How can new architecture support cultural heritage?

North Park, Portland

  • North Park - Feature Image - Square
  • Night view
  • NorthPark 8thFlanders
  • NorthPark Section
  • North Park - Feature Image - Square
  • Night view
  • NorthPark 8thFlanders
  • NorthPark Section

Details

Developer: North Park Development LLC. Architect: SERA Architects.  This innovative adaptive re-use project in Portland's Pearl District involves a major addition above an existing historic building "base" - always a challenging architectural problem, in this case elegantly designed by SERA Architects.  The energy savings in retaining and re-using the older building base is significant and reinforces the idea that sustainability is a key benefit from the historic re-use of buildings.  The opportunity to juxtapose the modern structure with the pre-existing structure creates an architectural dialogue between this time in history and the past.  This phenomenon has been expored in detail in the "Both/And" exhibits that Stephen curated for the American Institute fo Architects (Seattle Chapter).  Stephen's work in the North Park project focuses on working with the developers, tax credit investors and lenders, particularly on the historic tax credits and related incentives that made this project feasible.

Go Back