Architecture of Portland, Oregon

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The KOIN Center building on SW 3rd KOINCenterPortland.jpg
The KOIN Center building on SW 3rd

Portland architecture includes a number of notable buildings, a wide range of styles, and a few notable pioneering architects.

Contents

The scale of many projects is relatively small, as a result of the relatively small size of downtown-Portland blocks (200 feet by 200 feet) and strict height restrictions enacted to protect views of nearby Mount Hood from Portland's West Hills. Although these restrictions limit project size, they contribute to Portland's reputation for thoughtful urban planning and livability.

Many older buildings have been preserved and re-used, including many glazed terra-cotta buildings.

Portland is a leader in sustainable architecture and is known for its focus on urban planning. As of 2009, Portland has the second highest number of LEED-accredited "green" buildings of any city in the U.S., second only to Chicago. [1]

Architects

Well-known architect Pietro Belluschi began his career in Portland with the prolific firm of A.E. Doyle, leaving his imprint upon the city until the 1980s. Other notable architects and firms who have worked in Portland are Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), Michael Graves, Cass Gilbert, Rapp and Rapp, Daniel Burnham & Co., Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects (ZGF) and Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works. Local architects that have had a large influence on Portland's architecture include Francis Marion Stokes and his father William R. Stokes (combined works include over 270 buildings from 1882 to the 1960s), the Victorian-era architect Warren H. Williams (architect of several surviving cast-iron buildings including the Blagen Block as well as the stick-gothic Old Church) and Whidden & Lewis (architects of Portland City Hall, the long demolished Portland Hotel, the Weinhard Brewery Complex, the Failing Office Building, several office buildings on SW 3rd Ave. and numerous residences).

Tallest buildings

The tallest high-rises and skyscrapers in Portland (as of April 2016) are:

Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse top. MOHatfieldcourthouse1.JPG
Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse top.
  1. Wells Fargo Center (546 ft./166 m., completed 1972)
  2. U.S. Bancorp Tower (536 ft./163 m., completed 1983)
  3. KOIN Center (509 ft./155 m., completed 1984)
  4. Park Avenue West Tower (501 ft./153 m., completed 2016)
  5. PacWest Center (418 ft./127 m., completed 1984)
  6. Fox Tower (376 ft./113 m., completed 2000)
  7. Standard Insurance Center (367 ft./112 m., completed 1968)
  8. Cosmopolitan (338 ft./104 m., U/C, began construction July 2014)
  9. John Ross Tower (325 ft./99 m., completed 2007)
  10. The Ardea (325 ft./99 m., completed 2008)
  11. Mirabella Portland (325 ft./99 m., completed 2010)
  12. Congress Center (325 ft./98 m., completed 1980)
  13. Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse (318 ft/97 m., completed 1997)
  14. Moda Tower (formerly ODS Tower) (308 ft/94 m., completed 1999)
  15. The Meriwether, West Building (303 ft/92 m., completed 2006)
  16. Lloyd Center Tower (290 ft/88 m., completed 1981)
  17. 1000 Broadway (288 ft./88 m., completed 1991)

Other notable buildings

Other notable buildings in Portland include:

Bridges

The Steel Bridge over the Willamette River SteelBridgePano1.jpg
The Steel Bridge over the Willamette River

Portland has many bridges:

Bridges on the Willamette River

Bridges on the Columbia River

Other bridges

See also

Related Research Articles

Steel Bridge Bridge in Portland, Oregon

The Steel Bridge is a through truss, double-deck vertical-lift bridge across the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, opened in 1912. Its lower deck carries railroad and bicycle/pedestrian traffic, while the upper deck carries road traffic, and light rail (MAX), making the bridge one of the most multimodal in the world. It is the only double-deck bridge with independent lifts in the world and the second oldest vertical-lift bridge in North America, after the nearby Hawthorne Bridge. The bridge links the Rose Quarter and Lloyd District in the east to Old Town Chinatown neighborhood in the west.

Hawthorne Bridge

The Hawthorne Bridge is a truss bridge with a vertical lift that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, joining Hawthorne Boulevard and Madison Street. It is the oldest vertical-lift bridge in operation in the United States and the oldest highway bridge in Portland. It is also the busiest bicycle and transit bridge in Oregon, with over 8,000 cyclists and 800 TriMet buses daily. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2012.

Pietro Belluschi American architect

Pietro Belluschi was an Italian-born American architect, a leader of the Modern Movement in architecture, and was responsible for the design of over 1,000 buildings.

Architecture of Chicago Regional architecture

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Bascule bridge Bridge, normally over water, which can rotate upwards to allow tall objects to pass beneath it

A bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or double-leafed.

Burnside Bridge

The Burnside Bridge is a 1926-built bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, carrying Burnside Street. It is the second bridge at the same site to carry that name. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2012.

Morrison Bridge

The Morrison Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 1958, it is the third bridge at approximately the same site to carry that name. It is one of the most heavily used bridges in Portland. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2012.

Broadway Bridge (Portland, Oregon)

The Broadway Bridge is a Rall-type bascule bridge spanning the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, built in 1913. It was Portland's first bascule bridge, and it continues to hold the distinction of being the longest span of its bascule design type in the world. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2012.

Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge 5.1

The Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge 5.1 or BNSF Railway Bridge 5.1, also known as the St. Johns Railroad Bridge or the Willamette River Railroad Bridge, is a through truss railway bridge with a vertical lift that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States. Built by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (SP&S) and completed in 1908, it was originally a swing-span bridge, and its swing-span section was the longest in the world at the time. However, 81 years later the main span was converted from a swing-type to a vertical-lift type, in order to widen the navigation channel. The lift span is one of the highest and longest in the world. The bridge consists of five sections, with the two sections closest to the bank on each side fixed.

Commonwealth Building (Portland, Oregon) United States historic place

The Commonwealth Building is a 14-story commercial office tower in Portland, Oregon, United States. Located at 421 SW 6th Avenue between Washington and Harvey Milk Streets, it was designed by architect Pietro Belluschi and built between 1944 and 1948. The building was originally known as the Equitable Building and is noted as one of the first glass box towers ever built, pioneering many modern features and predating the more famous Lever House in Manhattan.

Vertical-lift bridge Movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck

A vertical-lift bridge or just lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck.

Oregon Convention Center

The Oregon Convention Center is a convention center in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 1989, and opened in 1990, it is located on the east side of the Willamette River in the Lloyd District neighborhood. It is best known for the twin spire towers, which provide light into the building's interior and for housing the world's largest Foucault Pendulum. The center is owned by Metro, the Portland area's regional government, and operated by the Metropolitan Exposition and Recreation Commission.

Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon

The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon. It is named in honor of former U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield. It is used by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

A. E. Doyle American architect

Albert Ernest Doyle was a prolific architect in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. He is most often credited for his works as A.E. Doyle. He opened his own architectural practice in 1907. From 1908 to 1914, he partnered with William B. Patterson, and their firm was known as Doyle & Patterson.

Pacific Building United States historic place

The Pacific Building is a historic office building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since March 5, 1992.

Public Service Building (Portland, Oregon)

The Public Service Building is a historic 67.06 m (220.0 ft), 15-story office building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The building and its attached parking garage have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Public Service Building and Garage since 1996. It was built to house the offices of the Portland Gas and Coke Company and the Pacific Power and Light Company. The building's name reflects the fact that these utilities were "public services". A space in the Public Service Building fronting the corner of Salmon and Sixth streets became the first Niketown store.

The Ardea

The Ardea, formerly 3720, is a 30-story 99.06 m (325.0 ft) apartment skyscraper in the South Waterfront district of Portland, Oregon. The building was completed in March 2009, however was turned over in phases allowing occupancy beginning in August 2008. The Ardea was developed by Gerding Edlen, designed by GBD Architects, and constructed by Hoffman Construction. The building was initially designed to be a condominium building but was converted to apartments after the Portland housing and condominium supply outstripped demand. The Ardea joins John Ross Tower as the seventh tallest building in Portland.

John Virginius Bennes American architect

John Virginius Bennes was an American architect who designed numerous buildings throughout the state of Oregon, particularly in Baker City and Portland. In Baker City he did an extensive redesign of the Geiser Grand Hotel, designed several homes, and a now-demolished Elks building. He moved to Portland in 1907 and continued practicing there until 1942.

Auditorium and Music Hall United States historic place

The Auditorium and Music Hall is a historic building in Portland, Oregon, in the United States, designed by English architect Frederick Manson White. It was built by Emil C. Jorgensen and was completed in 1895. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

The Lexington (Liverpool)

The Lexington is a 35-storey residential building under construction at Princes Dock in Liverpool, England. Part of the larger Liverpool Waters re-generation project, it is expected to be completed in 2021. Estimated to cost £90 million, the "New York style" building will include 325 apartments, a sky lounge, gym and rooftop garden. Upon completion, it will become the third tallest building in Liverpool at 112.5 m (369 ft).

References

  1. Kamin, Blair (2009-09-18). "Green buildings: Chicago tops U.S. cities on group's list". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2010-08-12.