MEMO - Value Reflected by Architecture and Urban Landscape

Paper 2 - Values Reflected by Architecture and Urban Landscape Will Roberts - 10/10/2015 This analysis looks at three contrasting government buildings located in downtown Portland, Oregon. The aim of the narrative is to get a sense of the impacts these buildings have on the urban form and the values they exude.

The Portland Building is a 15-story municipal services office building designed by Michael Graves. Opening in 1982 at a cost of 29 million dollars, the structure now houses many essential City services. The Gus J. Solomon United States Courthouse was completed in 1933 at a cost of 1.5 million dollars. The seven story structure was designed by Morris H. Whitehouse and has been placed on the National Historic Register. Finally, the Edith Green - Wendell Wyatt Federal Building is an 18-story tower originally built in the 1970s but was renovated in 2009 at a 139 million dollar cost. The structure was originally designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill but has been renovated by Sera Architects and PLACE studio.

The Portland Building is likely the most contentious structure in Portland. Its postmodern design was t​ he first of its kind in America. It has won numerous national awards and a place on the National Historic Register. With its bold design and massive copper Portlandia statue it certainly makes a statement. Critics and users agree that while the skin may be revolutionary, the functionality and flexibility was not highly regarded by the architect. By not designing for humans using the space the City is left with a very large and very expensive sculpture taking up land in its downtown. The surrounding couple of blocks are filled with green parks or rather tame, or utilitarian, buildings; which contrasts greatly with the Portland Building’s flamboyant style. Valuing experimentation and creativity is very representative of the City and its goals but it should not come at the cost of creating a flourishing space that inspires its inhabitants​ . Landscaping around the structure is sparse, except for rows of narrow street trees lining the right-of-way. It does abut Chapman Square, providing City employees some reprieve from the dark, stale, and leaky building. The Portland Building failed the City by existing only for itself.

The Solomon Courthouse is a renaissance revival design featuring a large, fully-enclosed courtyard. The building evokes the strength, legitimacy, and time-tested design that has been applied to nearly every federal building in every city in the country. A passerby would most likely be able to assume the federal use due to the standard application of scale, ornamentation, and authoritative strength. However, classic does not mean boring or nonfunctional. The structure blends rather well into the immediate surroundings by not commanding the space that a more modern and secure federal courthouse may today. It is separated from the right-of-way by a wall and railing with lush recessed landscaping. The numerous entries, varying landscape, and grade make the ground floor of the building feel somewhat warm and dynamic for such a classic government style. The many frontages are generously decorated in bronze that complements the large windows circumventing the ground floor. The light stone and dark bronze contrast well against the bright green landscaping that transitions from moderate sized trees to bushes on all sides.

The Edith-Green Federal Building is one of the more spectacular buildings in downtown Portland. Originally designed with an international office look; it was transformed by a modern, environmentally-minded, renovation in 2009. The improvements increased efficiency and brought the building up to LEED Platinum standards; and it did it in great fashion. This building adequately represents the aspirations of modern Portland - transparent, sharp, smart, and innovative. The building boasts a huge rooftop solar array that extends beyond the footprint of the building. The skin is wrapped in an exoskeleton of shadow rods consisting of different lengths and orientations depending on the solar intensity of each side of the building. The landscape is clean and elegant. As one’s eye follows the building from tilted solar panels, down the vertical lines of the shadow skeleton, to the trees and brush, and finally ending at the smooth hardscape you get a sense of what modern eco-architecture is all about on a holistic level. This is a great example of context-based solutions to increase sustainability while not sacrificing aesthetics or functionality.