Oregon Convention Center Renovation

The Design Revitalizes an Important Public Assembly Building in the Pacific Northwest through Strategic Architectural Interventions

November 27, 2019

LMN Architects celebrated the completion of the Oregon Convention Center renovation and plaza on October 21th, 2019. The design leverages the attributes of the original convention center while incorporating architectural gestures to enhance the existing ballroom, key public spaces, and the exterior plaza.

In response to Portland’s rapidly developing Lloyd neighborhood where the Oregon Convention Center is located, the renovation of the facility’s original building reinforces circulation and wayfinding, transforms the Oregon Ballroom and connects the user experience to its place. Strategic architectural interventions incorporated into the daylight flooded spaces leverage the attributes of the existing building to a new level of experience. Redesign of the primary building entry and adjacent exterior spaces carry the enhancements into the public realm, upgrading the entrance sequence to the building and providing an inviting civic space.

Craig Stroud, Oregon Convention Center Executive Director, commented: “LMN Architects masterfully brought the beauty of Oregon’s landscape inside the walls of the Oregon Convention Center in a manner that could be artistically and aesthetically implemented into our spaces. Identifying natural elements and reflecting them throughout the center’s interior was no small feat and couldn’t have been accomplished without the extensive experience of LMN’s team of architects and designers on other national convention center projects.”

Central to the 305, 000 SFT interior improvements was the goal to create a stronger relationship between the convention center experience and the natural environment of Oregon. Evergreen forests and lichen growth on stones are references throughout the renovation. Flooring is composed in a pattern referential to white lichen on gray stones and vibrant hues replace the white highlights at areas of punctuation; red at exhibit hall and meeting room entries and yellow hues at informal meeting and seating areas that also feature regionally harvested alder wood benches.

Wendy Pautz, LMN Design Partner, commented: “Our vision was to create an interior intervention focused around the Pacific Northwest with a robust nature influence evocative of Oregon’s lush greenery. Using distinct textures and patterns reflective of naturally occurring elements in the region, we were able to transform one-dimensional spaces into a vibrant convention center uniquely expressive of its surroundings.”

Punctuations of hue and pattern also serve as a strategy to overcome the split-level configuration of the building. Red hue and wall coverings at the exhibit hall entries feature large-scale patterns that reference the experience of walking through the heavily wooded forests dominant in Oregon and provide better visibility of the below grade exhibit halls from building entries. Large scale internally illuminated wayfinding pylons glow as landmarks within the large volume interior spaces. The updated wayfinding strategy clarifies destinations using alphabetical designations and a simplified map.

The Oregon Ballroom and prefunction space continue the themes developed in other functional spaces. The prefunction ceiling is a custom fabricated topography of the Cascade Range, spanning from Mt. Hood to Crater Lake. The ballroom ceiling features an integrated lighting system with a three-dimensional pattern of circular elements referencing the experience of walking under an illuminated tree canopy.

The new outdoor environment designed by Mayer/Reed adds a flexible event and hospitality plaza and improves pedestrian circulation throughout the site. The urban design also forges a relationship with the new 600-room hotel and parking garage across the street. Designed to introduce visitors to the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest, the site design utilizes an informal layout rendered in weathering steel, regional stone and textural plants from Oregon’s landscape. During rainy weather, storm water is collected and routed through artful compositions of columnar basalt, culminating in a cascading water feature at the building’s main entrance.

A series of intuitive wayfinding cues guide pedestrians to the building’s main entry where an identity pylon of weathering steel and luminous glass marks the new entrance. The architectural glass canopy provides an inviting civic space for convention center attendees and the broader community. Designed to serve visitors and the surrounding district, the project’s success is as much about how it engages the exterior as what happens inside.

Jeramie Shane, Mayer/Reed Principal, commented: “The renovation allowed us to create a welcoming outdoor environment for people to gather and enjoy activities, large and small within a new plaza, hospitality terrace and amphitheater. The site offers space for casual relaxing, as well as outdoor events like car shows, exhibits and concerts.”

Wendy Pautz, LMN Design Partner, commented: “The Oregon Convention Center is prominently positioned close to the Willamette River and Portland’s urban core, and the renovation reflects the local culture, history and the city. Blurring the edge between the interiors and the community with materials and strategic architectural interventions, our team designed contemporary spaces that allow the public to circulate through shared environments that are open beyond the center’s walls to offer delegates an immersive experience that makes them feel like a local.”

Project Title:
Oregon Convention Center Renovation & Plaza.

Location:
777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97232.

Client:
Oregon Convention Center.

Design Years:
2017 – 2018.

Construction Years:
2018 – 2019.

Major Building Materials:
Steel frame with composite concrete decks, brick veneer walls and curtain wall. Terrazzo flooring and wood slat ceilings in public interior areas.

Program:
New interior finishes, materials and lighting in selected pre-function, ballroom and restroom spaces in addition to the renovation of the exterior plaza to better align with the building function and entry locations.

Site Area:
800,000 SFT (74,322 s.m.).

Interior Improvements:
305,000 SFT (28,335 s.m.).

Building Height:
207 FT (63 m.).

Number of floors:
2.

Project Credits
Architect:
LMN Architects
801 Second Avenue, Suite 501
Seattle, Washington 98104

Project Team:
David Backs
Jack Chaffin, AIA
Aubrey Davidson, AIA
Christopher Eidt, AIA
Justin Farmer
Nicholas Freese
Mark Lo, Associate AIA
Ana Moseley
Wendy Pautz, FAIA
Michael Petersen, Associate AIA
Katherine Qian
Jeremy Schoenfeld, AIA
Todd Schwisow, AIA
Brian Tennyson, AIA
Liem Tran
Pamela Trevithick, AIA
Alese Van Holland
Paulina Wilkowska
Deborah Wolf
John Woloszyn, AIA