2008 Design Award Winners

 

 

The 1310 Condominiums transforms a 1969 apartment building into a five-unit complex with aggressively sustainable features and a modern aesthetic. To achieve the level of design, craftsmanship and sustainability envisioned, the project was designed, developed and constructed by a husband-wife team of architects. The jury commented on the astute use of really simple materials with great compositional scale to create layers of depth. The project clearly demonstrates the value of architecture as a transformative process. The building is strong, but also humble in its character. The 1310 Condominiums project was also named this year's Sustainability Award winner.


One of the foremost arts magnet schools in the nation, the Booker T. Washington High School recently completed a major expansion and renovation on its historic site in Dallas, Texas. Built in 1922, Booker T. Washington was the city's first African-American high school and in 1976 as part of the ongoing efforts to end segregation, the school became Dallas' arts magnet and a cornerstone for the emerging Dallas Arts District. The jury commented on the functional simplicity that is what a school program requires. The detailing is wonderfully considered with a rugged elegance. It was a clear, serious response to teh context of its location.


This community clinic has become a source of great pride for local residents. By partnering with the community, and reflecting their values within the design, the building has become a catalyst for revitalization and has brought neighborhood healthcare to an underserved community. The jury felt the Clinic set up a strong relationship with the street and the streetcar, exemplifying its role as a community based clinic. Simple materials and systems create extraordinary depth and reflect the liveliness of the street.

The Humanities Complex at UC Santa Cruz is an 85,000 sf facility providing classrooms, teaching, research space and offices. The project is comprised of three buildings positioned to create a courtyard, providing the students and faculty a common area amongst the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz campus. The jury commented on the level of precision between the material changes, fenestration and structure, describing it as very restrained and dignified. Within the forest it has its own graceful structure. The way the plan weaves into the forest is wonderful, with just the right amount of openness to the views of the forest beyond.

 

Affordable housing is always a design challenge - budgets are low and community expectations are high. WestTown on 8th is a low-income housing project located in downtown Eugene. The building's principle intent was to revitalize the city center of Eugene via an injection of new residents. The jury appreciated the project's articulation of public and private spaces. This type of architecture is one of the most challenging building types. This project demonstrates that good architecture with modest resources can happen and should be happening more often in our communities.

 

The Jefferson is an urban infill project on a prominent intersection in downtown Portland's Goose Hollow neighborhood. The 49 residential units are situated on the only traffic circle in downtown Portland. The building embraces a prominent location with a bold and contemporary design that also maintains the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood. The jury felt the project showed a great depth, defying the attitude that modern architecture is typically flat. The sweep of the building and the streetcar makes for a very vibrant corner.

Setting itself apart in the marketplace from comparable lifestyle-targeted high and mid-rise condominium units, Grow.pdx is conceived of as a starter home development that updates past and current notions of home ownership: traditional suburban backyard neighborhoods, modern urban living, and sustainable communities. The jury applauded this project for demonstrating a very clear diagram and material logic for its nineteen 850 to 1,100 sf units and believed it is likely that the project will successfully integrate materials, details and strategies if built.

 

Theatre 300b is a 2,000 seat modern music venue located at the edge of the Central Eastside District in the heart of Portland. Challenged by a small footprint for such a large venue, the building is organized vertically with an ascending series of gathering spaces along a continuous ramp system. The interior spaces are allowed to expand outwards, creating a distorted front facade while offering expansive views of the downtown skyline across the Willamette River. The jury appreciated the presentation of the project because it clearly staked out its objectives and then demonstrated the process of how it will be achieved.

The White Stag Block, located in Portland's Old Town/Chinatown District, consists of three historic buildings which have been rehabilitated and developed into one complex for the new University of Oregon (UO) Portland. Major design challenges involved creating connectivity between buildings with different floor heights and designing spaces to allow more natural light while at the same time preserving the historic integrity of the buildings. The jury responded to the project's careful consideration of details from the light fixtures to the stair rails, and selected White Stag for its Craftsmanship Award for the mutual attention to details on behalf of the architect and contractor.

Mayor Tom Potter also selected the White Stag Block Rehabilitation for his Mayor's Award for Design Excellence, remarking "I chose the White Stag redevelopment because the building is quintessentially Portland and has long been a part of the community fabric in Old Town. This block is a perfect fit in our downtown."

Proving that built design - and opportunities - exist at every scale, the 2008 People's Choice Award winner is a combined four door coop and run for three urban hens, as allowed by the City of Portland. It is an owner-designed and built cedar shingled A-frame that is movable and designed to fit over any of the owners' raised planter beds, putting fertilizer where it ultimately needs to go.