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Henry Ryals
Craig/Cummings
FRINQ: Work of Art
5-5-2016
Downtown Portland: A Study in Postmodernism
Introduction
This tour will begin at 222 SW Columbia Street, Portland, Oregon, under KOIN Center.
The route has been laid out on the map and should be followed closely. The street addresses of
each location have been provided in the event that you should be detoured.
In this art-walk, we will be focusing on the high-rises built in downtown Portland during
the 1980s and 1990s. A brief history of each building will be given, the architectural style
analyzed, and public and critical response noted. We will also discuss how the buildings fit into
their surroundings and how they are indicative of their time, place, and purpose. The most
important thing to bear in mind during this tour is how design ages with time, and how this might
effect future development.
Before we begin the tour, I would like to define a few terms which I will be using
frequently throughout this tour. Art Deco was a style created in the United States during one of
the greatest boom times in its history - the 1920s. The style was characterized by gilded
geometric patterns, graduated spires, and light-ray motifs. Big, loud projects such as the Chrysler
Building and Rockefeller Center are prime examples of classic art deco architecture. This was
indicative of the economic life at the time.

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The buildings in this art walk were built in the late 20th century - long after Art Deco had
its heyday. In the 1980s, Portland was experiencing exponential economic growth. It was
quickly transforming from a large town into a internationally known city, and companies like
Nike became Fortune 500 firms. Sympathetic to this economic boom, architecture took on a neoart deco theme. Understand that the prevailing style prior to this was brutalism, distinguished by
its use of concrete, glass, small windows, and the lack of a defined top or bottom to the structure.
It was the fusion of these two styles that created postmodernism.
Tour Start. 222 SW Columbia Street: KOIN Center
The first stop on the tour is KOIN Center. Built in 1984 to the tune of $48M, it stands 509
feet tall with 35 stories. It was designed by world-renowned portland architecture firm, ZimmerGunsul-Frasca. This blue-capped, pixelated, brick spire shoots upward towards the sky and has
become an un-mistakable landmark of the Portland skyline. As you might guess, the building has
been named KOIN Center due to its highest-profile client being a news organization of that
name. Early on in its development, it was criticized by the public for blocking the view of
Mount Hood from the exit of the Vista Ridge Tunnel coming into Portland. However over time,
people have grown quite fond of the building.
The design of this building is quite unique, from its jagged sides to its blue metal peak.
The postmodern design is more than skin-deep. While ornamentations are kept to a minimum,
the structure of the building sets it apart by fully committing to an Art Deco inspired shape. Well
discuss this topic more later on in the tour.

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Stop 2. 1120 SW 5th Avenue: Portland Building
Standing at 231ft with 15 floors, the Portland Building was built in 1982 and cost $29M.
Mostly home to government offices, this Michael Graves design is another portland landmark..
Marmite from its inception, some at the time called it brilliant and innovative, while others
condemned the design. In particular, Oregonian columnist David Sarasohn said the building was
like something designed by a Third World dictator's mistress' art-student brother. Regardless of
opinion, however, the building is now in danger of literally being condemned. Plagued by water
ingress and structural problems, the building will either have to be demolished, or $175M spend
to completely overhaul it.
Around this time, there was a sentiment going around that modernist designs were
making downtowns across the world look boring. The Portland Building was the first major
foyer away from that and into postmodernism. In structure, it was essentially a brutalist design.
The tiny windows create a martial pattern across all four flat faces. This is starkly contrasted by
huge ribbon, column, and light-beam motifs. The Portland Building, although also an example of
Neo Art Deco, is vastly different from KOIN Center. How is it that two buildings with such
similar design philosophy cold be so radically different?

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Stop 3. 1211 SW 5th Avenue: PacWest Center
Standing 418 ft at 30 floors, PacWest Center was built in 1984 at the cost of $49M. The
collaboration Hugh Stubbins & Associates and Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill design is named for
its original primary tenant, PacWest Bancorp. In 1985, the Portland AIA conferred upon the
architects their top Honor Award.

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Nicknamed the Ice Cube Building, the design is exceptionally smooth. The rounded
edges fold over each other like a frozen cascade hanging above the city street. Stylistically, it was
much closer to the future of architecture than some of its contemporaries. Still no less flash, the
stripes give a hint of deco, however much stronger is its futurism. Its practically straight out of
the Jetsons. Are you surprised by the age of this building? Did you think it would be older or
newer?
Stop 4. 1001 SW 5th Avenue: Congress Center
With 23 floors at 321ft tall, Congress Center was built in 1980 and is named for the
Congress Hotel which it replaced. The SOM design received a certificate of merit from the
Portland Historical Landmark Commission for restoring terra-cotta arches from the hotel.
A true modernist, this big, black, mirrored hexagon is radically different from the other
buildings on the tour. In truth, I selected this building because it provides such stunning contrast.
It allows us to reflect on the buildings weve seen so far and better get a sense of what was
commonplace at the time of their construction. This building is the jazz of downtown, its all
about what the architects didn't design. Due to its nebulous nature and odd shape, the building
seems to shimmer in and out of existence in the right light. How is it that a design could be so
simple, and still be called a design? Its important to ask where you draw the line between
simplicity and under-design.

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Stop 5. 1000 SW Broadway: 1000 Broadway Building
The next stop in the tour, standing 289ft with 24 floors, is 1000 Broadway. Built in 1991
at a cost of $90M, this Broome, Oringdulph, Randolph, & Associates design is another icon of
downtown p-town. It was constructed where the Broadway Theater once stood; an art deco
design. As a nod to this, 1000 Broadway displays some subtle deco cues. A theater was built
inside the tower, however it was closed in 2011.
Nicknamed R2-D2, 1000 Broadways most recognizable feature is its dome-top.
Directly below that, a cylindrical motif extends down almost to ground level. The flanks of the
building stair-step up to the base of the dome, giving it a citadel-like look. All this combines to
make 1000 Broadway a truly unique look. Is 1000 Broadway is in keeping with the architectural
history of its location? What is an appropriate way to preserve historic style and neighborhoods
without totally halting progress?
6. 601 SW 2nd Avenue: Moda Tower
Moda tower, named for its main tenet - Moda Health, has 24 stories and is 308ft tall. It
was designed by ZGF, cost $34M, and was completed in 1999.
This is one of the last buildings in Portland to have any semblance of art deco. The style
was being fazed-out and only hints are in this example. The column windows around the base are
a dead giveaway. One of the more interesting contemporary aspects of the building is its curved
eastern face, mimicking a curve in the Willamette River. Another phenomenon of the building is
the existence of six corner-offices per floor, due to a bulge on its northern face. As style evolves,
we attempt to retain the best aspects of previous styles and add them to the lexicon of design.
What aspects of postmodernism do you see in buildings being constructed today?

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Stop 7. 121 SW Morrison St SW: Bank of America Center
At 245 ft tall with 18 floors, the Bank of America Center was built in 1987 at a cost of
$21.9M. Another ZGF design, this fell smack in the middle of the postmodern era. The navy
windows, beige concrete and brown square accents give it a southwestern feel. At the top of the
southern face there is a solarium which resembles a grain silo, underneath is a bulge which flows
down to the ground. Structurally, it is more complex than the portland building; though most of
the design is in the ornamentation. How would you compare this to the other ZGF designs?

As is the case in any era, some works have aged better than others. A question to ask
ourselves might be What qualities make one building age better than another? Certain heavily
decorated works that would have been avant grade at the time, seem cartoonish now. Trendy
design in clothing or furniture is one thing, however, buildings need to remain aesthetically
pleasing for decades. The best examples weve viewed were more conservative with their
ornamentation and direct appropriation of foreign motifs; choosing instead to use the spirit and
ideology of art deco. In these cases rather than being a dressed-up box or wedding cake, the
blending of the styles was to the bone. In other words, most of the design was in the structure,
rather than the decoration. Generally, higher quality building materials also go a long way
towards creating successful, timeless design.
I think it is important to learn from past architectural ventures; analyzing what has
worked and what hasnt. As well, its important to understand how architecture reflects the
culture and economy of its neighborhood, and how they influence each other. This can help us be
better informed and equipped to make decisions concerning new development.

Stop 8. 111 SW 5th Avenue: U.S. Bancorp Tower

Finally, we come to the last stop on the tour. Towering above portland at 536 ft with 42
floors, is U.S. Bancorp Tower. Completed in 1983 at a cost of $60M, it is the second tallest
building in portland, and the largest, with 740,000 sq ft. Yet another SOM design, the building
initially housed the national headquarters for U.S. Bancorp. Now it holds a variety of tenets,
including the Portland City Grill (located on the 30th floor.)
Big Pink as its fondly referred to, is perhaps the most recognizable building in all of
Portland. This granite monolith makes use of the best aspects of postmodernism in its design.
Although its huge and pink, the styling is actually quite nimble; and it plays tricks on the eye
with its deceptive shape and materials. Due to the shape of the lot, the tower is actually a
parallelogram; appearing wider or narrower depending on the angle from which it is viewed. Due
to this phenomenon, the building is often mistaken as being an entirely different one by
newcomers as they make their way across town. Furthermore, its Spanish granite exterior and
copper & silver coated windows play with light like a giant diamond. The stair step theme and
window pattern resemble a depiction of multiple stacked buildings, without being contrived.
Between the structure and decoration, it manages to be at once simple and unique. Such elegance
is rare and makes U.S. Bancorp Tower SOMs postmodern masterpiece.