a bit more time to get
ready for the day but you have some exercise already in the books.
Have any handy tips for other riders?
GGLO, Skanska and Miller Hull to Design
Eastern Washington University Sustainability Center
The Sustainability Center will be the first for a public university to achieve the Living Building Challenge Certification.
In observance of Earth Day, we are excited to announce
that GGLO's landscape architecture group will be partnering with Skanska
and Miller Hull to design Eastern Washington University's new Sustainability
Center, a project that is targeting the newest version of the Living Building
Challenge (3.0).
The Sustainability Center will be a focal point of teaching, learning and
community engagement on the Eastern Washington University campus. Targeting the
built environment's most advanced measure of sustainability, the project will
be net-positive for water, energy and waste.
The GGLO team is designing the center's
landscapes to act as an incubator for resilient, high-producing
sustainable research and practices that can directly teach students and
visitors alike. Located on the edge of the Palouse Bioregion, with annual
average rainfall of only 19-inches, the Sustainability Center gardens
will include agro-ecology, native plant communities and water-wise
permaculture strategies including Apple Tree Guilds.
The Sustainability Center will be GGLO's third project targeting Living
Building Challenge. GGLO was the landscape architect for the Bertschi
School's Living Building Science Wing, certified as the first Living
Building on the West Coast, fourth in the world and the first LBC project
to achieve v2.0 certification.
With decades of experience researching and applying sustainable design to communities of all scales, GGLO has built a deep understanding of different sustainable design methods and practices. To learn more about GGLO's insight into sustainability, visit our website.
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| Cheryl Chow Court |
We here at GGLO couldn't be more excited for the grand opening of the Low Income Housing Institute's Cheryl Chow Court, set to open April 24th 2015.
LIHI, who develops, owns and operates housing for the benefit of low-income, homeless and formerly homeless people in Washington State, is set to open their newest home for seniors. From LIHI:
LIHI is delighted to provide affordable senior housing in one of the most attractive, livable, and walk-able neighborhoods in Seattle. Cheryl Chow Court is located down the street from the Ballard Public Library and Ballard Commons, and is close to Swedish Ballard, shopping and many amenities. A Ballard Urban Rest Stop, which will provide free showers, laundry and restrooms to homeless men, women and children, is planned in the retail space on the first floor of the building.
Funding partners for Cheryl Chow Court are: HUD, City of Seattle, Enterprise Community Investment, Banner Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and Duncan Haas & Birgit Walbaum.
GGLO is the architect and Walsh Construction is the contractor.
"LIHI admires and praises Cheryl Chow for her fearless leadership," said Sharon Lee, Executive Director of LIHI. The late Cheryl Chow was instrumental in the creation of the Urban Rest Stop in downtown Seattle 14 years ago when she was chair of the Seattle City Council's Housing and Human Services Committee. She secured funding for LIHI to purchase the Julie Apartments and to locate the Urban Rest Stop on the first floor. She stood up to NIMBY opposition from a faction of the downtown business community.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have worked on making this project a reality!
The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict was recognized
today with the "Excellence
in Creating Livable Communities - Equity and Environment Award" as part of Futurewise's
25th Annual Spring Luncheon and Livable Communities ceremony. These awards
are given to organizations, institutions and communities that use innovative
policies and programs to exemplify smart growth and healthy
living principles in their communities.
Congratulations to Capitol Hill
Housing, whose spearheading of this community-driven program has renewed
passion for sustainability at the neighborhood scale.
GGLO worked with Capitol Hill Housing to lay the framework for the Capitol Hill
EcoDistrict, which includes an inventory of neighborhood assets and
recommendations for action. For an in-depth look into the Capitol Hill
EcoDistrict, as well as a link to download the full report, head over to our
insight page.
We are very excited to announce
that GGLO has been recognized as a LEED® Proven Provider™ for the Building
Design and Construction rating system family by the Green Building
Certification Institute (GBCI). GGLO’s design teams are not only skilled
at integrating sustainability into designs, our architects, landscape
architects, urban and interior designers are experienced with leading the
certification efforts to streamline the process.
“Quality is at the core of the
LEED certification process, and GGLO has exhibited expertise in helping to
bring healthy, high-performing buildings to the market,” said Doug Gatlin,
vice president of program delivery, USGBC and GBCI. “The LEED Proven Provider
model represents a great partnership between GGLO and GBCI, because it allows
GBCI to maintain a rigorous certification program and gives GGLO the
opportunity to deliver LEED projects to its clients faster.”
GGLO's rapidly growing list of LEED projects has resulted in over 2,400 LEED certified housing units and over 3,000,000 GSF of LEED certified space.
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| Member since 2001 |
GGLO is excited to announce the promotion of eight employees in 2015. Each of the team members below has made significant contributions to the success of the firm. GGLO's expanding leadership signifies the firm's growth, evolution and enhanced capacity to positively shape the communities in which we work and live.
David Winans AIA, LEED® AP BD+C, Homes
Senior Associate
David joined GGLO in 2004 after practicing for many years in Texas on institutional, corporate office and retail projects. At GGLO, David has managed and provided technical leadership on numerous multifamily and mixed-use projects, his most recent being the new Woodway Town Hall. David helped to create GGLO’s Practice Roundtable for Project Managers and Technical Staff.
As a LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C and Homes), David has led the majority of his projects to LEED certification and serves as a technical resource for LEED certification to other project teams in the office. David’s projects include Hjarta, AVA Queen Anne, AVA University District and Avalon Newcastle.
Kevin Reed AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP+C
Senior Associate
With a personal goal of finding a way for people of all means to have access to quality homes, Kevin’s career has largely focused on designing affordable, quality and sustainable housing. His design experience is rounded out by a broad range of project types including high-rise multifamily, hospitality and mixed-income neighborhood redevelopment. On all of these projects, Kevin has developed and applied an expertise is
Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Kevin’s in-depth knowledge of BIM technology and its application to design and building construction processes has been applied on many of Kevin’s recent projects such as Alley 111, Providence Joseph House and Seattle Civic Square.
Tiina Ritval LEED® AP BD+C
Associate
Since 2006, Tiina has utilized her expansive understanding of construction technology and complex design to help create numerous transformative projects at GGLO. She has exercised her design muscles in projects ranging from downtown towers to single tenant spaces and a whole lot in between. Coupled with her passion for analysis and density, Tiina has devoted her design expertise in helping GGLO shape communities that both thrive and bring people together.
One of Tiina’s most recent projects, the commercial remodel of the popular Urban Animal veterinary practice on Capitol Hill, resulted in a highly functional clinic that was representative of both Urban Animal’s essence and the neighborhood’s aesthetic.
Jen Lien AIA, NCARB LEED® Green Associate
Associate
Jen Lien brings 17 years of experience, ranging from urban housing to public transit, along with her interests in art, culture and community to each of her projects. Within GGLO, Jen engages junior staff through the firm’s mentorship program, demonstrating and modeling coordination of design and project management with the goal of creating efficient, lasting and beautiful projects.
Since joining GGLO in 2011, Jen has acted as lead architect for a number of GGLO’s current projects such as the Trinsic West Seattle development. She has also contributed her technical skills to projects including the Spring District in Bellevue and Seattle Housing Authority’s Yesler Terrace. She is currently managing the design team for Seattle Civic Square, a 43-story mixed-use tower in the heart of downtown Seattle.
Michael Lipko ASLA
Associate
Since arriving at GGLO from his native New Jersey in 2013, Michael has immersed himself in the local landscape so he could better understand how history, people, ecology and climate interact to shape the places we call home. Growing up in a traditionally designed NJ neighborhood, Michael learned early on that walkable and bikeable communities with tree lined streets and open spaces encourage people to engage and connect with their community.
Michael is inspired by local food, ecology, native plant communities, watersheds, post-industrial landscapes and civic art. All of these typologies form the lens through which he practices collaborative design with his clients and allied professionals. Michael is the Project Landscape Architect for GGLO’s collaborative design of Avalon Newcastle, a 21st century town square community.
Christine Harrington ASLA, LEED® AP BD+C
Associate
Christine has served as project manager and lead landscape architect on numerous projects since joining GGLO in 2012. Christine applies her strong repertoire of skills and knowledge to designing parks, civic spaces, educational campuses, urban infill projects and spaces that feature public art.
With extensive experience in the public design process, Christine works among multi-cultural and multi-generational groups to build consensus around design. Christine is currently working on 624 Yale, a mixed-use project in South Lake Union; Seattle Civic Square, a high-rise, mixed-use project in downtown Seattle and Boise Civic Square in Boise, Idaho. Christine brings a high attention to detail, both in the office and out, serving her community through her seat on Seattle’s West Design Review Board overseeing South Lake Union, Queen Anne and Magnolia.
Blake Williams AIA, NCARB LEED® Green Associate
Associate
Blake joined GGLO in 2013 bringing with him his passion for placemaking in architectural design. Blake’s previous work in the design field ranges from writer and university-level educator to design-lead and collaborator on higher education projects. Early in his career Blake honed his design skills on projects such as the Washington State Convention Center.
Blake has applied his knowledge and skill to several notable projects at GGLO including Trinsic West Seattle and Avalon Newcastle. With a sensitivity to global cultures and a strong commitment to sustainability, Blake brings innovative ideas to GGLO with a focus on the client, the project setting and the experience of the end-user.
Tina Suh LEED® Green Associate
Marketing Manager
Tina’s experience in design is extensive, ranging from print advertising and publication layout to event promotion and direct marketing. She continues to define clear design solutions in every project she undertakes.
Exposures to various cultures and experiences around the world have given Tina a greater understanding of different communication styles. She is passionate about collaborating with a team and understands the power of versatility in successful communication. With Tina, recognizing and creatively utilizing numerous communication styles allows for maximum efficiency in her work and interactions.
Wishing
You and Yours,
Happy Holidays and a Splendid New Years
Warm up
by the fire, get cozy and take in GGLO's 2014 in review
The GGLO Jinglers took 2nd place in the
Figlanthropy category at this year's Figgy Pudding caroling competition to
benefit Pike Place Market Senior Center.
2014 was a year of many 'firsts' for GGLO. Alicia
Daniels Uhlig become GGLO's first LEED Fellow, hot on the heels of GGLO
winning "Best Residential Firm - Large" in USGBC's Best of Building
Awards. GGLO's first ever community center, the Bay
Terrace Community & Education Center was certified LEED® Gold
earlier this year.
In the office or on the streets of Seattle, GGLOers gathered together to stay
active in 2014. Our Landscape Team led the GGLO
PARK(ing) DAY installation, turning a parking spot outside of the
Seattle Art Museum into a place where the public could interact and
relax. Our passion for getting together and staying active is also
reflected in the way we design our projects; Greenbridge
was a winner in The Center for Active Design's first-ever Excellence in Active
Design Awards.
GGLO welcomed 19 talented individuals to our ranks this year. We
would also like to congratulate the 20 newly LEED accredited GGLO
professionals that have shown much dedication in growing their own
sustainable and technical knowledge in 2014. We're
looking for more great people to join our team.
GGLO has a long history of supporting non-profit groups that share the firm's
core values of community and environmental stewardship. Here you can find a list of
local and regional non-profit groups to consider for your corporate and
personal giving this holiday season.
 As many of you know, in 2014 we say farewell to both Founding Principal Bill
Gaylord and Principal Carol
Schaefer. Building on more than 30 years spent designing places that
transform the communities we live in, Bill is pursuing his expansive interest
in art, culture and celebration of community through his own company, BONFIRE.
Carol, whose 27-year tenure at GGLO has shaped our robust Interior Design
practice and our multidisciplinary design firm as a whole, plans to build a
house and spend quality time on the Olympic Peninsula.
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| Pierside Kitchen © Jeff Caven |
On Monday night at Benaroya Hall GGLO's Pamela Trevithick accepted the Design INhospitality award for Pierside Kitchen and Packers Oyster Bar at Semiahmoo Resort from the IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter while the team and the audience celebrated.
The Design IN Hospitality award recognizes the best interior design in hotel, resort, restaurant, spa and retail projects in the Northwest region. GGLO was complimented for delivering a tightly implemented, historic atmosphere that "...sets the stage and anchors everything else within." (Juror Annie Chu of CHU+GOODING Architects)
The juror's also made mention of the bar and kitchen's dynamic range of material finishes and furniture. Ms. Chu pointed out that the furniture choices played a great role in creating an effective way to carve out spaces for variety in both settings. Paul Mellblom of MSR also remarked on the diversity and scale of furniture and made mention that, "...there is this kind of consistency that isn't about matching, but about being appropriate and comfortable throughout the scope of the project."
To see the awards ceremony in its entirety, you can check out IIDA's livestream here. GGLO's portion begins at 51:45.
This award follows Via6's win last year at INawards13. Via6 brought home the Design INhome award for best residential interior design in 2013.
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