Four decades of design

Nov. 25—The Pullman office of Design West Architects is one of the company's five offices scattered across the Pacific Northwest.

Employees from Design West gathered in Pendleton, Ore., this fall to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary.

Ned Warnick, one of Design West's principles, said the company has designed many of the buildings on the Palouse.

In Pullman, Design West designed the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the Washington State University campus, the Palouse Ridge Golf Course pro shop and restaurant building, Kamiak Elementary School, Town Centre, Pullman Chipotle and the Roost coffee shop expansion.

In Moscow the company designed the University of Idaho Albertson College of Business and Economics, the UI's Teaching and Learning Center, improvements to the 1912 Center, the Moscow Intermodal Transit Center and the Moscow School District Community Playfields.

Warnick has worked at Design West for 26 years and said the company focuses on projects like schools, community centers and other community-based projects. As a Moscow native now living in Pullman, Warnick said it's humbling to see how the work he does makes the area he lives in more inviting.

"It's a great feeling to look around and see how we've impacted our community," Warnick said.

"That's what builds strong communities and that's what makes me feel good."

The projects on the Palouse are a small selection of the company's work which numbers more than 5,000 projects and includes small park improvements and multi-story high schools. The company is licensed in Montana, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Warnick said Design West designs the projects, but it is not just them working on these buildings or improvements. The architects work closely with engineers and the contractors to make the plans reality.

The business got its start in 1983 as an offshoot of Architectural Design West with offices in Salt Lake City and Logan, Utah. They would then expand to an office in Boise, which has since moved to Meridian, Idaho.

The Pullman office was opened in 1993 and is located at 254 E. Main St. Upcoming projects for Design West include the Pullman Regional Hospital expansion, the WSU Taylor Sports Complex and the University of Idaho JW Martin Lab upgrades.

"It's great to say we've hit this (40-year) milestone but it doesn't change the firm," Warnick said. "Everyday we get up and work hard."

Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.