Portland | Oregon | Pietro Belluschi’s Commonwealth Building | New York’s Lever House

Perfectly situated near the mountains, the ocean, and the desert, slightlyfunky 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 Seemingly floating in the sky, this sleek glass tower, a vision of sea-green glass and gleaming metal, was the first of its kind, pioneering the way for other famous buildings like New York's Lever House and the United Nations Building. What set it apart? Among other things, it was the first to be sheathed in aluminum, be fully air-conditioned, and feature double-sealed glass windows (reducing solar heat and eliminating sky glare). It also set the standard for compact, boxlike structures. 421 SW Sixth Avenue, between Washington and Stark streets

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

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Photos by Lincoln Barbour - www.lincolnbarbour.com