The Portland Building (Michael Graves, 1982) is an icon of Postmodern architecture. Extreme budget pressures at the time of construction impacted construction quality, materials, and systems. This led to numerous problems during the past 35+ years that ongoing maintenance and repairs could not resolve. In 2016, DLR Group commenced a progressive design-build program with the City of Portland and Howard S. Wright for a full reconstruction to preserve this 15-story, 400,000-SF high-rise, historically significant building occupied by 1400 city and county employees.
The Portland Building was originally constructed as a painted concrete box, detailed with a mortar-set tile system. The existing cast concrete exterior needed to be reconstructed and detailed in such a way that it would be durable and weather-tight while maintaining the building’s historic features.
The team designed a pressure-equalized rainscreen overclad to the exterior enclosure with all new glazing to replace the original tinted glass, which was thought to improve energy performance at the time. The new system provides insulation, protection, and moisture management for the building while preserving its iconic appearance. At the base of the building, the original mortar-applied ceramic tiles were removed and a new rainscreen system with terra cotta tiles to match the existing color was applied to the cast concrete enclosure. The reconstruction creates a resilient, adaptable building that will last 50-to-100 years, with a healthy workplace for staff and a welcoming public presence.
Project scope included building envelope reconstruction, seismic upgrades, MEP system replacement, full interior remodel, new workplace and public engagement spaces, and updated workplace standards. DLR Group provided architectural services, change management, environmental graphics, exterior skin replacement, interior workplace, and shear wall relocation.
Team:
Architects: DLR Group
Other Participants: Brighworks Northwest, LLC./ KPFF Consulting Engineers (WA)/ Mayer Reed/ PAE Consulting Engineers
Photographer: James Ewing/JBSA
Materials Used:
Facade cladding: Custom Aluminum/Glass Curtainwall, Benson Industries; Custom Terracotta Tile, NBK
Carpet: Commercial Carpet Tile, UR101/102 Urban Retreat Collection, PM39, Kerbstone, Interface
Rubber Flooring: Ecosurfaces ECOfit Rolls, 806/807 Ecore
LVT: Natural Wood Grains Level Set, Interface
Static Dissipative Flooring: iQ Granit SD, Johnsonite/Tarkett
Walk off Mat: SR 699, Interface
Epoxy-Resin Terrazo: Pre-cast Epoxy Terrazo, Tectura Designs, Wausau Tile
Resinous Flooring: Stonhard HRI, Stonhard
Doors (L1-L16): Hollow metal + steel stiffened doors, Stiles Custom Metal, Inc.
Windows: Custom Aluminum/Glass Curtainwall, Benson Industries
Roofing (L16): Henry Green Roof 790-11 Hot Applied Rubberized Asphalt System, Henry Company
Roofing (L2/L3): MiraSeal/CCW201/CCW500/MiraDRAIN, Carlisle Coatings &
Waterproofing
Roofing (L2/L3/L14): Concrete Pavers, Vancouver Bay, Mutual Materials
Interior lighting: Prudential Bionic; Prudential MicroCove; Ecosense Trov; Eaton Portfolio; USAI BeveLED 3110; USAI BeveLED 3651; USAI BeveLED BLSD5; USAI; BeveLED BLSW5; Eaton Halo; Intense Gravity
Interior Lighting (cont.): ERCO Beamer Projector; ERCO Gecko Projector; Eaton; Metalux; SLS Linda; Eaton Neo-Ray; Focal Point Seem; ALW Lightplane 2; OCL Loop; Inter-lux Highmoon; Molo Sm Cloud Pendant; Molo Med Cloud Pendant; Molo Lg Cloud Pendant; Molo XL Cloud Pendant; Eaton Corelite; Element Refections; Erco Lightscan; Selux M36; Selux M60; USAI BeveLED 3021; Eaton; Lumark; Oxygen Adagio; USAI BeveLED BLSW5; Prudential Bio2; Bartco BXX215; Custom Sconce; Ligman ULA-95001; SPI Eastland; Vode WingRail; Eaton Sure-Lites; Eaton Metalux; Focal Point ID+ 4.5”
