* * * Built to Impress * * *
Perfectly situated near the mountains, the ocean, and the desert, slightly funky Portland is naturally eclectic. Known for a thriving art scene, some gullet-pleasing microbreweries, and a climate that grows the world's most gorgeous roses, this vital city also boasts some rubberneck-worthy architectural gems that we think you ought to see. — Becca Hensley
Michael Graves’s Portland Building, 1980
Like the witty teapots Graves designs for Target, this postmodern office building bears classical references and grandiose adornment. A robust structure awash with small, square windows, it has blues, browns, and dusty reds that dramatize its vanilla-colored background, and a whimsical concrete garland adds élan. Controversial from the beginning, the Portland Building has its naysayers, who note its structural and stylistic flaws (such as cracks in upper floors and small, drab work spaces). Regardless, at the time of its completion, then-mayor Frank Ivancie referred to it as “Portland’s Eiffel Tower.” 1120 SW Fifth Avenue
|
Lawrence Halprin’s Lovejoy Fountain Plaza, 1966
Perhaps Portland’s finest outdoor plaza, this celebration of waterfalls and geographical features of the Pacific Northwest consists of stair steps, whooshing water, and organic shapes. Its creator also designed the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C. SW Third Avenue and Harrison Street
|
A.E. Doyle’s Multnomah County Library Central, 1913
A bibliophile’s fantasy, this icon of American architecture is an adventure in grandeur. Huge windows, a towering ceiling, and an elegant staircase inside convey permanence, and the outside exemplifies the architect’s fascination with European styles. The Georgian-influenced exterior is a symphony of red brick and white stone. 801 SW 10th Avenue, www.multcolib.org |
Pietro Belluschi’s Commonwealth Building, 1944–1948
|
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gordon House, 1964
The only Wright-designed building in Oregon, and the only one open to the public in the entire Pacific Northwest, this tiny house exemplifies Wright’s Usonian model. Less than an hour away from Portland, it manifests elements such as floor-to-ceiling windows, an open floor plan, and a cantilevered roof with a broad overhang. 879 West Main Street, Silverton, Oregon; www.thegordonhouse.org
Photos by Lincoln Barbour - www.lincolnbarbour.com
|