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TVA Architects is relocating to Portland鈥檚 Goose Hollow neighborhood and the firm has designed its 3,638-square-foot office space. It鈥檚 now being constructed in suite 150 of the Canvas Building at the Press Blocks, at 1750 S.W. Yamhill St.

The architecture firm 鈥� celebrating its 40th anniversary this year 鈥� has been in the Power + Light Building, at 920 S.W. Sixth Ave, no. 1500, for 24 years. With the firm鈥檚 lease up for renewal, and the team now embracing a hybrid work model, leaders realized they could use the opportunity to rethink how office use supported their work, TVA Architects principal Pam Saftler said. The new office will be around half the size of the current one.

The open studio will be set up with unassigned desks. Staff will come in and work on days they want to collaborate with colleagues. The office will have a variety of spaces, including a conference room, a lounge, a kitchen, and a materials library where team members can look at samples and talk about projects.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at different ways that people work,鈥� Saftler said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 less focused on personal desk size and instead about how we communicate with each other.鈥�

The design team sought to keep as much of the building鈥檚 concrete exposed as possible, Saftler said, so the office ceilings will remain concrete. Acoustical wall panels and ceiling panels will help dim sounds. All workstations will be built out of wood, she said.

The firm鈥檚 current office is on the 15th floor, far from street activity, Saftler said, while the new office will be a street-level space with large storefront windows. TVA Architects wanted to take a proactive approach to energizing the city, she said. The team sees this new office as an opportunity to help Portland regain its vibrancy.

The team also wanted to think about how an architecture office can be presented as a retail space, Saftler said. There will be large video displays of the firm鈥檚 projects and opportunities to showcase how architects work.

Plants will be incorporated into the office to take advantage of their biophilic benefits, Saftler said. Tall, north-facing windows will let in natural light. Those features will provide a positive sense of well-being for staff, she said.

Swinerton Construction began construction of the office in July and is expected to finish in early October.

The Canvas Building is the first phase of the three-building Press Blocks development led by Urban Renaissance Group and Security Properties. The building, completed in 2020, is owned by global real estate manager Invesco Real Estate.

In the second phase, crews are constructing a 23-story, 342-unit residential tower and a 30,000-square-foot commercial building.

On the Boards is a 91视频 feature offering a look at projects in Oregon and Southwest Washington being tackled by local architecture firms. To have your firm鈥檚 projects considered, contact 91视频 reporter Hilary Dorsey at [email protected].