Portland, Oregon, USA

The Portland Building, designed by Michael Graves and completed in 1982 as administrative offices for the City of Portland, is an award-winning iconic design of postmodern architecture.

New York Times Architecture Critic Paul Goldberg stated: “It is more significant for what it did than how well it does it.”

The building was later placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a building of “exceptional importance,” but it faced problems with its structure, exterior, and operational systems that repairs alone could not address.

After years of study and deliberation, the city chose to protect and preserve this major public investment with a significant reconstruction.

Spearheaded by DLR Group, the project creates an adaptable building that will last 50-to-100 years, providing a productive work environment for employees and a welcoming space for community members.

The Balfour Beatty/DLR Group team worked to improve the efficiency and functionality of the Portland Building with novel construction materials and methods, their overarching goal was to protect the integrity of this culturally and artistically significant building while making lasting contributions to the local community.

The Portland Building, which first opened as city offices in 1982, incorporated several design features that didn’t adapt over the building’s 40-year life span. The reconstruction restored some of the original design vision, while adapting a new vision for the city.

After nearly 40 years, the exterior of the Portland Building was in need of comprehensive repairs.

But how should modifications be made to one of the most recognizable pieces of architecture in the
world?

The Balfour Beatty/DLR Group team developed details, engineering and mockups to obtain unanimous design approval from the Portland Landmarks Commission.

They subsequently procured and fabricated the system while navigating the newly imposed steel and aluminum tariffs, which presented potential project cost and schedule impacts.

With teamwork, the new façade system was installed on schedule and on budget and was deemed a resounding success by the design community, public and building occupants.

The building’s historic design also prompted the team to innovate and push the limits of a Unitized Aluminum Curtainwall (UCW) system technology.

To replicate historic design features such as reveal locations and mullion spacings, the team designed and engineered a suite of highly customized, unitized panels.

The team spent countless hours developing technical strategies for replicating the building’s existing keystone tile and multi-plane panel within the constraints of high-performance UCW.

Laser scans of the building’s exterior façade were also used to address tolerance and alignment issues between surfaces.

“We spent a lot of time researching, studying precedents, exploring alternatives, and consulted multiple times with Michael Graves’s office on our proposed solution. Ultimately, our team believes that over-cladding the original building was the solution that allowed us to stay true to the original design expression, while not replicating the flawed performance details. And thankfully we were able to make a strong enough case for this approach to receive unanimous approval from the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission,” states DLR Group senior associate Erica Ceder.

At the Fifth Avenue entrance, the front doors have been designed to replicate the original doors as part of the historic lobby. All finishes within the lobby have been refreshed to reflect the original design intended by Michael Graves.

To the right, visitors can quickly find the customer service zone where the public can access any public service without having to make their way throughout the building. To the left, new event space has a dedicated restroom and catering pantry, as well as an entrance from the exterior, which makes it accessible for after-hours open houses; show public displays; or host any other city-related event.

Towards the elevator lobby, a grand new staircase leads the public directly to the conference center on the second floor. The historic elevator lobby has been refinished to reflect the original colors and finishes.

Looking through the elevator lobby, visitors can see new pre-function space, which will service the new large event room and is complete with comfortable seating and large windows looking through, beyond the park.

The enhanced interior aesthetic extends to an improved pedestrian experience.

The publicly accessible second floor features a conference center and gallery displaying historical building ephemera and a rotating local art exhibition.

The design visually connects interior public areas to the exterior by opening views to the outdoors, and increasing public meeting areas.

A two-story window opening along the 4th Avenue elevation allows dramatic views of Chapman Park from both the first and second floors. The removal of raised floor platforms increases floor-toceiling heights while remaining accessible to everyone.

Additionally, light shelves and window trims were fitted with custom millwork features to seamlessly transition old to new.

The upper floors follow standardized programming and layout to maximize departmental efficiencies. Immediately off the elevator, unique branding sets the color scheme for each floor.

The reconfigured floor plan increases the amount of daylight that reaches the elevator lobby at the core of the building.

Each floor shares two medium size conference rooms, one large conference room, and six focus rooms intended for heads-down work, phone calls, or one-on-one conversations.

These rooms are intended for use by all city employees, not solely for those working with the bureau on that floor.

Kristin Wells, construction manager for the City of Portland, said of this project, “It’s an opportunity to re-think the workplace for city employees. It’s part of the city’s history. It’s part of the story of the city.”

“This is more than just fixing a building. There’s something important about doing this right.”

Architects: DLR Group
Original Architects: Michael Graves (1982)
Developer: Balfour Beatty
Client: City of Portland