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!

 

With its new Childcare Learning Center, which is out for construction bids, KCC aspires to be open for year-round, all-day care. The program will also provide real-world educational opportunities for Early Childhood Education students and support the early childhood development ecosystem in the Klamath Falls Community.

The project is a new 28,000-SF Childcare Learning Center with construction from the ground up and site improvements. A mandatory pre-bid conference and walk-through will be held Tuesday, August 19 at 3 p.m. at Building 7, 7390 South 6th Street Klamath Falls, OR 97603. Bid documents can be found here: https://www.klamathcc.edu/en-US/about/request-for-proposals/index.html

Entering the seventh iteration of its existence, the current PIVOT Fellow will study disaster resilience and modular mass timber structures.

Elizabeth Folpe, who will begin her final year at the University of Oregon’s College of Design in the fall, will consider how communities can plan and rebuild in the event of disaster.

For her project, Liz will research case studies of fires and fire-resistant architecture, explore mass timber’s new role in recent wildfire rebuilds, and examine the current challenges of Oregon’s disaster management by speaking to local professionals. She seeks an understanding of the successful material and social characteristics of fire-resilient buildings and communities.

With Oregon facing a housing crisis and natural disasters destroying available housing stock, defensive architecture can prevent damage. Liz plans to explore if modular homes made from mass timber—with its carbon sequestration, as well as its fire and seismic-resistant qualities—can provide a fast and high-quality alternative to traditional building methods.

A component of her project will include mapping areas along the region’s wildlife urban interface to explore what increasing wildland fire risk will mean for the buildings of the future.

Liz believes that by designing structures with natural materials like mass timber and relying less on plastics and other materials that release toxins when they combust, recovery efforts can be streamlined and communities will experience fewer health complications from wildfire. For rural communities, mass timber also holds the powerful potential to permanently improve quality of life by providing jobs in forestry and manufacturing.

Her project is a continuation of work in a recent University of Oregon studio concerning the resilience of new developments to Oregon’s future risk of wildland fire.

Last year, Oregon faced its largest wildfire season on record with nearly two million acres affected by wildfire, incurring costs upwards of $350 million, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry and the governor’s office respectively. As this summer heats up, Gov. Kotek has already declared a state of emergency as the threat of wildfire again looms over Oregon.

Liz became interested in architecture through her love of illustration, 3D modeling, and computer science. In her leisure time, Liz enjoys drawing, playing horror video games, wandering in the outdoors looking for oddities, crafting with laser cutters, and making furniture and clothing.

About the PIVOT Fellowship

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 selects fellows based on the nature of their project proposal and other factors. It is a paid position and the term runs from June until September. The fellowship is open to students for the summer preceding their final year of study at the University of Oregon. The fellows’ projects constitute half of the candidates’ responsibilities. Fellows are also incorporated into PIVOT project teams for the duration of their term gaining real-world experience working side-by-side with our design teams.