News

The 2022 PIVOT Fellow

For the 2022 Fellowship, PIVOT Architecture’s program designed to let a University of Oregon student explore a research project of their choosing and work within our team, we are trying something different.

Rather than bring in an architecture or interior architecture student, the 2022 PIVOT Fellow Matilda Jereza is entering her last year studying product design.

While product design falls outside the traditional role of architectural design, “The dedications are very similar,” Matilda points out. “Ultimately the goal of your firm aligns with the mission of product design: We both are looking to solve issues through our creative privilege of design.”

For Matilda’s research project, she will be working with PIVOT’s transit group exploring how amenities related to transit stations and bus stops can further the public experience. She hopes to develop prototypes that can be incorporated into transit projects that enhance the urban experience.
“I want to join that innovative lead for change in the best way that both you and I know how,” she said. “Through design.”

Matilda is an Oregon native having grown up in Coos Bay and Eugene. She’ll be part of the PIVOT staff until returning for her final year of study at the UO in September.

The PIVOT Fellowship is a means of fostering original thought about issues outside the daily routine or obvious future trajectory of our firm’s thought process. PIVOT Architecture selects one fellow per year partially based on the nature of their project proposal. It is a paid position and the term runs from June until September.

The PIVOT Fellowship is open to BARCH, BIARCH, MARCH, and MIARCH students for the summer preceding their final year of study at the University of Oregon. One student is selected following an application process that includes review of the candidates’ proposals for a project of their choice to be executed over the summer of the fellowship.
For more information or to apply for the position, click here.

News

Eugene Family YMCA Groundbreaking

The Eugene Family YMCA held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 75,000-SF flagship facility which PIVOT Architecture is designing.

“This is special and unique for each of us,” said CEO Brian Stephan. “It shows we can dream big and create projects that seem might insurmountable. It will inspire our community for generations to come.”

“It takes a village of people to rise a Y,” joked Joe Carmichael, YMCA board president, alluding to the iconic “YMCA” song by the Village People.

In the new facility, the Y will be able to double the number of people it serves in its current building, built in 1955. It is designed to give the Y the ability to adapt spaces to fit its offerings which will increase the impact of its youth, health, and wellness programs for decades.

The new building will boast:
• Health & wellness areas including an indoor track and spin room
• A robust aquatics center with a lap pool, exercise pool, and splash pad for younger kids
• Activity centers for academic tutoring, maker spaces, and learning labs
• A teaching kitchen for nutritional and food preparation instruction
• Accessible, flexible floor plans that can change as needed
• The highest level of seismic standards so the building can serve as a community shelter after a disaster

The Eugene Family YMCA is the largest childcare provider in Eugene with afterschool care at 20 elementary schools with three more schools served at the Y facility.

Sabrina Parsons, chair of the Y’s capital campaign, said the new facility will help draw new residents looking at this area’s quality of life and improve Eugene’s “Y effect” as a center of the community.

The Y’s heath and wellness programs are some its most popular. Along with fitness, spin, and yoga classes, the Y has programs designed for cancer survivors, for those who suffer from chronic health conditions, a diabetes prevention program, and programs for seniors.

The facility is being built by Chambers Construction and is slated to open in December of 2023.

The PIVOT Y team strikes the “YMCA” pose on construction equipment.

News

DDS Grand Opening

Lane County cut the ribbon on its newest facility with the grand opening of the Developmental Disabilities Services building, designed by the PIVOT Architecture team.

The DDS department, once housed in the basement of the Public Service Building, now occupies a natural light filled new facility that Lane County Commissioner and Board Chair Pat Farr called a beacon of the community.

“How many dreams have gone into this?” he asked rhetorically. “The design of this building is remarkable. The way the offices are arranged, the use of color, and natural light is so well thought out and intentional.”

“This building is welcoming and client focused,” said Health and Human Services Director Eve Gray. “It is a calming and quiet space that is a tangible commitment to our community.”

The team used trauma-informed design as a guiding principle to create a facility to serve a vulnerable population. The healthy and sustainable facility that was created with durable materials has flexibility for future growth and was designed to LEED Silver standards.

The 26,000-SF facility was built by Essex General Construction.

“This facility represents so much more than a building,” said Carla Tazumal, DDS division manager. “It serves a venerable section of the community.”

DDS supports about 1,700 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities helping them lead fulfilling lives by coordinating self-directed support services, encouraging independence, and finding personal and meaningful relationships.

“I’m proud to be part of building that means so much to me and so many others,” said Stephen, a DDS client and advisory board member. “LCDDS helps me to be stable. Accessing a building can be challenging that others might not understand. The way this building is designed will help lead to more positive outcomes and more stable lives for the clients as well as their friends and families.”

“I’ve watched people succeed and achieve as a result from work with LCDDS,” said Lisa D, an adult foster care provider more than 60 people. “They provide an amazing and vital service to thousands in the community. This building is intentional in its design and it means easier access with fewer stresses to the DDS clients and their care providers.”

Insight

Reducing Waste

Through thoughtful design, PIVOT strives to reduce waste, reuse materials, and recycle as much as possible throughout the construction process. A group of PIVOTeers came together to research new methods to implement our sustainability goals into more PIVOT projects.

By some estimates, construction waste accounts for 4% of the total waste in the US with 22.8% ending up in landfills. That is an average of 273 tons of construction material going into landfills each year! We took a closer look at this waste and wanted to figure out how to reduce it through our material selections.

We discovered that a large portion (more than 4 billion pounds each year) of the construction waste in the United States is carpet. Most carpets are not biodegradable so we researched carpet producers that have recycling programs that PIVOT can utilize on our projects. Additional programs were found to help recycle more construction materials including; wood, glass, tile, flooring, and countertops.

Our team also looked into reducing waste with more conscious furniture selection. By taking into account what the furniture is made of, where it is being shipped from, and the quality/flexibility of the product, PIVOT can advise clients with ways to significantly reduce waste when choosing furniture. Furniture that is made with recyclable materials and is designed to be fixed rather than replaced can significantly lower the amount of replacements throughout the lifetime of the project.