Yvonne Estelle Warner Asken

Dates of Birth and Death

Birthplace

Education

• Shawnee Mission High School, Mission, KS, 1954
• Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, Bachelor of Architecture, 1959
• Kansas City Art Institute
• Kalamazoo Institute of Art

Years of practice

Affiliations/Firms

• Kingscott Associates, Inc., Kalamazoo, MI

Professional organizations

• Joined AIA in 1973
• Became AIA fellow in 1984

Major projects

• Bronson Medical Center Kalamazoo, MI 1974
• Cottage for Dr. & Mrs. Doyle Wilson South Haven, MI 1975
• Residence for Paula & Fred Dunayczan Kalamazoo, MI 1979
• Reproductive Health Care Center Kalamazoo, MI 1980
• Peninsula Building Renovation Kalamazoo, MI 1983

Keywords

Biography

Early life and Education

Yvonne Estelle Warner was born in Kansas City, KS in 1936.  Warner lived in Michigan and graduated  Kansas State University with Bachelor degree in Architecture in 1959. Later She attended Kansas City Art Institute and Kalamazoo Institute of Art.

Career in Architecture

Asken has served the AIA in every official elective capacity at both chapter and regional levels, capped by her presidency of the Michigan Society in 1981, and later as chairperson of the Past President’s Council—a newly formed arm of MSA for long range planning and continuity of the organization. In 1977, she was appointed to the AIA Task Force, Women in Architecture. The Task Force, which ultimately achieved committee status, established a way to implement the affirmative action plan adopted by AIA in 1973.

Asken also served on the Mentor Committee of the Kalamazoo Network and has been involved in the establishment of a local chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction, and serves on their board of directors.

As president of the Portage Chamber of Commerce, as a director of the Kalamazoo Economic Expansion Corporation, and in various capacities with other business and civic organizations, she has strengthened organizational ties beyond artificial limits of geography.

Later, She won support for a charette that brought together more than 100 students from nine architectural schools, under the direction of four nationally prominent architects. Together they designed plans and models for redevelopment of downtown Kalamazoo.

She heplped establish a local chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction.

Major Buildings and Projects

• Bronson Medical Center Kalamazoo, MI 1974
• Cottage for Dr. & Mrs. Doyle Wilson South Haven, MI 1975
• Residence for Paula & Fred Dunayczan Kalamazoo, MI 1979
• Reproductive Health Care Center Kalamazoo, MI 1980
• Peninsula Building Renovation Kalamazoo, MI 1983

Institutional Affiliations

• Board of director, the National Association of Women in Construction
• Member, the Mentor Committee of the Kalamazoo Network
• AIA Task Force, Women in Architecture, 1970-1973.
• President, the Portage Chamber of Commerce
• Director, the Kalamazoo Economic Expansion Corporation
• Chair, the Past President’s Council at MSA
• Guest lecturer at University of Michigan, Lawrence Institute of Technology, University of Detroit, and Kalamazoo Area Council for the Humanities
• Taught at Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Asken initiated member-firm breakfasts at the Past President Council to provide a forum for local firm leaders to discuss local business problems. These events continue to be held at the West Michigan Chapter of the AIA.