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Field Office, a project featuring a new kind of office environment, needed little time to gain the Portland Design Commission‘s approval on Thursday, and each commissioner complimented the plans.

The development will be constructed at 2030 N.W. Front Ave., and have two six-story buildings totaling 270,000 square feet. The buildings will surround a public plaza landscaped with native plants. The design intends to bring the outdoors in with a green roof and multi-level terraces throughout the buildings.

Designed by Hacker and developed by Project ^, Field Office has been in the design review process for fewer than six months 鈥� twice for advice and one prior review 鈥� and was approved in less than an hour at Thursday’s meeting.

The commission couldn’t approve the project at its Nov. 19 meeting because of transportation agencies’ concerns about the safety of a proposed bicycle path along the Union Pacific rail line. The continuous bike path was removed from the plan, although some pedestrian paths remain, city planner Grace Jeffreys said.

Jeffreys told the commission that city staffers recommended approval with two conditions: 1, mechanical equipment on the roof be painted a warm gray, and 2, the visible wall inside the parking lot entry be 鈥渆vocative of art.鈥�

At the end of the meeting the condition regarding the artwork in the parking garage was left to the discretion of the owner, but with the recommendation that it be a graphic design that reflects the neighborhood’s industrial character.

But commissioners still expressed their concerns.

鈥淥ne person’s subtle branding is another’s billboard,鈥� Commission Chairman David Wark said.

鈥淛ust keep it sophisticated, OK?鈥� Commissioner Tad Savinar said.

Another change, according to Corey Martin, a principal at Hacker, is the use of wood (instead of metal siding material) in many places on the building’s lower fa莽ade and columns. Martin said he hopes the wood will come from Centennial Mills, which is undergoing selective demolition. The Portland Development Commission is deciding how that wood will be used.

鈥淲e looked at other materials and couldn’t find anything that has the same power as wood,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淐entennial Mills is in (demolition) right now, and that horizontal striation is appropriate (for Field Office’s design).鈥�

Martin said the reclaimed wood panels would provide a lot of warmth in the joists, canopies and soffits throughout the courtyard, and that outdoor planters could be made of steel to carry out the industrial theme. The reclaimed wood could also be used for interior flooring, he said.

More landscaping was added to the design, Martin said. Outdoor seating and planters were added to soften the entrances and cables will spiral up exterior columns to encourage vine and foliage growth. More glazing will be added to the buildings’ corners, he said.

After discussion and before the vote, each commissioner praised the project.

鈥淕reat job,鈥� Savinar said. 鈥淚 was really struggling with the entrances and you turned them into living rooms 鈥� a sterling solution.鈥�

Commissioner Don Vallaster complimented the design team’s efforts to meet high design standards.

鈥淲e could send it back for a month and I have a feeling you would still continue to make more improvements,鈥� he said.

Commissioner Julie Livingston also praised the project.

鈥淚 think it is a lovely building,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he massing and landscaping are a knockout.鈥�

Commissioner Jeff Simpson said the design was 鈥渁 great job,鈥� and Wark added that it is 鈥渁 really outstanding, stellar project.鈥�

Wark only had one admonition: The design should consider that the green roofs will attract birds and they are apt to fly into the glass windows at the corners.

鈥淐onsidering bird strikes, I encourage you to look at it again 鈥� (that is) my only suggestion,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I’m very impressed with the whole (design) process.鈥�