annual
design
da The American Institute of Architects - AIA Oregon - January 2021
INCLUSIVE SPACES Colin Dean, AIA AIA Eugene Section Director
2020, a tumultuous year full of uncertainty and heartache is finally behind us. Facing many stressors head-on, architects have been tasked with creating a built environment that is resilient to a changing climate, welcoming to all regardless of age, race, or ability, and that promotes the continued health, safety, and welfare of its inhabitants. With that, this edition of the Design Annual focuses on Inclusive Spaces. A broad theme that aims to capture the wide breadth of current local, state, and national movements. In the following pages, you’ll find editorials from Oregon architects, designers, and municipal leaders that each touch on aspects of this general theme. Additionally, space is given to look back and acknowledge the achievements of firms and individuals from around the state that were recognized for their role in creating Inclusive Spaces by one of AIA Oregon’s many design award programs held in 2020. In a year marked by social unrest, the role of the built environment to foster equality through spaces that welcome all has never been more paramount.
INCLUSIVE SPACES
PLUS: 2020 AIA OREGON DESIGN AWARDS & PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Despite the many headwinds faced in the preceding year, we saw not only the continuation of many AIA Oregon traditions but an expansion of programs statewide. (Cont. Page 1)
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(Cont. From Cover)
Contents
ARTICLES
BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE 3 THE RANDY NISHIMURA, AIA EUGENE’S NEW RIVERFRONT PARK 5 EMILY PROUDFOOT A DOWNTOWN RESPONSE 7 DANIEL ROTH, ASSOC. AIA THE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY 8 EXPANDING OF INFILL HOUSING DYLAN LAMAR, AIA
AWARDS
9 2020 OREGON ARCHITECTURE AWARDS ANNUAL 12 30th EUGENE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
14 2020 SALEM PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS SOUTHERN OREGON 15 2020 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Editor-in-Chief: Colin Dean, AIA Managing Editor: Shannon Sardell, AIA Editor of Graphics: Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA Contributing Writers: Randy Nishimura, AIA Robertson Sherwood Architects, Eugene OR Emily Proudfoot City of Eugene Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA AIA Salem Section Director, Architectural Intern at CB Two Architects Dylan Lamar, AIA, CHPC Architect-Developer, Cultivate, Inc.
www.AIAOregon.org
Special thanks to: Curt Wilson, AIA Executive Vice President, AIAO Kathleen Wendland Membership & Services Coordinator, AIAO Connect with AIA Oregon:
Webpage: aiaoregon.com Facebook: @aiaoregon Instagram: @aiaoregon LinkedIn: AIA Oregon On the cover: Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center by Architecture Building Culture in collaboration with Maxine Studio - recipient of numerous 2020 AIA Oregon awards.
Social distancing prompted us to harness technology to keep our 1500 members engaged. As a welcome result, we saw programs reach a much wider audience as virtual events increased accessibility. Following on the promise of a single statewide chapter The Peoples’ Choice Awards, an annual program held in Eugene, saw a return to the Salem and Southern Oregon Sections. The Portland Architecture Awards grew to become the Oregon Architecture Awards, further integrating architects from across the state. Likewise, this magazine, another Eugene staple cast its call for contributors statewide to capture the voices from all 5 of our member sections. Originally a publication of the AIA Southwestern Oregon chapter, the Design Annual has served as a platform giving voice to local designers through design-related editorials as well as to publicly announce the winners of the AIA-SWO Peoples’ Choice Awards. Following AIA Oregon’s recent consolidation into a single state chapter, this edition marks our first foray into statewide coverage. As a result, this edition of the Design Annual includes editorial contributions and recognizes award winners from across Oregon. With a focus on Inclusive Spaces, this edition of the Design Annual features four editorials. Each piece delving into specific elements of this general theme. First, we examine the role architects play in dismantling physical and perceived barriers in our built environment with Randy Nishimura AIA, Principal at Robertson Sherwood Architects. Then we turn to Emily Proudfoot, Landscape Architect and Park Planner for the City of Eugene and her article on Eugene’s new Riverfront Park. Here she explores how equitable design considerations are being used to create an environment for all to enjoy. Next, Daniel Roth Associate AIA, Architectural Intern at CBTwo Architects shares his piece on the city of Salem’s response to the pandemic and its role in promoting a safe downtown experience for businesses and their patrons. Rounding out this portion of the Annual, we take an in-depth look at the financial tools that can be harnessed to expand homeownership to the historically marginalized with Dylan Lamar, Architect Page 2
and Developer at Cultivate, Inc. From here we shift to recognize Oregon’s wealth of design talent, this past fall three of AIA Oregon’s five sections held Peoples’ Choice Awards. Salem, Eugene, and Southern Oregon each held their own version of this program featuring projects from firms based in, or that have completed work in each respective section area. These firms were asked to submit projects for members of the local community to rate. Over the years, this has been a great way for our neighbors to learn more about the buildings they live, work, and play in as well as to show the community what architects do. Overall, we had 114 projects submitted and saw nearly 12,000 individual votes cast by the public. In addition to the People’s Choice Awards, 2020 saw the launch of the Oregon Architecture Awards. Known previously as the Portland Architecture Awards, this program was expanded to include entries from across the state. The newly minted Oregon Architecture Awards, a jury-reviewed program focused on awarding design excellence recognized 14 projects and two individuals in its inaugural year. With this edition, we reflect on the past year by examining where we’ve been and where we go from here with our contributing editorials. We also celebrate award-winning projects and individuals from across the state. In 2021, we eagerly eye the potential of once again offering in-person events – continuing and expanding upon AIA Oregon traditions while reengaging with our members, their communities, and local stakeholders. AIA Oregon, comprised of 5 local sections: Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend, and Southern Oregon, is a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects; a national professional organization of Architects, Associate Architects and Allied Professionals based in Washington, D.C. Colin Dean, AIA, is the Section Director for AIAO’s Eugene Section and an Architect at Rowell Brokaw Architects in Eugene.
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE Randy Nishimura, AIA, CSI, CCS
buildings they design. They have learned to If we could travel back through time and ask some of history’s most revered architects listen respectfully to and learn from others whether they believe their work is “inclusive,” who have different life experiences than their own. undoubtedly many would assert without any hint of irony that it is. Of course, with Still, architects cannot assume they know the benefit of hindsight and our current what is right. They must be willing to place experience we know their buildings often themselves in the position of others who may do (or did) exclude or alienate end users. These buildings unwittingly failed to speak to be very different from themselves and avoid the needs and comfort of many people from the trap of insular or parochial perspectives. An inclusive mindset should always be a all walks of life. They may have presented prerequisite to programming and design. or continue to present barriers of all sorts; Another is being able to envision successful discouraging or barring use for reasons of spaces through the eyes of those who will age, physical or developmental abilities, benefit from them most. This is proving gender, income, cultural beliefs, or other as necessary today as it ever has in the factors. past. Our current, nationwide conversation regarding persistent, systemic racism speaks To the credit of our society and more to how much remains to be done in this specifically, the architectural profession, country and elsewhere. The goal continues designing with inclusivity and diversity in mind—appealing to and accommodating as to be removing barriers to participation and the persistent inequities that debase broad a cross-section of users as possible— everyone. is now at the forefront of considerations for every new project. This evolution toward Beyond conformance with enforceable inclusive design is in part attributable to the mandates—such as state building codes and advent of legislated protections, such as the federal accessibility requirements—what are Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Americans some of the concrete strategies the design with Disabilities Act (1990). It is also a professions can employ to support diversity product of the collective social change and the creation of inclusive spaces? that has transformed cultural and social institutions over time, and consequently First and foremost, architects must our perception of cultural norms. Architects acknowledge their biases and the privilege are more considerate today of the myriad they enjoy. They might not be aware of factors that influence whether everyone the hurdles others regularly confront if they will feel comfortable and welcome in the
don’t experience those hurdles on a daily basis themselves. Research is necessary to gain an understanding of issues the members of the community who will be affected by the project consider important. Second is a focus on equality of experience. Accessibility guidelines ensure built places meet minimum standards for the mitigation of physical barriers. Designed correctly, ramps will not be too steep, hallways will be wide enough, faucets will be operable without requiring tight grasping and twisting, and so on. Generally, architects are thoroughly familiar with the guidelines, so much so that incorporating their requirements occurs without second thought. The trick is to integrate the measures seamlessly so they avoid the appearance of being targeted specifically to a particular subset of the population. If done ham-handedly, they might inadvertently stigmatize the very people they’re intended to help. The imperative to safeguard equality of experience extends well beyond conformance with minimum standards. In a perfect world, everyone would always feel comfortable and welcome in places they have a right to encounter and use. Thoughtful, good design can help ensure people do not miss the possibility of desirable experiences because they anticipate personal risk. For example, to be
able to relate to and comfortably choose to have a new experience, they should be able to preview and imagine its impact and meaning and assess its opportunities. Design-wise, this might translate to making spaces where one can watch things happening without immediately needing to participate themselves. For example, the configuration of a plan might provide opportunities to pass by a place to observe what is happening before committing to joining in. People find places and situations that are overly complex or reveal themselves all at once (as opposed to being slowly revealed) overwhelming and confusing. Such conditions are not inclusive. The need to address inclusivity, diversity, and choice in the built environment comes from the inevitable collision between the relative permanence of what is built and changing circumstances and value systems. Activities and purposes change. People are wonderfully diverse and different. Sometimes the differences are minor; sometimes the differences are enough to erode the very foundation of what has been built. Because of this, the built environment must be able to flex. The best places do this without losing the ability to evoke and inspire. By providing an open, opportunityrich structure—structure that offers many possibilities and many suggestive cues— they sustain both their usefulness and their meaning over time. (Cont. Page 4)
Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Emily Proudfoot, City of Eugene
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
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Offering more than what is required to meet the exclusive needs of a particular group and first uses make places that are inclusive and remain useful and meaningful over time. From a design perspective, offering more can be achieved by: •
Providing generous support to activities and purpose so they are more than just basically useful.
•
Recognizing and supporting the full family of activities implicit in and brought to life by the building program and the needs/desires of first users (all places attract more uses than were initially anticipated but some activity families are especially active this way).
•
Developing places that are “precisely general,” meaning they are accommodating and evocative without being one-sided or limiting, open-ended in their possibilities without being barren or undeveloped.
•
Establishing a variety and ranges of opportunity to experience buildings or places; for example: large/small, public/private, inside/outside, fixed-use/multi-use, edge/internal, stop-in/pass through, changeable/ fixed, etc.
•
Developing the full potential of in-between, residual, or leftover spaces (they may join or separate adjacent spaces, provide necessary transition, define or clarify adjacent spaces, address or form a larger outside space, accommodate spontaneous use, provide opportunity for interaction, provide opportunity to pause without invading or intruding, provide opportunity for retreat, provide opportunity for detached participation).
•
If the built environment offers diversity, choice, and degrees of changeability it can better accommodate people of all backgrounds and abilities through change more broadly. It provides a looser fit, but still a fit. As society evolves, our places should likewise be able to evolve, to flex and adapt in spite of their seeming permanence, and accommodate what is new (whether that be people, new circumstances, new purposes, new values, or all of these). If designed with these abilities in mind, they are more likely to be inclusive.
privilege, and a broad sphere of universal moral concern. The demands of inclusive design appeal to the better angels of our nature.
Randy Nishimura, AIA, CSI, CCS, is a Principal at Robertson Sherwood Architects, PC in Eugene. (Below) Map of Eugene’s New Riverfront Park Credit: Walker|Macy, City of Eugene
The spaces architects design reflect their values and those of their clients. A fair criterion to apply to every project is to ask whether it actively promotes inclusion while limiting exclusion. Certainly, designing with inclusivity in mind presumes a good measure of selflessness and empathy. The most conducive inner traits architects can possess include a good conscience, an ability to acknowledge their biases and
Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Walker|Macy, City of Eugene Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Walker|Macy, City of Eugene
Establishing opportunities for imprinting and making a space one’s “own,” even when shared by many others.
•
Establishing opportunities for interaction with other people, with ideas, and with events.
•
Establishing opportunities for retreat. An excerpt from the Walnut Station form-based code.
www.AIAOregon.org
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The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
EUGENE’S DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT PARK Emily Proudfoot City of Eugene
After decades of visioning the reconnection of Eugene’s Downtown to the Willamette River, the city is now two years into construction of a new Downtown Riverfront Park complete with streets and utilities to serve a new riverfront neighborhood. For over 100 years the approximately 20-acre site was home to the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) that has since moved operations. In 2018 the site was purchased by the city’s Downtown Riverfront Urban Renewal Agency. The purchase included
most of EWEB’s property and the now shuttered, but historic, Steam Plant that served downtown Eugene for decades. Since May of 2020, significant work has been completed toward the realization of the community’s long held dream for the City to meet the River and the River to meet the City.
Master Plan In 2008 EWEB, knowing that it would move their operations to West Eugene in
2010, hired Rowell Brokaw Architects and a team of sub-consultants to lead a master planning process to determine the future of the Riverfront site. In partnership with the City of Eugene, the EWEB Riverfront Master Plan was completed in 2010 after extensive outreach and work with the community to build a vision of connecting Eugene’s Downtown to the Willamette River. This vision was fundamentally urban in character, including a series of open spaces
and a riverfront park that embodied the overarching concept of the city meeting the river, and the river meeting the city. Green streets, riparian conservation, overlooks as extensions of streets, and view corridors between the Willamette River and Downtown provided the backdrop within which a new, high density, mixed-use neighborhood would emerge. With the approval of the Master Plan by both the EWEB Board and the Eugene City Council in 2010, the concepts within the master (Cont. Page 6)
Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Walker|Macy, City of Eugene
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
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plan were subsequently written into land use code assuring that the vision had legal standing through the implementation of the project. The Downtown Riverfront Park project was assured a future via a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and EWEB. This agreement stated that EWEB would transfer the future park property to the City for one dollar with the commitment of the City to allocate $3 million in construction dollars.
Park Design With the anticipation of the World Track and Field Championships arriving in Eugene in 2021, the City issued a Request for Qualifications in 2017 for landscape architectural services to design the new Downtown Riverfront Park. In early 2018, Walker Macy of Portland, Oregon was awarded the project and work began immediately to re-engage the public to assure that the vision for the park still resonated within the community. At the same time, working with a master developer, the City updated the design of the Downtown Redevelopment site to include a new one-acre urban plaza. The plaza design was subsequently incorporated into the design for the Downtown Riverfront Park, and then budgeted as a phase two project Thousands of community members weighed in through 2018 helping to refine the design concepts of the Downtown Riverfront Park into a public space still urban in character but balanced by riverbank and habitat enhancements. Broad river views, new bicycle and pedestrian paths, seating and overlooks highlight the park design. Integrated interpretive art pieces will in turn help tell river-focused stories about the ecology, industry and community past and present, creating a park experience that’s truly all about Eugene and the Willamette River. With the project site now extending from the interface the University of Oregon north www.AIAOregon.org
campus property all the way north to the Peter DeFazio Bridge, the design maintains the view corridors and expansive river views originally envisioned. The Ruth Bascom Bicycle Path splits into two lanes within the Riverfront Park to accommodate pedestrians in one lane, and bicycles, skates, or scooters in the other. A third narrower path splits off and winds along the top of the riverbank for a more contemplative walk and river viewing experience. The existing EWEB Plaza will remain largely the same with some simple lighting and furniture updates and at the north end of the project a new ramp and stair will provide greatly improved access to the Peter DeFazio Bridge.
Overlooks The river overlook at 5th Avenue will be the most notable and visible from the corner of 5th and High Street near the 5th Street Market. The overlook will be marked by a striking pavilion made from 56 highly polished steel ribbons hung from a 20’ high steel structure. The shape of the ribbons reflect the riverbed topography immediately below the overlook and will reflect people, activities, the river, and anything else happening below them. The piece is intended be an iconic marker and will create space for additional art performance, displays, and even movie showings. Looking upriver, a boardwalk and deck will shape the second river overlook at the base of the existing electrical tower. A third overlook just north of the Steam Plant will provide additional views up and down river.
The Across-the-Bridge history is the most notable of these stories as the City worked closely with many members of the local African American community to talk about Eugene’s racist past and their vision of a more inclusive future. The Across the Bridge community, located across the Willamette River in an area that is now Alton Baker Park and Coburg road, was home to most of Eugene’s early Black families because they were not allowed to live within the City limits. When the Ferry Street Bridge was constructed in 1950 to expand the city limits of Eugene northward, the Across-the-Bridge community was razed, and Black families were forcibly dispersed to other areas outside of town including far West Eugene. The drinking fountain art piece will tell this difficult story with a view across the river and relay the message of an inclusive, more unified community now and into the future. All of the art pieces will be made of cast bronze and crafted in Eugene at Reinmuth Bronze Foundry.
Timeline In order to be complete and open by 2021, the three-acre Riverfront Park had to be constructed over several construction seasons. Early work, completed during the summer and fall of 2019, included mass
grading, significant utility relocation work, removal of non-native invasive plants, and the planting of over 24,000 native plants along the Riverbank. This was important preparatory work for the park development phase which began in May of 2020. Construction will continue through the winter and the project is expected to open in June of 2021. The adjacent one-acre Park Plaza to the west of the Riverfront Park is scheduled for additional design work and construction under a second phase. This work should be completed after the opening of the Park and in conjunction with building development in the new neighborhood. Construction of the urban plaza is now anticipated for calendar year 2023 along with additional outdoor venues to the south, adjacent to the Steam Plant.
Emily Proudfoot is a Park Planner and Landscape Architect for the City of Eugene.
Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Walker|Macy, City of Eugene
Storytelling Three themes of river stories will be told within the Downtown Riverfront Park through integrated art pieces located throughout the site. At the South Overlook, visitors will find an interpretive piece for the steam plant (Industry). The smaller winding riverbank path will host interpretive pieces about the Willamette River (Ecology. While at the north end of the park, a multi-level drinking fountain will interpret the story of the Acrossthe-Bridge Community, home to many Black families in Eugene until the early 1950s (Culture). Page 6
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
A DOWNTOWN RESPONSE Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA AIA Salem Section Director
It’s early March 2020 B.C. (Before Covid), and downtown Salem is continuing to change and improve. Many businesses and restaurants are flourishing with increasing demand and traffic, and many are even looking to expand. Over the past decade, the downtown area of Salem has seen considerable positive change. A district that was once quite empty past five o’clock now has many people inhabiting restaurants, bars, and various new shops well into the evening. With this growth and optimism for an even more buzzing downtown ahead, the pandemic could not have struck at a worse time. On March 23, Governor Kate Brown initiated the Stay Home, Save Lives order, deeply affecting downtown activity and forcing the City, along with its many business owners, to rethink everything.
As restrictions and requirements began to take shape, City of Salem planner Sheri Wahrgren knew that the City needed to take action quickly to give businesses a chance to stay afloat. In collaboration with the City Council, Wahrgren began brainstorming and researching, borrowing ideas that other municipalities were enacting as well as coming up with some new out-of-the-box ideas unique to Salem. As the beginning of summer approached, changes began. The City, in partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce, established a “City Eats” webpage, showcasing local eateries that offered to-go orders.
application fee to allow restaurants to obtain cafe permits, allowing outdoor seating and serving. Perhaps most noticeably, the City began implementing street and parking closures downtown. Partnering with Public Works, select downtown street sections were shut down on summer weekends to allow restaurants to provide safe and distanced seating for customers. Small swaths of diagonal parking spaces were barricaded to make extra seating space for businesses along the busy arterials. With this series of quick changes, the downtown district was active again. Although these changes were regarded as extremely positive by the public, it did reveal a set of new challenges, particularly to downtown retail businesses. While street and parking closures helped restaurants generate revenue and customers, it took away the parking availability for shoppers looking to park right in front of retail stores. As T.J. Sullivan of the Main Street Association put it, the whole process was a “game of Whack-a-Mole.” You slam one problem down, and a different one pops up next to it.
In downtown, select 3-hr parking spaces in front of restaurants were changed to 15-minute in order to encourage takeout orders. Wahrgren also worked to expedite the permitting process and waive the
The luxury and culture of parking right in front of a retail business can be contributed in some form to Salem being the second largest city in the United States with free parking downtown. Though (free) parking garages exist blocks away, people are still expecting to be able to pull up directly in front of the business they wish to visit, and any parking closures nearby can affect retail business owners. In addition to the inconvenience of lost parking spaces, street closures take a lot of manpower, and the use of sawhorses, “Road Closed” signs, and concrete barricades are not the most attractive and inviting presences on the street.
Downtown Salem, Oregon Credit: Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
barricades or setting up tents and canopies to protect from the elements. Even though the reality of COVID-19 forced this new environment, Wahrgren is hopeful to use these ideas and initiatives as an opportunity to test for future development. One such idea is the City creating a rental program for a platform that creates a level surface between the sidewalk and the street for businesses to use for seating. Ideas such as this are meant to encourage businesses to seek out long-term solutions with the City’s assistance. Additionally, the City will work to incorporate solutions like these that benefit both restaurants and retail businesses, so that everyone is positively impacted, and businesses can continue their upward trajectory in downtown. A very special thanks to Sheri Wahrgren, Salem City Planner, and T.J. Sullivan, President of the Main Street Association for their contributions to this article.
Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA, is the Section Director for AIAO’s Salem Section, and is an Architectural Intern at CB Two Architects in Salem.
Though the summer has passed and weekend street closures are no longer practical due to weather, you can still spot parking closures and outdoor dining available. Many businesses have gotten creative with their newly claimed seating area, adding potted plants between
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www.AIAOregon.org
EXPANDING THE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY OF INFILL HOUSING Dylan Lamar, AIA, CHPC
Since the postwar era, homeownership has provided the economic foundation for white, middle class America. At the same time, people of color and others of lesser means have been systematically excluded from the wealth building opportunities of homeownership. For several generations now, the segregation of owners and renters has fostered significant economic disparity along racial and socioeconomic lines.
substantial new equity opportunities for a wider spectrum of Oregonians. The key is to better enable individual ownership of these new dwelling units so that a fourplex can serve four residential owners rather than a single wealthy landlord. Better mechanisms for multiple resident ownership would allow communities to significantly expand economic opportunities for the middle class, especially people of color.
In recent decades, the high demand for housing has outpaced the existing supply in cities nationwide. The portion of society excluded from homeownership has expanded rapidly including not only a disproportionate number of people of color but also much of white middle class America itself. What began as exclusion ”by design” through overtly racist policies, exclusionary zoning, and redlining, is now exclusion “by default”. The single-family zoning regulations which blanket American cities, and which are still largely viewed as American as apple pie, have suppressed housing supply so dramatically that home prices are rapidly exceeding the buying power of the entire middle class.
Housing cooperatives offer an important opportunity here, and they have a rich history in America which demonstrate this point. Over 75% of New York City apartment buildings are cooperatively owned. Many were specifically established to enable low-income tenants to purchase their buildings. Housing cooperatives offer an ownership share to every household in a multi-unit property, dramatically reducing the cost barrier to ownership and increasing economic opportunities to underserved populations.
Thankfully, Oregon is among the first states beginning to change this trend. The passage of House Bill 2001 will soon re-legalize some of the “missing middle” housing types—duplexes and up to fourplexes—that traditionally supported more economically accessible and diverse neighborhoods. HB 2001 will finally allow more desperately needed housing to be built and this will at least help slow the price escalation of housing in general. However, if the missing middle housing soon to be developed creates mostly new rental units and a few luxury condos - as is currently the case with infill development - the cost of property ownership will only rise faster. In this case, only the existing, largely white, property owners and property investment LLCs will have access to ownership in Oregon’s neighborhoods. On the other hand, just as postwar suburban homes opened doors of economic opportunity for an entire generation, so too can this newly developed infill housing open up www.AIAOregon.org
Street Co-op, in Springfield, Oregon, and extending the “village model” to a single residential lot. The development is being financed by local social investors and is currently in construction. Once complete, six very low-income households will cooperatively own a shared single-family house and ADU that has been designed with six private one-bedroom suites. Since HB 2001 is not yet in effect, a true multiplex was not possible.
While condominiums provide another such ownership pathway, the roughly $25,000 expense of establishing this ownership structure is prohibitive for small developments with the exception of luxury housing. Housing cooperatives provide a much more affordable legal structure for multiple resident ownership requiring only a couple of standardized legal documents.
The economics of the C Street Co-op are compelling. Subsidy amounts of $27,000 per household are achieving affordability by households earning 60% of the areamedian-income or AMI, around $34,000 per year. By comparison, conventional affordable housing projects in the area currently receive subsidies of over $250,000 per household; yet, deliver rental housing with a limited 20 year period of affordability. With total project costs of $99,000 per household, without any subsidy at all, ownership at C Street would be affordable to 80%-100% AMI households. The C Street Co-op demonstrates a significant new pathway to offer a wider socio-economic spectrum of Oregonians an ownership stake in their neighborhoods. More details can be found at www.cultivateplace.com/c-street.
On the West Coast however, housing cooperatives are uncommon. Consequently, trying to finance the development of a co-op is a “chicken and the egg” problem. Applicable Fannie Mae co-op loans cannot be underwritten because there is no established market for them and this is because developers can’t access these lowinterest loans.
Better support of housing cooperatives, through more robust State co-op legislation for example, would provide critical leverage for HB 2001 to dramatically expand homeownership accessibility to a more diverse group of Oregonians. This would also go a long way toward reversing historic trends of racial exclusion and economic disparity. Indeed, access to better co-op financing has the potential to bolster the economic stability of the entire American middle class.
Yet such obstacles are currently being overcome in a few demonstration projects. SquareOne Villages in Eugene is utilizing housing co-ops in their “Village Model” whereby large parcels are developed into owner-occupied tiny house villages affordable to very-low-income households. My own company, Cultivate, Inc. is currently collaborating with SquareOne on the C
I am hopeful that the Oregon architecture community will soon participate in an important new era of infill housing development as a result of HB 2001. I believe our participation will help ensure our neighborhoods grow in human-scaled, site-sensitive ways. I also hope that we will support the property owners and developers driving this work to consider
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housing cooperatives as a means to meet their bottom line while also expanding the equity opportunity of infill housing to a wider spectrum of Oregonians for generations to come.
If you’d like to stay informed on efforts to further enable housing cooperatives in Oregon, please email Dylan at: dylan@cultivateplace.com
Dylan Lamar, AIA, CHPC, is owner and director of Cultivate, Inc., a design and consulting firm located in Portland.
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
2020 OREGON ARCHITECTURE AWARDS WINNERS
Oregon’s premier annual architecture event, the Oregon Architecture Awards, celebrates outstanding design as a nationally renowned jury recognizes architects, their clients, industry partners, and communities for achieving design excellence locally and globally. Previously known as the Portland Architecture Awards, the name was changed after the Oregon chapters merged into one chapter to form the Oregon Architecture Awards. In this juried awards program, all entrants have an equal chance for recognition, regardless of project scale, budget, type, or location. On October 23, 2020, AIA Oregon members and friends gathered virtually at the inaugural Oregon Architecture Awards celebration to recognize the year’s 13 award-winning projects. OAA 2020 Jury: • • • • •
Gina Emmanuel, AIA, Centric Architecture, Nashville, TN Zena Howard, FAIA, Perkins and Will, Charlotte, NC Matthew Kreilich, FAIA, Snow Kreilich Architects, Minneapolis, MN Patti Rhee, FAIA, EYRC Architects, Culver City, CA Scott Wolf, FAIA, Miller Hull Partnership, Seattle, WA
HONOR AWARD: The Society Hotel Bingen by Waechter Architecture
HONOR AWARD: Providence Park Expansion by Allied Works Architecture
HONOR AWARD: Grant High School Modernization by Mahlum Architects
2030 AWARD: Bend Science Station by Hennebery Eddy Architects
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
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www.AIAOregon.org
MERIT AWARD: 72Foster by Holst Architecture
MERIT AWARD: Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center by Architecture Building Culture in collaboration with Maxine Studio
MERIT AWARD: Argyle Gardens by Holst Architecture
MERIT AWARD: Metro YMCA Workplace Adaptation by BORA Architecture and Interiors
MERIT AWARD: Glass Link by Scott | Edwards Architecture
MERIT AWARD: Origami by Waechter Architecture
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The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
CITATION AWARD: Blu-Dot Showroom by Waechter Architecture
CITATION AWARD: House on 36th by Beebe Skidmore Architects
CITATION AWARD: St John’s Studio by Beebe Skidmore Architects
CITATION AWARD: Meier and Frank Building Redevelopment by BORA Architecture and Interiors
2020 PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS lead design principal in the firms that carry his name, Poticha Architects; Unthank Poticha Waterbury; and Unthank Seder Poticha, for over 48 years and has designed hundreds of projects.
2020 PRESIDENT’S AWARD WINNER OTTO POTICHA, FAIA Principal, Poticha Architect Adjunct Professor, University of Oregon Otto’s reputation for design excellence is well established as demonstrated by his work having been awarded 52 local, regional and national design awards. He has been the The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
Otto is primarily a practicing architect who also teaches design and professional practice at the University of Oregon. As an untenured “professor-in-practice,” Otto teaches three terms a year on a half-time basis,and has done so for the past 59 years. He shares and applies his skills and professional experiences to his teaching and this continues to be an important complement to an academically oriented design faculty.
excellence and environmental stewardship, creating integrated solutions that reinforce the clarity of the building concept while also enhancing project performance. Additionally, he finds time to combine public service design and community thinking with education and mentoring opportunities. 2020 YOUNG ARCHITECT AWARD SCOTT MOONEY, AIA Senior Associate, SRG Partnership Scott brings to every project his passion for sustainable architecture that enriches communities while removing barriers to access. His career has been focused on bridging the divide between design
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A driven and innovative thinker, he has co-taught design studios at PSU and the University of Oregon with a focus on community and civic projects, and currently serves as a Fellow in Practice at the PSU Center for Public Interest Design where his pro-bono efforts have focused on emergency intermediate housing solutions to address our ongoing homelessness crisis. www.AIAOregon.org
30th ANNUAL AIA EUGENE
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS Each year the AIA Eugene Section in collaboration with AIA Oregon and the American Society for Landscape Architects, Willamette Valley Section of the Oregon chapter (ASLA) sponsor the People’s Choice Awards for Architecture. The intent of these awards is to educate and inspire our fellow citizens by showcasing architecture, interior architecture, and landscape architecture projects within the Eugene Area and /or designed by Eugene Area firms. This program demonstrates to the public the role of the architecture profession in enhancing the built environment. COMMERCIAL: Homes for Good Office by PIVOT Architecture
PUBLIC/INSTITUTIONAL: Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center by Architecture Building Culture in collaboration with Maxine Studio
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL: Mercer Lake Cabin by Campfire Collaborative: Architecture & Design, P.C.
STUDENT/EMERGING PROFESSIONAL: Springfield Public Library by Aizeder Ariondo Jayo
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL: Sponsors Tiny Home Village: Jeffery Commons by Aligned Architecture
www.AIAOregon.org
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The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
UNBUILT PROJECTS: Campbell Community Center by PIVOT Architecture
LANDSCAPE: Civic Park Phase I by Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture and Planning
COLLEAGUE’S CHOICE AWARD: Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center by Architecture Building Culture in collaboration with Maxine Studio The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
UNBUILT LANDSCAPE: Eugene Town Square by Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture and Planning
COLLEAGUE’S CHOICE AWARD: Sponsors Tiny Home Village: Jeffery Commons by Aligned Architecture
COLLEAGUE’S CHOICE AWARD: Arcadia Townhouse Community by studio.e architecture Page 13
www.AIAOregon.org
These awards aim to educate and inspire our fellow citizens by showcasing architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture projects created within the AIA Salem Section area by AIA members. This program is intended to demonstrate to the public the role of the architectural profession in enhancing the built environment.
2020 AIA SALEM PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS
2020 saw the inclusion of AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence. Entrants were asked to describe how their project addresses the categories “Design for Integration” and “Design for Discovery” along with two other categories as determined by the selecting firm. For unbuilt projects, firms needed to address “Design for Integration” along with three other categories. For more information about AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence, please visit aia.org. On November 12, 2020, the AIA Salem Section held an awards ceremony where winners were announced in two categories: Firm Projects and Student Projects. Additionally, AIA members selected a project to receive the Colleagues’ Choice Award.
FIRM, FIRST PLACE & COLLEAGUE’S CHOICE: Salem Public Library Remodel by Hacker
FIRM, SECOND PLACE: Marion County Juvenile Services by Carlson Veit Junge
FIRM, THIRD PLACE: The Court Yard by CB|Two Architects
STUDENT: Hope Beyond Homelessness by Emily Feicht
www.AIAOregon.org
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The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
2020 AIA SOUTHERN OREGON
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS Starting in 2011, the American Institute of Architects - Southern Oregon Chapter (Now the AIA Southern Oregon Section of AIA Oregon) has held a (mostly) annual People’s Choice Awards for Architecture. In 2020, winners were selected in four categories: Commercial/Industrial, Public/Institutional, Residential, and Unbuilt. On December 16, the AIA Southern Oregon section held an online awards ceremony to recognize the winning projects. PUBLIC/INSTITUTIONAL: CraterWorks: MakerSpace by arkitek:design&architecture
PUBLIC/INSTITUTIONAL: St. Mary’s School Carrico Center Commons Building by S+B James Construction Management
RESIDENTIAL: St. Mary’s Dormitory by S+B James Construction Management
COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL: People’s Bank of Commerce Headquarters by ORW Architecture
UNBUILT: Rogue Credit Union South Medford Support Services Center by S+B James Construction Management
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
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www.AIAOregon.org
AIAOregon.org www.AIAOregon.org
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The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
