Portland Building

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The Portland Building
Portland Building 1982.jpg
Portland Building is located in Portland, Oregon
Location in Portland
Alternative names Portland Municipal Services Building
General information
Type Government offices
Location 1120 SW 5th Avenue
Portland, Oregon
Coordinates 45°30′56″N 122°40′44″W / 45.5155°N 122.6789°W / 45.5155; -122.6789Coordinates: 45°30′56″N 122°40′44″W / 45.5155°N 122.6789°W / 45.5155; -122.6789
Completed 1982
Opening October 2, 1982
Cost US$29 million
Height
Roof 70.41 m (231.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 15
Design and construction
Owner City of Portland
Architect Michael Graves
Emery Roth & Sons
Structural engineer Desimone Consulting Engineers
Main contractor Hoffman Construction
Pavarini Mcgovern Construction
References

[1][2][3]
Portland Public Service Building
NRHP Reference#: 11000770[4]
Added to NRHP: October 25, 2011[5]

The Portland Building, alternatively referenced as the Portland Municipal Services Building, is a 15-story municipal office building located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland, Oregon. Built at a cost of US$29 million, it opened in 1982 and was considered architecturally groundbreaking at the time.[6][7] The building houses offices of the City of Portland. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.[5]

Contents

History [edit]

The distinctive look of Michael Graves' Portland Building, with its use of a variety of surface materials and colors, small windows, and inclusion of prominent decorative flourishes, was in stark contrast to the architectural style most commonly used for large office buildings at the time,[7] and made the building an icon of postmodern architecture. It is the first major postmodern building, opening before Philip Johnson's AT&T Building, and its design has been described as a rejection of the Modernist principles established in the early 20th century. Graves' design was selected in a large design competition, with Johnson as one of the three members of the selection committee. Portland mayor Frank Ivancie was among those who expressed the opinion that the modernist style then being applied to most large office buildings had begun to make some American cities' downtowns look "boring",[7] with most of the newer, large buildings being covered in glass and steel, and largely lacking in design features that would make them stand out.[7] Among architects, reaction was mixed, with many criticizing the design while others embraced it as a welcome departure.[7]

Beyond questions of style, many structural flaws came to light shortly after the building's completion.[8] The building's failings are the subject of much humor and contempt by the civil servants who work there, who describe it as cheaply built and difficult to work in.[9]

In 1990, only eight years after it was built, the lobby and food court were in need of remodeling.[10] Four firms, including Michael Graves, were bidding for the job.[10] Karen Nichols of Michael Graves's firm said "Michael feels like he owes the city one.... We have done a lot of public buildings since then. I do know we talk about the Portland Building all the time."[10]

Features [edit]

The roof of the Portland Building is covered with a green roof, installed in 2006.[11][12] The roof was proposed in 2005,[13] part of an experiment through Oregon State University to test Sedum spathulifolium as a water-absorbing plant for the northwest.[14][15] The new roof will help the building's heating, cooling, and storm-water runoff systems.[16]

Offices [edit]

As of October 2009, the Portland Building housed these municipal bureaus and departments: Office of Cable Communications & Franchise Management, Bureau of Environmental Services, Facilities Services, Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Management and Finance, Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Purchases, Bureau of Risk Management, Bureau of Technology Services, Office of Transportation, and the Portland Water Bureau.[17]

Reception [edit]

In May 1983, the building won an American Institute of Architects honor award.[18] In 1985, the hammered-copper statue Portlandia was added above the front entrance.

The building's style remains controversial among Portlanders as well as the entire architecture field.[10] In 1990, The Oregonian stated "it's hard to find anyone who doesn't like Pioneer Courthouse Square.... it's even harder to find anyone who admits to liking the Portland Building."[10] Paul Goldberger said:

For better or for worse, the Portland Building overshadows other things. It is more significant for what it did than how well it does it. It had a profound effect on American architecture and brought a return to classicism that brought us better buildings.[10]

Pietro Belluschi said "I think it's totally wrong. It's not architecture, it's packaging. I said at the time that there were only two good things about it: 'It will put Portland on the map, architecturally, and it will never be repeated.'"[10] In October 2009, Travel + Leisure magazine called the Portland Building "one of the most hated buildings in America".[19]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Portland Building at Emporis
  2. ^ Portland Building at SkyscraperPage
  3. ^ Portland Building at Structurae
  4. ^ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 11/07/11 through 11/10/11". National Park Service. November 18, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "Portland Building gets a place on national history list". Portland Tribune. November 18, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2011. 
  6. ^ "Designs as varied as uses of city's newer buildings". The Oregonian, February 19, 1990.
  7. ^ a b c d e Weiner, Ed (October 18, 1981). "The most famous building in Seattle is in Portland: Michael Graves' new building is an architectural milestone and is anything but boring". The Seattle Times, p. E1/E4.
  8. ^ Steffen Silvis (November 10, 1999). "Reaching for the Sky". Willamette Week. Retrieved December 1, 2011. 
  9. ^ Jeanie Senior (July 15, 2005). "What's not to love about the skyline? A lot, it seems". Portland Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Morris, Rebecca (February 19, 1990). "30 Years of Planning Produce City for '90s". The Oregonian. pp. A01. 
  11. ^ Genovese, Fran (September 18, 2008). "Some Portland roofs to take on a green hue". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  12. ^ "Green Roofs". Oregon Field Guide. 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Twenty years later, Portland Building may get a touch-up". Daily Journal of Commerce. September 21, 2005. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  14. ^ "Greenroof Research in the Pacific Northwest". Oregon State University. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  15. ^ "Extension Service News: OSU scientists open green roof test site to public for tour and discussion (10/01/2007)". Oregon State University. October 1, 2007. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  16. ^ Manfra, Laurie, "Portland Building - 1982 The Michael Graves legacy remains as contentious and confounding as ever.", MetropolisMag.com, April 2006, http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20060320/portland-building-1982
  17. ^ "Contact Us: Bureau & Department Listings". City of Portland. Retrieved October 19, 2010. 
  18. ^ Dickey, Norma H., ed. (1984). Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia: 1984 Year Book. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 0-8343-0069-9. 
  19. ^ Bunny Wong (October 2009). "The World's Ugliest Buildings". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved October 18, 2010. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: The Portland Building


Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Portland_Building&oldid=553454393"