Skylab moving forward with Weave

For today's Oregonian I wrote about Skylab Architecture's design and co-development of the Weave Building, and how the project is tentatively poised to move forward despite the economy.

The Weave is a little different from most commercial office projects. Rather than seeking any large anchor tenant, this is a smaller boutique project for creative companies looking at their home as an expression of what they do. As Jeff Borlaug, vice president of Norris Beggs & Simpson brokerage said in the article, "they may attract different types of users than for traditional office space." Tenants looking for more traditional office space, large companies seeking a wide floorplate to put their company (instead of taking up multiple floors), may look elsewhere or, as Borlaug said, to renovated their existing spaces instead of moving to new ones.

Certainly the Weave is not the only office space under construction. However, the other ones in town seem to have begun during more hopeful economic times or are more traditional Class-A office buildings. If the Weave does get built, though, it will be competing not only with big spaces like First & Main (designed by GBD Architects) near the Hawthorne Bridge head downtown, but also smaller but bold designs like bSide-6 (designed by Works Partnership).

I also find the Weave interesting because of its context. It would also address the southern edge of West Burnside, which has lagged behind the real estate across the street such as the Brewery Blocks and Powell's Books. The Weave, along with the under construction and much larger 12th & Washington project (developed by Gerding Edlen and designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca) could act as a beachhead of sorts in bringing the success of the Pearl District across Burnside. I also enjoy the mix of contemporary and historic architecture the Weave adds to. It would be located on a small, 5,000 square foot swatch of land between two historic buildings occupied by McMenamins outlets: the Crystal Ballroom and Ringler's Annex.

As often happens with stories and interviews, the quotes from architect Jeff Kovel represent a small portion of our talk. Here are some additional comments from Kovel about Skylab, the Weave and the economy as well as two more renderings of the project:

"I wouldn’t sit here and say we’re not feeling the effects of the economy…but it becomes a question of what you do with it. Our model is good in that we’re small and we’re diverse in terms of projects. Single-family residential work is very quiet, but other types of corporate work are doing well. We’re looking to actually change. We’re working on a Skylab prefabricated system and whole project delivery, like design and construction. Those are two ways we’re trying to address the market."

"You can make a lot of rationalizations for things when you don’t have the work. On one hand Skylab stayed small and I can say it was purposeful. But it was also just a matter of responding to the opportunities we had. If every project were like the weave building it would be different. For larger firms doing larger scale you need expertise in house to be able to complete the required scope. But that said, we’re able to execute something like the Weave Building with a smaller firm. I think that scale tips more on universities, hospitals."

"We spent a lot of time designing this project from the ground up in a really holistic way. We see the weave concept as not being just architectural but a concept with urban implications and also networking implications for the businesses within the building. We look at the weave as tying together the pearl and the west end, the interface between tenants and creating a stronger cohesive group than the independent parts. And then the building itself is a real integrated form consisting of different parts.

"Before we knew it was going to be office space over retail, we set out to make a building that stretched our understanding of the typical developer-driven arch approach, which I’d describe more as a decorated box than an integrated sculptural form. So in setting out to design this building, I was really interested in making the form represent the dynamic requirements of the function. Things like balconies and shading, view corridors: all those things are integrated into a single design solution."

"The sculptural pattern allows opportunities for those things to be resolved without it feeling like appendages. Part of that is in response to…people generally think that architecture needs to come at a higher cost. I think that if you are intelligent about how you mobilize all the varying components that you can create design interest through those relationships, not necessarily through expensive finishes or detailing. Part of this was about expressing the rawness of the constructed elements and using them to create the design interest. Part of what’s been successful is we’ve been able to use more off the shelf components than the way it appears. That’s been a big way to control cost, by employing typical systems in a not unusual manner."

Comments

[Jean Claude]

Excellent!

[DE]

You should show the west face of the building.

[ka]

the renderings are pretty seductive, as are the B-side6, but i fear the real will never meet the quality articulated in the renderings. B6 has glass going up right now that is clear anodized storefront, which from the renderings you would think would be huge sheets of glass. i guess i am more of the mind that the real thing should be better than the renderings and not the opposite. As for the market, and the location - i think they are both well suited - good luck!

[mAdman]

ahh, advertising.

architectural rendering are no different than the car ads, ordering food anywhere the menu has pictures, or waking next to last nights 7 martini mistake.

do we kill the madmen or make one king? ...or mayor? ...or president?

[ka]

funny - but i think big difference. car ads still allow you the opportunity to go and see the actual thing. if you have a night out and have to chew off your arm in the morning b/c you made a bad mistake - that may be worth it, but in the end it is your error to live with. Now beer commercials that seduce to make you think you are sexy and sexy renderings make you a sexy architect are a better correlation since both face reality in the end.

[Brian Libby]

I can understand people being skeptical about renderings versus the likelihood of a completed well done building with plenty of tenants. It's true that renderings are like advertising in that they can get you excited or prompt an emotional response but don't have to live up to what they've promised.

What's more, I can easily understand people being skeptical in general of project portrayed in the paper that isn't guaranteed to go forward. That's true with the Weave Building that I reported on, or the LRS Architects project in China that Amy Hsuan reported on for The Oregonian this week, or any number of other buildings written about by other publication.

At the same time, it was a conscious desire on my part to give attention to an architect and developer who is bravely trying hard to get something built in a very difficult economy. I felt it was good for the community to hear a story of something potentially positive happening out there. When I interviewed some people in the development and realty communities for the story, I point blank said to them, "Stop me if I'm being naive and only generating PR in writing this story." But they all told me it was good for the industry to hear this story, and that because of the uniqueness of Skylab's design and the creative market they are targeting, the project had a chance to be successful.

[ben]

my two cents:

1. you can lie with renderings or be honest. in my experience the best architects render honestly so they know what to expect.

2. my understanding is this project does not rely on the trust of a bank as there are existing sources of funds...not quite as brave as reported?

but best of luck to the guy. would be a good building at that corner.

PS - yeah what does the west facade look like? and what is the R value of that skin?!

[truth]

ka,

If you were to look back at the Bside6 renderings you would indeed see a clear breakdown of the windows into storefront framing and not "big sheets of glass"...the same way that you see vertical mullions behind the glass in the Weave renderings. So, perhaps your analogy is not completely accurate in this case.

I do agree with Ben, a firm needs to be honest in their models and renderings. But let's all remember these are PR devices and often completed well before construction documents are done, either for marketing or for sales or for design review. Details change wether it be for construction deficiencies, value engineering, or availability of product.

[Bill]

The bside6 building will look exactly like the final rendering (on the site sign and the web site). The rendering refelects the final details as they are now being constructed. Renderings (good renderings)are lit like good photographs are lit, to enhance dramatic effect, not to cheat details or lie about the final building. I have no idea whether the Weave building will look like its currently rendered image-I know there were a lot of battles throughout permitting and construction to maintain details on bside6. I'm not sure where the Weave building is in the approval process.

[robert]

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=134987&page=11

There have been some good observations on this site regarding the difference between what gets built and the renderings of this building specifically. It is worth sharing.

Also how it gets occupied; if these are offices and there is such a low sill, are we going to be seeing the backs of cubicles,file cabinets, bankers boxes, etc?

Cyan has a similar overlapping slab detail gone bad at the edge once you insulate and flash it.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=139178&page=11

[dennis]

great article brian. actually one thing I find funny from the quotes from jeff is that he sounds like an architect who still remembers what he learned in school.

though as an architecture student, I am curious about the details of this building. Whats the R Value? What are the details in the flashing for water shedding to the weave pattern? What are the environmental impacts and energy consumptions (I do see a green roof, so a good question to ask)?

[Wheelo]

There is clearly a great deal to be resolved regarding the detals of the Weave Building particularly regarding its skin. And there is a wake-up call associated with any expectation of concrete work worthy of display to be built in Portland (and the U.S.). I can only imagine what it took to get Weiden + Kennedy's concrete interiors up to snuff.

The west face of this building certainly 'turns its back' to approaching traffic along Burnside, but it may be code driven with the proximity of the Crystal. Not sure how wood columns will weather at the base. Exterior wood on the Henry has taken a beating at the lobby level.

[dennis]

Well Wheelo, at least Skylab will have billboard space on the west wall if they can't find any tenants.

[crow]

here is a good place to find some details for this project...

http://chelsea-modern.com/

[Eric Cantona]

that's some goddamn fine snark there, crow.

[crow]

this project will only survive with some good details rather than cool renderings -

[Aneeda]

The roof garden looks cool - better than most I've seen in town.

[ben]

^those are those special roof trees that also double as air handling units.

[Matthew Sproul]

Finally Portland will have a signature building. It's about time. I love the Equitable, Bank of California, and Big Pink, but casual architecture fans need novelty, and this building gives them that. Don't get me wrong, it's a great building regardless.