[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 160 (Thursday, October 5, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRATULATIONS TO BOB FRASCA

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 5, 2017

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, on October 12, friends, partners and 
admirers of Bob Frasca are gathering in Portland to honor his career of 
over 50 years. Bob was a founder of one of America's leading 
architectural firms, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects. Since its humble 
beginnings, ZGF has grown to be one of the premier architectural firms 
in the world with 600 design professionals networked across six offices 
in the U. S. and Canada. Portland, across the country, and around the 
world, ZGF has received accolades and awards for its design work.
   The firm would not be where it is today without the leadership and 
influence of Bob Frasca.
   Bob graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of 
Michigan, and a Master of City Planning from MIT. He moved to Portland 
in 1959 and became the partner-in-charge of design for ZGF in 1966. 
Over the years, I have witnessed his significant impact in the Portland 
region with his emphasis on designs that build communities. He has 
played an important role in the evolution of Portland as livable city, 
thanks to his collaboration with others and his advocacy for the civic 
role architects and architecture play in making a great city. He was 
instrumental in the redevelopment of Portland's waterfront and defined 
the ``heart'' of downtown that later became Pioneer Square. His design 
influence is seen in the Portland skyline with projects like the 
Justice Center, the KOIN Tower and the Oregon Convention Center, as 
well as Portland International Airport.
   His portfolio of user-driven buildings has been recognized for 
creating environments that foster health and innovation, demonstrated 
by the National Institutes of Health Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research 
Center, the Duke University Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary 
Sciences, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Yawkey Center for Cancer 
Care. His work in urban contexts has continued with projects such as 
Twelve West in Portland and 1200 Seventeenth Street in Washington, DC, 
and his international reach has touched U.S. embassies and consulates 
in Istanbul, Sofia, and Manila.
   With Bob's leadership, ZGF's design excellence and architecture 
raised the firm's profile worldwide. Clients have engaged them to 
develop projects from single structures to entire eco-districts, 
pioneering a new urban planning approach to create resilient 
neighborhoods, grounded in placemaking and community stakeholder 
engagement for a collective, sustainable vision.
   Throughout his career, Bob has received numerous awards, including 
the AIA Northwest & Pacific Region Medal of Honor for his contributions 
to the built environment, his advocacy for design excellence and 
ongoing mentorship of emerging design talent, the Watzek Award for 
Contributions to the Enrichment of the State of Oregon, and the Honored 
Citizen Award from the Architectural Foundation of Oregon.
   Bob Frasca's illustrious career deserves a hearty congratulations. 
His leadership, passion for the process of design, and ethic of 
environmental stewardship has raised the architectural bar and the 
quality of the urban experience throughout the nation, internationally, 
and most importantly, here at home in Portland, Oregon.

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