News

It’s Been a Great 28 – Kari G. Turner Retiring from PIVOT Architecture

Kari G. Turner, who has infused PIVOT Architecture with true collaboration, creative design, caring mentorship, and deep thoughtfulness for 28 years, will “sparkle” in retirement.

Nicknamed “Sparkles” for her enthusiasm, sense of humor, and ability to connect with others, Kari has inspired her PIVOT colleagues and clients for nearly 30 years. Now she’s ready to find a new spark.

“Over the last three decades of working with Kari I have learned that she loves working with people almost as much as she loves 80’s pop music,” said Principal Toby Barwood. “Her ability to connect with people has allowed her to build strong teams that function well. Her work has earned the trust of one agency after another, leading to an expansion of PIVOT’s involvement in communities across the West.

“She taught me the value of focusing on the people in every project… and to sing along with Madonna,” Toby said.

Kari has spent her entire 28-year career at PIVOT Architecture. She began as an administrative assistant in 1995 while attending architecture school at the University of Oregon and was hired as a full-time designer in 1997. She received her license to practice architecture in Oregon in 2002 and became an associate at PIVOT in 2007. In 2015, Kari became a principal, leading many of PIVOT’s projects with transit agencies.

A succession plan has been developed over the last six months and Kari’s tasks have been transitioned to the other principals and PIVOT’s robust staff, ensuring that all our clients’ needs are being met. Her last day at PIVOT is April 12.

“Just like no piece of glitter is the same, Kari is a one-of-a-kind,” said Principal John Stapleton. “From her architectural chops to her sense of humor, she has mentored so many people in our firm and taught us all well – we’ll be able to ‘carry’ on,” he said.

“OK, maybe I could use a few more lessons on humor,” he said laughing. “But she’s done a great job of bringing up our staff to fill her role.”

Kari’s projects have been endowed with a sense of purpose and fun and reflect her thoughtfulness, compassion, and competence. Some of the most notable projects that she’s been involved with are Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and transit center projects throughout the west including multiple projects in Utah and Washington, TriMet’s FX—the first BRT in Portland, Keizer Transit Center, Springfield Station, and the iconic EmX—one of the nation’s first BRT systems. Additional community projects include The Eugene Family YMCA, Roseburg Public Safety Center, and multiple facilities for the City of Eugene.

“When I started my career, I had no idea how big of a role transit would play in my life and career,” Kari said. “I love the connections that transit provides for communities. I love the collaboration with other talented designers, and I love the passion of the people who work every day to make our communities welcoming places for everyone.”

Transportation has always been something close to Kari’s heart. She is a frequent bus ride, a former board member for Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation, and a regular attendee and occasional presenter at MPact Transit + Community Conference (formerly Rail~Volution).

Kari believes establishing connections with people is critical in making projects a success. She’s been an advocate for universal design, the practice of creating facilities that are accessible to all users no matter their ability.

“Kari has been a strident advocate for public transportation and accessible design and she used that passion to make gorgeous architecture that worked for everyone,” Toby said. “She’s been a joyful mentor of young designers, always willing to pass on the lessons her career has taught her.”

Kari’s not quite sure what her next steps will be, but it’s a safe bet that they’ll lead to a fair amount of backpacking trips in the wilds of Oregon with her husband Garrett. Happy hiking, Kari!

 

Insight

Mayor Kaarin Visits PIVOT

With Eugene’s new mayor, Kaarin Knudson—a card-carrying architect—eager to engage with the community, we were thrilled to welcome her into the PIVOT office. Her visit was not only insightful but enlightening.

The way she sees it, being an architect has been an advantage as she gets used to the new job. Her professional training helps her navigate the technical complexity and interconnected systems that come with civic leadership. Being invested in the built environment and building culture is a collective effort and reflects how many in the design profession think about progression.

“With concentrations of positive energy, we can make an impact,” she said, urging PIVOT employees to make their voices heard in the community.

“It’s important that you stay engaged in public conversation enabling insights with professional opinions,” she said. “Let’s get energy moving in a productive way.”

Downtown Eugene: A Work in Progress

The potential of downtown Eugene and its role in the community has been a struggle for decades, she said. There are multi-layered reasons to how it’s gotten to its current state and one contributor is the lack of useful concentrations of housing downtown.

Having spent a decade deeply engaged in housing in our community, bringing a concentration of residential presence downtown is a priority for her.
“We could have a new trajectory of housing in downtown with rezoning and other efforts,” Mayor Kaarin said.

Mayor Kaarin pointed out that Eugene doesn’t have neighborhoods like those in other mid-sized cities. The large city block sizes in Eugene’s city center with designated uses impacts activation of the street edge.

“There are so many broken teeth in the downtown area,” she said referring to the abundance of inactive space. “There are no eyes on certain pockets.”

“We have some bright spots, but we are really struggling. We need to bring more people downtown,” she said. “There is a lot of work to do with public realm,” she said.

Public Safety: Shifting the Experience

Mayor Kaarin pointed out that the public safety metrics downtown are improving but the experience and the narrative have not shifted. “Public vs. private controlled spaces and civil rights are components contributing to the public safety issue,” she said.

“We have a lot of issues that compound the pushing people to the margins,” she said. Addiction, behavioral health, mental issues, and repeat offenders challenge resource allocation and are all contributors. “We need a compassionate but effective response,” she said.

City Government: Many Irons in the Fire

The issues the City of Eugene is dealing with are challenging and with multiple systems struggling it is creating huge crises. The City needs to work on more than one thing at a time with many irons in the fire creating policy decisions that affect multiple fronts.

“The City of Eugene should be an active partner to development of all sorts,” she said.

City-level budget conversations in coming months will be key with incredibly challenging budget and funding situations. “Tariffs and executive actions at the federal level are not insignificant for the City of Eugene,” she said.

Looking Ahead

While Eugene faces challenges, Mayor Kaarin still feels optimist about the future. “We need sustaining levels of positive energy,” she said.

Four months into her administration, the 40th mayor of Eugene is still getting her feet under her. But she insists she isn’t overloaded and “drinking from the firehose.”
“It’s more like drinking from a beautifully designed water feature,” she said with a smile.

Careers

2025 PIVOT Fellowship Opens

PIVOT Architecture is pleased to announce the seventh PIVOT Architecture Fellowship. The Fellowship is open to University of Oregon BARCH, BIARCH, MARCH, and MIARCH students for the summer preceding their final year of study. One student will be selected following an application process that includes review of the applicants’ proposals for projects of their choice to be executed over the summer of the Fellowship. This project will constitute one half of the fellow’s responsibility. In addition to the project, the fellow will be incorporated into one or more PIVOT project teams for the duration of the program. The fellowship includes monetary compensation comparable to typical entry level professional architectural positions. Additionally, a $1,000 stipend will be provided to the fellow upon successful completion of the project and work term.

Applications for the Fellowship are due April 7, 2025. The term of the fellowship is from mid-June to mid-September, 2024. It is expected that the fellow will work approximately 40 hours/week, with most of that time spent within the office.

Click here for more information or to apply for the position. 

News

PIVOT Welcomes Three New Designers

PIVOT is pleased to introduce our three newest designers to our team.

Designer Emil Good 

Emil believes design is everywhere, in everything. Emil earned their Bachelors of Interior Architecture from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining PIVOT, they worked as a cabinet maker. Emil is working on the design of a new gym for the Oakland School District, the agricultural center for LBCC, the Childcare Learning Center for Klamath Community College, and other projects. An artist at heart, Emil enjoys drawing, painting, sewing, woodworking, and zipping around town on their moped when not at work.

Designer Fa’afouina (Ina) Fruean

Ina joins the PIVOT team with four years of experience. He graduated from University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelors in Environmental Design. Prior to moving to Eugene, he worked for an architectural firm in Honolulu designing high-end residential and affordable housing projects. Ina is working on the agricultural center for LBCC and other projects. In his leisure time, Ina enjoys playing world/city building simulation games and spending time outdoors, having his first experience in fall and winter climates.

Designer Jordan Levis

Jordan earned Master of Architecture and a Bachelors of Science in Fine Arts with a minor in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon. He has four years of experience and designs with a focus on environmental consciousness and community responsiveness. A native of Southern California, Jordan is an Eagle Scout and former California State beach lifeguard. Jordan is working on the agricultural center for LBCC, the Childcare Learning Center for Klamath Community College, and other projects. He enjoys camping, hiking, snowboarding, surfing, and watching sunsets with his wife at the coast while their rescue dog runs.