News: Mithun
Walking Mountains Science Center Awarded CRES Building Award
05.09.2012 Mithun, Awards, Project Updates
Mithun’s Walking Mountains Science Center was recently awarded the 2012 building award for new commercial construction from the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES). Each year CRES awards projects that encourage the use of renewable energy and new technologies that are directly applicable to Colorado’s unique building needs. The Walking Mountains Science Center serves as a key example of sustainable design, and is the first school in Colorado to receive LEED Platinum certification. The center’s focus on environmentally conscious design was intended to play an active role in the education of its students — with an emphasis on maximizing energy efficiency, minimizing building footprints and protecting the natural ecosystem.
More information about CRES can be found at www.cres-energy.org.
South Quarter’s Resident Engagement Efforts Highlighted by Enterprise Green Communities
05.09.2012 Mithun, Project Updates
Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) recently featured Aeon’s South Quarter in an article about Resident Engagement Results. Aeon was highlighted for their direct collaboration with the surrounding community and use of EGC’s training material to plan a project that supports healthy living, lower utility and maintenance costs, and maximizes the environmental benefits of green affordable housing.
Continue reading about Resident Engagement Results at www.enterprisecommunity.com.
Construction to Start on Wanapum Heritage Center in June
05.07.2012 Mithun, Project Updates
The Grant County Public Utility District has announced plans to start construction in mid-June on the new Wanapum Heritage Center. Mithun designed the 50,000 sf replacement of the heritage center and museum in collaboration with the Wanapum Tribe of the Columbia River and the PUD to preserve the story of the Wanapum people. The center will house permanent and temporary exhibits, a collections repository, library and gift shop, as well as spaces for administration, active exhibits, cultural activities, community gatherings and academic conferences. The center is estimated to cost $10 million to $11 million and is expected to open in August of 2014.
Read more at djc.com*
*Subscription required
Coeur d’Alene Tribe Resort Expansion Awarded LEED Gold, Wins Design Awards
05.01.2012 Mithun, Awards, Project Updates
Mithun’s Coeur d’Alene Tribe Resort Expansion was recently awarded LEED Gold certification and was recognized by the Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) with a Merit Award for General Design, and by the Illuminating Engineering Society with three lighting design awards.
An important aspect of the design of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s resort expansion was to create a strong connection to the surrounding lands. Two ecosystems are celebrated: the rolling hills of the Palouse Prairie and the native forests of Idaho. The resort sits at the edge between these distinct communities resulting in rich biodiversity. The new design encourages guests to interact with the site’s unique landscape through sensitive infrastructure improvements, including a new entry road, interpretive trails, amphitheater, outdoor fireplace and outdoor dining.
Continue reading:
- Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, 13 Landscape Architecture Projects Win Awards*
- WASLA.org, 2012 WASLA Professional Award Winners
*Subscription required
City Plans to Break Ground on First Hill Streetcar
05.01.2012 Mithun, Project Updates
Construction on the $134 million First Hill Streetcar line was scheduled to begin in late April. A project that was approved by the 2008 Sound Transit 2 vote, it will connect Capitol Hill to the International District and is estimated to be used by 3,000 to 3,500 riders a day according to a 2007 Sound Transit report. Mithun completed concept design for all 10 plazas and a half-mile portion of Broadway Avenue. Services are expected to begin in 2014.
Continue reading:
- Seattle.gov, Bringing the Streetcar to North Broadway
- The Seattle Times, Newest streetcar to remake First Hill
Walking Mountains Science Center Receives Honorable Mention from AIA Seattle
Mithun’s Walking Mountains Science Center received an honorable mention at AIA Seattle’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) 2012 What Makes it Green? Awards ceremony. Walking Mountains serves as a key example of sustainable design, and is the first school in Colorado to receive LEED Platinum certification. Mithun served as lead designer, in collaboration with Zehren and Associates, for this 9,305 sf environmental education facility located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Landscape Urbanism: The Evolution of Performance Metrics at Mithun
03.20.2012 Mithun, In The News
In an essay featured on the Landscape Urbanism website, Christian Runge, a landscape designer at Mithun, discusses how our use of project performance metrics has evolved. Through case studies of Mithun projects including Lloyd Crossing, Taylor 28, South Lincoln Redevelopment and the EcoDistrict Assessment Methods, the essay examines the development and implementation of predevelopment baseline metrics and new tools for measuring human and community health.
Read the full essay at landscapeurbanism.com.