Lever Architecture

ARTHOUSE STUDENT HOUSING . Portland

The site is at a pivotal location on the North Park Blocks at the intersection of a number of districts: Pearl, Old Town and Downtown.

Daylight is critical for life and for art, and the need for aspiring artist to have access to this fundamental resource organizes and shapes the building design. The residential corridors are brought to the edge of the building, splitting apart the building mass to bring light into the corridors at every level and breaking down the mass of the block into an elegant proportion. Facades are slightly deflected to create a play of light that responds to the changing light and seasonal conditions of the park setting.
The park is visually connected to an internal rain garden that serves multiple purposes – a place for residents to relax, a location for art students to sketch the natural environment, and a living garden that mitigates all the storm water onsite.

Team Members: Thomas Robinson, Doug Sheets, Calista Fitzgerald, T. Paul Frank
Executive Architect: LRS Architects
Structural Engineer: Catena Consulting Engineers
Project Size: 55,000 sf
Location: Portland, OR
Building Type: Housing, Office, Gallery
Completion Date: 2013