Looks promising, but of course could still use more composition work. Seems like they're playing off of Bud Clark Commons, which has one of the best facades in town in my opinion (if you ignore the ugly balcony side to the east).
It's okay but not exactly cutting edge. The irony is that it's sitting next to and overpowering one of the few modern buildings downtown that actually is a good design. When you further consider that building, the Bud Clark Commons, is a virtual homeless shelter, the irony nearly becomes melancholy. Is it any wonder so many of us are tetchy about demolishing old buildings?
Why is it ironic that a homeless shelter is well-designed?
I agree with your lament about the ugliness of most contemporary buildings, but I like this one. I don't really see the similarity to Bud Clark that TowerPower alluded to, other than that both buildings have bright, confident designs. The Health Department design is hardly inferior, though. It presents itself unabashedly as an institutional building, an office building for bureaucrats; yet it seems to manage a lively integration with the street and an interesting and variegated façade that doesn't rely on gaudy colors and gimmicky futzing about the windows to avoid tediousness, which seems to be the main shortcoming of Bud Clark. Both buildings will greatly help this neighborhood gracefully transition to higher density.
Why is it ironic that a homeless shelter is well-designed?
I agree with your lament about the ugliness of most contemporary buildings, but I like this one. I don't really see the similarity to Bud Clark that TowerPower alluded to, other than that both buildings have bright, confident designs. The Health Department design is hardly inferior, though. It presents itself unabashedly as an institutional building, an office building for bureaucrats; yet it seems to manage a lively integration with the street and an interesting and variegated façade that doesn't rely on gaudy colors and gimmicky futzing about the windows to avoid tediousness, which seems to be the main shortcoming of Bud Clark. Both buildings will greatly help this neighborhood gracefully transition to higher density.
Well, when you put it that way, the building already sounds better
I'm not so sure about this one. In theory I like the deeply recessed windows in the concrete facade. It sort of reads like a rigid modernist building, broken down with some playful moves. The problem is that there are so many playful moves it's difficult to discern the logic behind any of them.
The ground floor has big issues. The "gallery"—essentially a hallway—along NW 6th Ave really creates a really inactive ground floor. While I'm sure there are some privacy and security concerns with the pharmacy, it seems really cut off from the street. The OHSU CHH South has a outpatient pharmacy facing the street, which will also act as an amenity to the neighborhood; it's a shame they're not doing something similar here. Also, the space given up to loading at the ground floor is enormous. For comparison, I looked at the drawings from 4th & Harrison (which has a full service grocery store) and Station Place Lot 5 (an office building of similar scale) and neither has even half as much loading area. It could really kill NW Irving St, a street that could become much more active with the USPS redevelopment.
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
The Multnomah County Health Department Headquarters has been submitted for Design Review by ZGF Architects:
Quote:
9-story headquarters building for the Multnomah County Health Department. The building will house public health clinics & administrative offices, and some retail space. See DA 16-116592
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
The Multnomah County Health Department HQ has been submitted for Design Review by ZGF Architects:
Quote:
9-story headquarters building for the Multnomah County Health Department. The building will house public health clinics & administrative offices, and some retail space. See DA 16-116592
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
I really like this building, I think it will look really good on that site.....much better than what is currently there. A homeless camp of junkies shooting up in the middle of the day.
I'm torn... not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, I guess it's supposed to be brick, but it sure looks like a concrete behemoth from a distance. I hope they rethink the gray color palette.
I hope that the street level renderings can come true. Walking through that area is a social shit show.
It is just amazing how bad even just that block has gotten over the past 10 years. It is becoming extremely embarrassing to even take or pick anyone up at that train station.
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I hope they rethink the gray color palette.
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