Please meet the 2016 Van Evera Bailey Fellows, Quang Truong and Jerry Waters.

Since 2001, afo has worked with The Oregon Community Foundation through their Van Evera and Janet M. Bailey Fund, to award an annual Van Evera Bailey Fellowship to a mid-career design professional. On rare occasions, proposals have been so compelling that two fellowships have been awarded, as is the case this year.

Quang Truong, a project architect with Lever Architecture, plans “to take advantage of the Pacific Northwest’s rich heritage of involvement in the building materials industry to study the development, applicability, and implications of composite materials (FRPs) in architecture.”

Jerry Waters, a senior design architect with YGH Architecture, plans to gain “greater understanding of the educational philosophy and the environmental demands and spatial organizations necessary to facilitate the delivery of…two dominantly cited living and open educational pedagogies, The Montessori method and Reggio Emelia approach,” including “how the architecture reinforces the instruction and learning.”

Watch for an invitation in early 2017 to hear directly from each of the Fellows on their plans, and to learn about the work of our 2015 Fellow, Randy Gragg, developing broadcasts and podcasts with OPB that creatively approach design and the changing city.

Five afo board members will be retiring their directors’ hats at the end of 2016. Having fulfilled nine years of service each, the maximum allowed by afo bylaws. Farewells and tremendous appreciation were extended at the board’s December 1 meeting at Stoel Rives’ stunning new offices atop Park Avenue West.

Dave Adams, a partner with Geffen Mesher, has served as afo’s Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee since joining the board in 2008.

Michael McCulloch has served on four different board committees in his nine years of service, and was instrumental with his PDXplore partners in mounting afo’s "Crossing The Columbia: What Does It Mean?" forum at Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2010.

Through his entire nine years of service, Erik Gerding has served on the Education and Scholarship committees, and for the last three years, has chaired the Governance Committee.

Sean Gay, a partner with Stoel Rives, has served on nearly all of afo’s board committees over the course of his three terms, including a stint as Board Secretary. He has also provided invaluable legal counsel, during a period of dramatic growth for afo programs.

Not pictured is afo’s Immediate Past President, Bart Ricketts, who completes ten years of service, having invoked the “Art Johnson clause” in afo’s bylaws which allows an extra year to accommodate the presidency.

afo board members give time, talent and treasure to assure the pursuit of our mission to share design’s role in shaping our future. We hope if you run into these generous folks, you will thank them for their service.

Before Wed, Dec 7, The Willamette Falls Legacy Project would like your thoughts on how The Riverwalk, currently being designed, can “honor the area’s unique history and culture, provide people access to the falls and river, restore and enhance the environment, and serve as a catalyst for a revitalized downtown Oregon City.” Take the brief survey here.

Fri, Dec 9-Sun, Dec 11, Sleeping Pod Exhibition, facilitated by the Partners On Dwelling (POD) and the Village Coalition. Sleeping pods have been designed and built working with houseless communities and inspired by current Portland villages.  Pods will be on display with organizers, presentations, and information. 14 sleeping Pods will be set up in a village layout at the northern most part of the North Park Blocks. Not intended to be the solution to homelessness in Portland, this initiative suggests one entry point for designers and volunteers to become involved and a model for supporting community making and strong social infrastructure among villages. Additional information here.

Sat, Dec 10, Architectural Heritage Center presents “If Arts & Crafts Walls Could Talk: Paper, Paint, or Stencil?” 10-11:30am lecture, 701 SE Grand Avenue, Portland. $12-$20. Register here.

Mon, Dec 19, “The Pearl District Then and Now” walking tour, co-sponsored by The Center for Architecture/AIA-Portland. $15; meet at Center for Architecture, 403 NW 11th Avenue, Portland. Additional information here.

Before April 17, 2017, if you find yourself in Washington, DC, visit The National Building Museum to see “The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin” an exhibit organized and curated by The Cultural Landscape Foundation in collaboration with the National Building Museum. Read more about it in this Huffington Post article by Charles Birnbaum, which quotes Ada Louise Huxtable on the opening of the Forecourt (now Keller) Fountain: “one of the most important urban spaces since the Renaissance.”

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Do you have events that would be of interest to Oregon architecture and design fans? Email them to Candice@af-oregon.org by the 25th of the month for inclusion in the following month’s newsletter. afo retains the right to determine all content.

Want more design events? Want to avoid scheduling your event on top of three others? Visit Portland Design Events.