Presentations

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Multi-Family Housing in WA State (Type A and B units)

Successful multi-family residential projects in WA must incorporate both Fair Housing Act requirements plus Washington State building code. Current code references IBC and ANSI A117.1 requirements for Accessible, Type A and Type B units. This training covers in detail the similarities and differences and what you must do to address all regulations. This training is full of practical examples and answers to questions asked by design teams in the trenches. Duration: 2 hours, with questions.

Non-Residential Accessibility Requirements in WA State

Designed to be a refresher course on the Accessibility requirements in Washington state, this training reviews both the ADA Standards for Accessibility and the IBC/ASNI regulations, as well as the subtle differences between the two. Duration: 1.5 hours, with questions.

Accessibility Requirements in Hotel/Condo Projects

Projects that incorporate both transient lodging (hotels) and non-transient dwelling units (condos), sometimes using the same units, require careful analysis and implementation of the most stringent requirements of both types of units. This training provides clarity about the differences and similarities in both the federal regulations (Fair Housing and ADA Standards) and the state building code. Because each of these entities have different accessibility requirements, it can be challenging to navigate the through these various regulations involved when combining these entities. This is a crucial training for any firm designing for a combined hotel/condo building. Duration: 1 hour lecture.

Accessibility Requirements in Hospitality Design

Hospitality projects must adhere to federal regulations covering public accommodations as well as state codes. This training will provide an overview of those requirements and how to implement them successfully to welcome a diverse public into your business. Appropriate for owners, designers and builders of hospitality projects. Duration: 1 hour, with questions.

Universal Design and Residential Upgrades

Perfect for architects and builders in the single family residential market, this training is a comprehensive review of all the components of Universal Design for the private residence, reflecting ideas that can be implemented by homeowner or builder alike. Duration: 1.5 hours, with questions.

Home Upgrades

Case studies of personalized improvements to their own private residences made by persons with disabilities for their own personal needs -- moves outside of the box to showcase creative solutions to tough problems. Duration: 1.5 with questions.

Universal Design in Educational Facilities

An overview of Universal Design concepts as applied to k-12 educational facilities. Appropriate for educators, staff, facilities managers interested in bettering their school environment or planning a new one. Duration: 1 hour lecture.

Coming soon: The NEW ADA Standards and What Your Firm Needs to Know

As soon as the new ADA Standards are released in (TBD), Studio Pacifica will offer a lunchtime training to keep your team in the loop with the latest regulations and requirements. Contact us now if you'd like to reserve a date and be ahead of the Accessibility learning curve! Keeping current with the latest standards can certainly save your firm both time and money in the long run. Duration: TBD

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Keynotes

Beyond Form and Function: The Beauty of Inclusion

Accessibility and Universal Design solutions are not only about making a building more user friendly to one particular population. In fact, this design philosophy can open the door to better designs and more successful projects. Architect and Accessibility Consultant, Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA, will discuss why projects that make accessibility a central design priority from the early stages of the design process tend to be successful on so many levels. Braitmayer will share examples and illustrations from both large and small projects, highlighting the core concepts of inclusive entry and circulation, how Universal Design can affect the space and volume, and reasons why this encourages full participation in the built environment and a more complete experience and use of the building.

Capitalizing on Your Differences: Owning Your True Strengths

When she was just a fledgling architect, Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA, was counseled by a mentor to play to her strengths. As a person with a mobility impairment, Braitmayer was told that she could bring a fresh perspective to her field of architecture. A typical headstrong young person, she ignored that advice and plodded along in a mainstream career. Years later she realized how solid that early advice was and she began to see the relevance and strength in her differences as someone who uses a wheelchair for mobility.
This keynote address begins with Karen's story and develops into an inspiring, motivational conversation about how the audience, as both individuals and as organizations, can play on their own differences and leverage them as valuable, powerful assets. An inquiry into what makes you stand out in the crowd, the audience will be compelled to ask themselves how to identify and utilize those often down-played traits as strengths and allies. A powerful presence on stage, Braitmayer expresses the truth of this keynote through her stories, her confidence, and her conviction of the advice she offers.

Do What You Love: How Giving Back to Others Will Give back to you

A dedicated volunteer and non-profit board member, Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA, shares the importance and value of supporting your community through service to non-profit organizations. Braitmayer discusses the myriad ways that giving to her community has in turn, given back to her on both a personal and professional level. Focusing on the areas that she is particularly interested in, such as disability rights and employment, k-12 education and inclusion programs for children and young people, Karen stays in touch with the needs of these communities and organizations and builds relationships that now span decades. This keynote will inspire your audience to reach out and become more involved in their local community and in organizations that are meaningful to them while shedding a light on the less talked about benefits of being an active volunteer and community builder.

Past Lectures, Workshops and Presentations

"Beyond Form and Function: the Beauty of Inclusion", morning Keynote presentation for Hawaii Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) DESIGN FOR ALL conference, October 17, 2008

"Non-Residential Accessibility Regulations", Break-out session for DCAB DESIGN FOR ALL conference, October 17, 2008.

"Universal Design and Home Upgrades", with co-presenter Mike Vowels of Mike Vowels, Inc. to Puget Sound Home, Garden & Garage Show audience, March 2008

"Universal Design in the School Environment", presentation to Seattle School District staff, West Seattle High School, February 2008

"Universal Design and Home Upgrades", one lecture in a series entitled New Directions in Home Design by the NW chapter of the Congress of Residential Architects, Ballard Library, November, 2007

"Home Modifications" and "Multi-family Housing Units", trainings videotaped for The Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research and Training, series on Disability Awareness, September 2007.

"ADA Requirements in Hospitality Design", co-presenter with Jim Bostrom of DOJ Office of Civil Rights, to NW Chapter of NEWH (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), November 2004.

"Type A and B Dwelling units: an Analysis of the new Codes for 2004" and "Accessibility in WA: an Analysis of the new Codes for 2004", trainings on the new regulations and retained amendments for WA state barrier free regulations. Presented to: City of Seattle Plans Examiners, Eastside Building Officials, King County Building Officials, AIA Small Firm Roundtable, WA State GA Project Managers, and numerous Architecture firms, June 2004 to present.

On-air design consultant to ABC Television's Extreme Make-over: Home Edition, Season 2, Episode 9 "The Burns Family". Episode featured young boy with Osteogenesis Imperfecta and consulting was focused on accessible home features to accommodate his needs. Aired November 2004.

"Diversity by Design: Women in Leadership", a joint panel discussion by AIA Seattle and the Association for Women in Architecture, guest panelist, January 2004.

"Everything you wanted to know about hiring, firing and in between", AIA Diversity Conference, panel moderator, Build Boston, November 2003

"Home Modifications for People with Disabilities and Short Stature", lecture/workshop presented at the national conference of the OI Foundation in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006; presented to the national conference of Little People of America, 1999, and Little People of British Columbia, Canada, July 2003.

"Facility Access: ADA and Universal Design", lecture presented to State Administrators for Washington State General Administration January, 1998

"Introduction to Facilities Access" and "ADA issues for Facilities Management", lectures presented to the University of Washington Facilities Management Certificate Program, 1994-1998

"Universal Design in International Building Design", slide lecture presented to University of Washington Dept. of Architecture class on Universal Design and Aging, 1994 to 2000

"Practical Advice: Accessibility and the ADA from a User's Perspective", lecture presented to WA state School Facility Managers, March 1999

Center City Urban Design Forum, City of Seattle, presenter - May 2000

In-house continuing education seminars on ADA and Universal Design for Mithun Partners (2002) and Zimmer Gunsel Frasca Architects (2000)

Governor's Committee for Disability Issues and Employment - February 1995 Dockside Accessibility workshop for National Safe Boating Council, Sailing/Recreational Facility Access - March 1994

"What is the ADA?" seminar presenter for Society of Marketing Professionals, Seattle - July 1993

In-house seminar for clients of the Callison Partnership - January 1992

American Society of Interior Designers - November 1991