Sharp-eyed travelers with time to kill at the Tri-Cities Airport have always been bombarded with information about local sites.For 2021 and now early 2022, they’ve had a chance to review something a bit more substantial – the best examples of local architecture from Walla Walla to the Columbia River Gorge,...
AIA Central Washington honors best of 2021AIA Central Washington, representing the region’s architects, honored three projects with its 2021 Design Awards in November.EB Architecture + Design of Portland received the Honor Award for its High Prairie Residence. The residential project in Lyle, north of the Columbia Gorge, is described as...
It will come as no surprise to readers that Benton and Franklin counties boast a high number of engineers.According to data from the state Department of Employment Security (ESD), the area’s economy supported nearly 3,000 engineers in spring 2020.Those are numbers from the latest survey, published in July 2021. But...
Doug MitchellPrincipalMMEC Architecture and InteriorsDoug MitchellNumber of employees you oversee: We have seven partners and a total staff size of 19.Brief background of your business:I along with three others formed MMEC in 1999 in Spokane. We opened our Kennewick office in 2012.We do a lot of public projects – many...
A new high school in the Lower Yakima Valley has earned national recognition for its innovative design.Architects West, which has offices in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane, designed Grandview High School, which was recognized for its incorporation of next-generation learning space design and planning.The school’s design received the Outstanding Project Award...
Terence L. ThornhillWith nearly 27 years designing homes and other buildings in the Tri-Cities under his belt, Pasco architect Terence “Tere” Thornhill is too diplomatic to call out a favorite.They’re all his babies, said Thornhill, who believes buildings should tell the story of what is happening inside.“I’m a believer in...
Lionell Singleton Houston LillardLionell Singleton and Houston Lillard were fierce competitors when they played for the Tri-Cities Fever, an indoor football league.They clashed on the field – Singleton as a defensive back and Houston as quarterback. Off the field, they were the best of friends and roommates who leveraged their...
Advanced technology helps architectsbetter communicate with clients By Natasha NellisThe flood of technology over the past 10 years has changed the day-to-day operations of Inland Northwest architecture firms, and up-and-coming technology advances have the potential to change the industry even more, experts say.A growing industry ofdesign and building information modeling...
Architect to respect Italian stylings on exterior of Yakima Valley Farm Workers’ newest clinicTheTri-Cities’ newest health clinic will respect design standards of the Portof Kennewick’s neighborhood on theoutside. Onthe inside, the newest Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic will offerstate-of-the-art medical services to its patients. Thenonprofit broke ground this month on its latest location....
MichaelMarley recalls when Tri-City school officials cautioned architects to avoid anything fanciful in their designs for new buildings. Districts need voter approval to raise taxes to build and remodel schools. They feared “fancy” would come across as “wasteful.”Decision-makers relied on plain buildings to convey stability and frugality, said Marley, principal with CKJT Architects, a Kennewick firm focused on public sector projects. It’s an ethos that informed much of the region’s development but obscures the architectural gems that dot the...
