Upcoming talks: Oregon Sustainability Center (at Bright Lights tonight), Cavenaugh & 14 Parcels (Designs on Portland this Thursday)

Wow, that was such a long title to the post I practically don't even need to write anything here. But here goes:

Tonight at Jimmy Mak's jazz club, Portland Monthly and Portland Spaces editor Randy Gragg will be talking with Dennis Wilde of Gerding Edlen Development and Ralph DiNola of Green Building Services about the Oregon Sustainability Center.

If Mark Edlen is the leader of Gerding Edlen, Wilde may be its spiritual heart. He's the green building guru at a development company that has made its name on sustainable developments like the Brewery Blocks and various South Waterfront towers.

DiNola, meanwhile, has long been one of the city's foremost green building specialists. He's not the architect who designs LEED-rated projects like EcoTrust, but DiNola's Green Building Services team has provided the expertise to make them a reality, with over 100 LEED-rated projects and counting. 

The Oregon Sustainability Center seeks to become the first highrise 'living building' in the world, a 200,000-square-foot urban office structure with a zero carbon footprint, generating all of its own power and processing all of its own waste on-site. But, as the Bright Lights email teaser says, "Already the project is meeting major challenges, from economics (the first-draft design's curving form is being squared off to be built more cheaply) to aesthetics (local design aficionados have attacked it on the blogs)." To give you an idea of the research going into this project, here is a diagram of the thinking that went into the windows alone:

The Bright Lights talk begins at 6PM at Jimmy Mak's, 221 NW 10th Avenue. If you can't make it for the OSC talk, consider trying venerable jazz drummer Mel Brown later in the week.

Meanwhile, this Thursday brings the latest in the Designs On Portland discussion series: a talk with designer-developer Kevin Cavenaugh about the innovative 14 Parcels development he's been putting together just south of downtown. On a hilly site just a few hundred feet from the Interstate 5 overpass, Cavenaugh is coordinating a development of what is now 17 different residences by 14 different designers. And the roster is a real who's who of talented Portland architects as well as an intriguing mix of out-of-towners.

Among those signed on to design units in the 14 Parcels development are local firms/architects such as Skylab, Works Partnership, Architecture W, Mark Holmquist (his project is pictured at the top of the post), and Paul McKean, as well as Cavenaugh himself. Also included are award-winning Los Angeles architect Larry Scarpa, Phoenix architect Will Bruder, Vienna-based firm ID Design, Boston firm Single Speed Design, Sao Paulo firm SPBR, and even a pair of husband-wife architects from Managua, Nicaragua: Joachin and Linda Mendoza. Here is a rendering of one of the projects, ID Design's "Two Kings and a Golf Ball" project at 14 Parcels:

What's more, in the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, 14 Parcels is poised to go forward when most larger condo and apartment projects have been shelved. This is a great example of wonderful design ingenuity happening at a grassroots level in Portland - literally.

Although Kevin Cavenaugh wants to have this talk be mostly devoted to 14 Parcels and the other designers involved, I also love hearing about what Kevin himself is up to. Although not technically a registered architect, he is the ultimate manifestation of architecture and development coming together in one Portlander, having put together past projects like the Box + One Lofts on SE 28th and Ankeny, The Rocket at SE 11th and Burnside, and the AIA Award-winning Ode To Rose's building on NE Fremont. I also wrote about Kevin for a Metropolis magazine 2004 cover story entitled "Architects: How to find the perfect developer - Hire yourself!" Here's a brief exerpt:

Three years ago, 25-year-old Portland architectural intern Kevin Cavenaugh was getting discouraged trying to work his way up the ladder of a large firm. "I realized that even if an ideal client arrived to hire us, I wouldn't be the shoulder that got tapped to work on the project," he recalls. Then, Cavenaugh got an influential pep talk from his wife. "She said to me, 'How much harder is it for you to do what your clients do? You should just hire yourself.'" 

Cavenaugh soon began sending lunch invites to some of the developers he'd sat across the conference table from at work. "I'd say, 'What's a pro forma? What does cap rate mean?' I think they thought it was kind of cute."

Before long, Cavenaugh had taken out a loan, procured a site, and begun construction on a three-story mixed-use building with retail below and housing above. At just $107 a square foot, the palette was rough: concrete floors, sheetrock, and garage-like rollup glass doors. But Cavenaugh used this to his advantage, designing with a poetic simplicity that earned critical praise and attracted what would become the city's hottest wine bar.

When the contractor's budget came in too high, Cavenaugh spotted an $8,000 line item for hauling off debris as a way to cut costs. I said, 'I'll do that,'" he laughs. "At first the contractor said, 'No, you can't.' And I said, 'This is almost not going to be a project. If you want it to be a project, I'm going to do that.' So I had an old beat up Chevy truck, and every Friday I'd cruise over and fill it up with all the debris."

Thursday's Designs On Portland talk begins at 6PM at Design Within Reach, at 1200 NW Everett on the ground floor of the Wieden + Kennedy building in the Pearl District.

Comments

[convolooted]

Regarding 14 Parcels, I stuck a toothpick in and it came out gooey. I think it needs more time in the oven.

[LewDAChris]

I'll be honest I'm a little concerned about the "if we build it, they will come" stance of the 14 parcels project because I really want to see it succeed. I don't want to see some really interesting pieces of architecture sitting empty as the poster child that a bad economy kills thoughtful design. I do applaud the optimism and conviction to move forward and I'm excited to see some in the architectural community fight their way back into action. I hope this inspires people to get off the fences and breath new life into what feels a little like an architectural community on professional life support.

[PD]

Architecture is definately taking a breather, that's only to be expected given what's happened in the economy which obviously is the engine for real estate.

It will be interesting to see if 14 Parcels gets off the ground, but to me it seems more design exercise than practical and buildable -- I hope I'm wrong.

There are some interesting things going on out there, although few. I noticed Vallaster Corl (Jefferson Condos) is under construction on a very, very clever adaptive reuse of a warehouse turned live/work on 14th and Alberta (developer unknown).

My feeling is that it is these small, inventive projects that will keep architecture alive for the coming years.

[me]

Re: "THE WINDOW" - That diagram is in nearly every architectural textbook ever written. Very innovative.

[jerome]

yes...i am sure it has been done by everyone too. how trite to even diagram such an obvious concept? wow.!

[eric cantona]

if this is going to be as innovative as the players are saying it is, they need to not be putting out faux innovation like "the window". it really makes them look silly, IMO.

i'd rather see diagrams of how a living machine is adapted into the structure, or how they are maximizing the PV array through some new concept, or something new and exciting that is truly unique to this project. "the window" is really old news.

[bill]

Actually, the diagram in all of the text books shows the arrow turning red as it convects back to exit.... so there's an innovation. A good idea- but really just a floating, disjointed bit of syntax.

[jerome]

Eric you seem like a pretty bright guy, so you would understand that not all clients understand the simple concept(s) shown here. Why Brian chose to put that particular diagram in his post is his own business, i am sure it was not to be derogatory to a bunch of astute architects and hobby designers. I am sure the person that created it was not thinking they were coming up with the meaning of green architecture. Do you, are we just trying to be asses?

[eric cantona]

from the OSC website accompanying the diagram:

"The Window: part PV panel, part light shelf, part sun shade, the Window concept for the OSC is one example of a design that, with further research, could yield a successful integrated economic development strategy for the regional building industry."

i'm OK with explanatory graphics for complicated concepts, but to pawn them off as something more than what any architect steeped in sustainable thinking would consider rudimentary design is a bit disingenuous.

i'm not trying to be an ass, i just expect more from the team because of the importance of this project.

[jerome]

Eric, I don't think the architects would have picked this diagram to be posted on a blog supposedly focused on architecture. I also don't think the diagram is completely accurate of how the components would work together, but they do do something - they show an architectural element. You see it as a rudimentary idea, which it is at its core, but I would suggest to clients and a layperson it is a whole lot bigger, it demonstrates one of many ways to use integrated systems. Can't say there are many projects - if any - that employ this complete strategy here in Portland? Seems parts and pieces end up on the chopping block.
The one thing we forget about the OSC is that it has to be shown to a larger audience (not clients, maybe politicians, industry leaders that the elements (architecture) can create market growth, and possible job creation by bringing these elements to a bigger market through projects like this. Companies, such as Benson Industries, SolarWorld and others working together as one example.

[eric cantona]

jerome:

i'll make a couple of points, then drop this. it's getting tiresome.

one, there are many windows like this in Portland and throughout the world. it is not groundbreaking stuff.

two, as i tried to say before i have no problem with anyone "dumbing down" these concepts for the layperson. what i do have a problem with is this team passing it off as something unique to this project. it's not. and it makes them look ridiculous to their peers. go back and read the line i quoted. it drips with professor-speak, and lacks any real information.

[jerome]

eric. good stuff - I wish all projects had this in their strategy. The diagram is not attractive or well articulated - honestly it looks like crap, but I don't play down the relevance - again ask Brian - why did he put here? If anyone he is the one playing down your intelligence not the person or team that created it since it has been extracted from the context. Again, sorry I didn't read anywhere in the quote where the team says this is unique or revolutionary - it seems you are projecting your own thoughts onto this out of spite. And really no substance in your observation other than you have seen this done before - bravo you are educated. again few if any buildings in Portland have all of those components(.) Look around the world sure - then bring in the cost to value of energy and tax base of those other places and you will find these strategies - again does not give much credence to statement other than to focus on yourself.

[eric cantona]

very tiresome.

[jerome]

thud is the sound when nothing more to say if not talking about yourself.

[Mold Testing Tampa]

The designs should be worked upon and since the basic ideas a great it can be worked upon a better resulted awaited.keep good hope.

[God]

Can they start teaching grammar in Architecture School?