Portland Building
The Portland Building, alternatively known as the Portland Municipal Services Building, is a 15-story municipal office building located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Built at a cost of $29 million, it opened in 1982.[1]
Michael Graves' building, with its distinctive block-like design and square windows, has become an icon of postmodern architecture. In May of 1983, the building won one of the American Institue of Architects honor awards for that year.[2] In 1985, the hammered-copper statue Portlandia was added above the front entrance.
The building remains controversial among Portlanders as well as the entire architecture field. This 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 as in a large design competition, with Johnson as one of the three members of the selection committee.
Beyond questions of style, many structural flaws came to light shortly after the building's completion.[3] 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.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Designs as varied as uses of city's newer buildings. The Oregonian, February 19 1990.
- ^ "New Encyclopedia 1984 Yearbook". Funk & Wagnalls. United Sates of America: Funk & Wagnalls, Inc. 1984. ISBN 0-8343-0069-9.
- ^ Silvis, Steffen. "Reaching for the Sky". Willamette Week.
- ^ Senior, Jeanie (July 15, 2005). "What's not to love about the skyline? A lot, it seems". Portland Tribune. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
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