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Portland Building architect Michael Graves next month will give a talk on the future of the iconic postmodern building.

The University of Oregon’s John Yeon Center and the Portland Art Museum will host 鈥淢ichael Graves Live鈥� on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Fields Ballroom at the museum, 1219 S.W. Park Ave.

Graves, a principal of architecture and design firm Michael Graves & Associates, will discuss which portions of the city of Portland-owned building should be preserved and which might change during a planned renovation to fix structural problems and leaks. Yeon Center Executive Director Randy Gragg will facilitate the talk, which also will delve into Graves’ career since designing the Portland Building.

鈥淭his is one of the late twentieth century’s great designers,鈥� Gragg said. 鈥淗e’s changed things in product design and certainly in architecture.鈥�

The Portland Building, completed in 1981, was heralded as a break from modernist architecture typical of public buildings. A year later, it appeared on the cover of TIME magazine and in 2012 was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

But earlier this year, a city report concluded that $95 million worth of repairs are needed to fix defects and address seismic issues. After considering several options, including building demolition, city officials will soon seek proposals from developers, architects and contractors for a remodel.

When debate about the fate of the Portland Building began, Gragg said he reached out Graves to seek his take on how his design could be improved.

鈥淚 just thought we’re having this discussion and who better to involve in it than the designer himself,鈥� Gragg said.

Besides the Portland Building, Graves has designed the Humana Building in Louisville, Ky., the Denver Public Library and a line of kitchen utensils for Target.

After an infection rendered him a quadriplegic in 2003, Graves has used personal experience to inspire designs for disabled veteran housing and products such as wheelchairs, collapsible canes and showerheads.

Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased online at .