The Ever-Green State: A New Chapter in Oregon’s Architectural Story
Given our penchant for sustainability, Oregon may as well be nicknamed ‘The Ever-Green State.’ For many of us here, the outline of Mt. Hood against a purple twilight isn’t just a beautiful sight – it’s a symbol of the wild, untouched beauty that we strive to preserve. This commitment to the environment bleeds into every corner of our lives, from recycling our Stumptown coffee cups to the way we design our buildings. Yes indeed, sustainable architecture in Oregon is not an anomaly; it’s our guiding principle. And this isn’t your typical ‘stick a few solar panels on it and call it a day’ approach. We’re talking about projects that embrace the challenge of leading our architectural future, one eco-friendly building at a time.
From Ashland to Astoria: A Commitment to Sustainability
Oregon’s dedication to sustainable architecture isn’t contained within Portland’s city limits. Travel south and you’ll find yourself in Ashland, home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Lithia Park, and some of the most progressive green building projects around. The Ashland Middle School, a project carried out through a collaboration between OH Planning and Architects and Heery International, is a standout example. Designed to achieve a high LEED rating, the school features energy-efficient strategies like natural ventilation, daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and use of reclaimed materials, without skimping on one bit of form or function.
Venture to the furthest northern reaches of our coastline and you’ll find yourself in Astoria. Here, the Columbia River meets the Pacific beneath the shadow of the Astoria Column, and you’ll find robust efforts in sustainable building practices. Just take a look at the Fort George Brewery and Public House! With their commitment to renewable energy and locally sourced materials, they serve up a cold pint of proof that “going green” tastes pretty darn good.
Oregon’s Mad Hatter: The Iconic Eco-Friendly Buildings
We Oregonians have always been a bit like the Mad Hatter – a tad eccentric but with plenty of heart and a dash of genius. True to form, some of our most environmentally friendly buildings may seem a tad unusual to the untrained eye.
In Portland’s Pearl District, nestled near Powell’s City of Books (the Mecca for book lovers, mind you), sits the Ecotrust Building. A converted warehouse, it was one of the first in the US to snatch up a LEED Gold rating, and is fondly regarded among locals as the ‘grandfather of green.’ This edifice, with its brick exterior and original hardwoods, marries aesthetics and sustainability together just as neatly as a voodoo doll from Voodoo Doughnut – both equally Portland, equally sustainable, and equally loved.
Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, set in the heart of Hillsboro’s “Silicon Forest,” is yet another champion of green architecture. Wait, a hospital? Yes indeed. Its honors include being the first LEED Gold certified hospital in the world. It’s a breath of fresh (and filtered) air in the medical world, proving that sustainability can bring about a healing environment of its own.
Rounding it up: Define, Design, Dwell
We’re adventurers here in Oregon – the kind who would rather spend a rainy day on a mossy trail in Silver Falls State Park than stay huddled indoors. Our innovative buildings, designed with an unwavering commitment to sustainability, ensure that we aren’t destroying the same hills and valleys that we so fondly traverse. Consider Bullitt Centere – dubbed ‘the greenest commercial building in the world.’ It’s not just energy neutral, it’s energy positive. No couch potato, this building generates more power than it consumes. Talk about setting the bar high!
But, Oregon architecture also knows that sustainability and beauty are not mutually exclusive. We see this blend of aesthetics and eco-friendliness in the Alice Ball House, designed by the renowned Holst Architecture firm, with its thermally broken windows, cellulose insulation, and a stunning façade that melds right into the verdant landscape.
However, we acknowledge that not everyone can live in a LEED certified house or work in a bright, solar-panel lined office. That’s why initiatives like the Special Public Works Fund and the Community Development Block Grant program are on the job, helping communities across our fine state increase energy efficiency and reduce their ecological footprint.
From Ashland to Astoria, along the Willamette and under the shadow of the Cascades, sustainable architecture in Oregon is as much a part of our culture as craft beers, farmers markets, and a fair bit of drizzle. It’s simply the way we do things here, in our spectacular corner of the Pacific Northwest.
If these walls could talk, they would tell you about the rain that waters the roof-grown gardens, the Cascades-bounded electricity powering the computers and the durability to outlast a temper tantrum from Mt. Saint Helens’. They’d speak of Oregon’s commitment to sustainable architecture – the ethos of an ever-green future. And in case you’re wondering, they’d proudly exhale, “Remember, every grey cloud has a green lining.”