Imagine ... Create ... Transform...
May 21, Las Vegas/Whereverland -- On Friday evening May 20 some 35 'home folks' made their way to the sumptuous breezy porches of Cili Bali Hai for the AIA Seattle Dinner, to celebrate some special high points for Northwest design: just-elevated Henry Hardnett FAIA and a toast to the late Rick Buckley FAIA, shortly after the College of Fellows Investiture; as well as colleagues from firms receiving AIA national Honor Awards for Architecture (LMN, Patkau Architects); Ross Chapin, recipient of an AIA Housing Award, and Mahlum Architects and Mithun Architects, recipients of AIA Green Project Awards. AIA Seattle 2004 Medallist John Neshom FAIA and 2005 Medallist David M. Hewitt FAIA also joined the celebration, with festive family and friends. After dinner in the cool evening (day temperatures had reached 100°+), companionable groups made their hotel-ward way as pedestrians along the streetways.

Some of the celebrants at the AIA Seattle Dinner 5/20/05

Late Friday night and again at the Saturday morning business session, AIA 2005 President Douglas L Steidl FAIA announced election results, including election of Norman Strong FAIA – currently serving on the AIA Board of Directors representing the NW+Pacific Region, with previous service as AIA Seattle President 2000-01 – to a two-year term as AIA VP. The delegates elected R K Stewart FAIA as AIA's 2007 President.

To help bring many honors home – and also to honor the intention and cause advanced by the AIA Seattle Diversity Roundtable in the Summer Solstice Procession, the freshly-elected R K Stewart will visit Seattle in late June. Family, friends, and colleagues from near and far will gather to celebrate further with at least the majority of these honored friends, along with recipients of AIA Seattle 2005 Honors, at the Honors Gala June 25.

Notes and comments:
·Conspicuously absent from the program at Las Vegas: Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi.
·Notable revelation: 14-ft. proportions of spaceships and streetscapes based on the width of horses' asses
·"Maybe we should maintain the democratic character of the Seattle central waterfront, and take Santiago Calatrava up on his offer to design a new Viaduct." -PDG
·"Let's get to know Mayors from communities throughout the Puget Sound region." - RLE
·Anticipation of welcoming AIA Board Knowledge Committee, Big Sibs and others at Knowledge by Design/AIA NW+Pacific Region Conference in Seattle 8/4-6
·Few Members participate in organizational business: 398 accredited delegates casting 4994 ballots (apportioned per component) on behalf of 73,937 Member, 1825 assigned to AIA Seattle), with perhaps 400 participating in Thursday morning candidate caucuses and fewer at the Saturday morning business session. All resolutions passed except 05-4 "Addressing Specialty Certification," defeated; and 05-6 "The Creation of a Small Firm Committee," withdrawn. Action details here.
·AIA's newly-released Brand Identity Guidelines identify purple as the color of Community.
·At the business session for AIA Seattle NW+Pacific Region, AIA Seattle President Peter Greaves presented the candidacy of Jim Suehiro AIA to represent the Region on the AIA Board of Directors, for election during the August KbD/Knowledge by Design Conference.

With regards to all!
from Peter, Randy, Marga, et al.