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POWER LIST: ARCHITECTURE

Yes, Mithun is based in Seattle. But the design firm caught our attention with two Portland projects for Security Properties, a Seattle developer: a modern, pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly master plan design for the Pop Blocks (formerly known as the Pepsi Blocks) – a major mixed-use superblock development located off of Sandy Boulevard; and a full-block, 24-story tower for the Press Blocks in Goose Hollow. In both developments, Mithun thoughtfully places buildings within the neighborhood context and provides connections to the urban fabric.

Both developments refuse to relegate bicyclists and pedestrians to an afterthought, providing a woonerf in the case of the Pop Blocks and a mid-block connector for the Press Blocks, and offering hundreds of bicycle parking spaces in both locations.

During the pre-COVID boom, out-of-town designs on behalf of out-of-town developers became far more common as Portland’s growth and cachet attracted national money. Expect to see more of that in the roaring 2020s. Architecture and design are not provincial. It is essential to acknowledge that influence, and how outside firms will shape Portland design in years to come.