Oregon State University Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building
Photo by Josh Partee/Architectural Photographer
Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Location: Newport
Cost: $52,008,777
Owner/Developer: Oregon State University
Architect: YGH Architects
Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
General Contractor: Andersen Construction
Subcontractors: Alliant Systems, ARCHITextures, BHE Group, Brandsen Floors, Carlson, Center Pointe Signs, city of Newport, Columbia Concrete Sawing, Convergint Technologies, Corona Steel, Dallas Glass, Delta Fire, Emery & Sons, FEI Testing, Functional Surfacing, GRI, Interior Tech, Jafec USA, L&M Industrial Fabrication, NW Precast, Lango Hansen, Legend Custom Woodworking, Luma, Midgleys, Ness-Campbell, Northwest Engineering Services, Omega Morgan, OEG, National Networks, On Electric Group – Dormakaba, Otis, Overhead Door, PAE, PDCI, Quality Cleaning Services, Rexius, RX Concrete, Saxton Bradley, Sedia, Siemens, Skyline Sheet Metal, Superior Interiors, T Gerding Construction, Washington Crane & Hoist, WPI

It seemed like an impossible project to create a safe and sustainable ocean research facility on the wind-battered Oregon coast in the middle of a tsunami evacuation zone. The Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building stands as a testament to the many design, engineering and construction feats overcome by the project team.

The new 74,000-square-foot classroom and laboratory building is located on the Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center campus in Newport. In addition to housing Marine Studies Initiative programs, the building provides headquarters for OSU’s nationally recognized Marine Mammal Institute and its marine genetics and genomics programs.

The Hatfield Marine Science Campus started the project with a conundrum. The ocean research taking place on campus necessitates its facilities to be located with direct access to the coast, but the impending Cascadia earthquake and tsunami present too great a public safety risk to build a new facility in this location. OSU was left with a decision about whether to build a structure unlike almost any built in the United States before or abandon the Hatfield campus altogether.

It took bringing together a world-class team at the start of the project to research and problem solve how to build safely in this location. It took visiting countries like Japan that are at the forefront of tsunami design, digitally modeling simulations of how a tsunami and its debris would impact the building’s structure, as well as using advanced techniques such as deep soil mixing to stabilize the ground under a building.

The building is designed and constructed to sustain a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. A 47-foot ramp leads from ground level to the roof of the three-story structure, which is designed to serve as a vertical evacuation site for more than 900 people. It is one of the first vertical evacuation sites in the United States.

The vertical evacuation solution also enables people with limited mobility to escape the area. An elevator is available 24/7 to take people to the top of the building. It is designed to operate on emergency power and will accommodate as many as 200 people in the 20-minute window between an earthquake and a tsunami.

The team used augers to pull out existing soil and replace it with cement grout. In the case of the Marine Studies Building, the augers went nearly 100 feet below ground and used approximately 27,380 cubic yards of grout.

Outside In East Clinic
Submitting Company: BnK Construction and Skylab Architecture

Location: Portland
Cost: $3.6 million
Owner/Developer: Outside In
Owner’s Representative: Klosh Group
Architect: Clark Kjos
Engineers: Lewis and Van Vleet (structural), MFIA (MEP)
Other Associates/Consultants: MacDonald Environmental Planning (landscape)
General Contractor: Walsh Construction
Subcontractors: Architectural Metal Works, Architectural Specialties, Authority Dock & Door, Canaan Site Furnishings, Cedar Landscape Construction, Chown, Construction Specialties, Contract Décor, Cosco Fire Protection, Dallas Glass, Elite Electric Group, Engineered Products, Hillebrand Construction, Hunter-Davisson, Insulation Contractors, Kriegsco Manufacturing, M&M Construction Services, Peninsula Plumbing, RDF Builders, Ron Rust Drywall, Snyder Roofing of Oregon, Solid Form Fabrication, Spectra Contract Flooring, Tion Cladding Systems, Western Partitions, WH Cress

Since 1968, Outside In has provided a safe, supportive and inclusive place for health care in Portland, along with services to help the underserved and people experiencing homelessness achieve independence. The recently completed East Clinic expands its service to support the Gresham/Rockwood community.

The new 6,200-square-foot clinic features six clinic rooms, six counseling/case management rooms, a large community conference room, and a covered courtyard for patients and neighbors to gather. The clinic provides care regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, spoken language, legal status, and sexual and gender identification.

Rockwood is one of the most diverse places in the state yet due to historic lack of investment in the community, residents have not had the resources to reach their potential. Nearly half of the adult population have not visited a doctor in the past year and many people have no health insurance. Outside In opened a health clinic in Rockwood to address these issues.

Located next to a MAX station, the building is designed to be low maintenance and resistant to vandalism while meeting Gresham’s design standards requiring a welcoming, street-friendly presence.

The corner of the building fronting East Burnside and 162nd Avenue features a prominent, colorful mural as an uplifting feature. The mural relates to Outside In’s downtown location, which also has a mural by the same artist, Michael Hensley. Inside the building, exposed roof structure, exposed concrete floors and bright colors signify the non-traditional nature of Outside In’s mission and clientele.

The site itself was very constrained and the corner entrance became more of a challenge than expected due to the condition of the existing sidewalk, crosswalk ramps and utility poles. It was difficult to create a welcoming entrance with the amount of obstructions at that corner, which was the obvious location for the main entrance.

Snow Peak North American HQ
Photo Credit: Stephen A. Miller (Snow Peak) and AJ Meeker (Takibi)
Submitting Company: BnK Construction and Skylab Architecture

Location: Portland
Cost: Confidential
Owner/Developer: Snow Peak, Urban Development Partners
Architect: Skylab Architecture
Engineering Firms: Harper Houf Peterson Righellis (civil), Interface Engineering (MEP), VALAR Consulting Engineers
Other Consultants: Lango Hansen Landscape Architect (landscape), O-llc (lighting)
General Contractor: BnK Construction
Subcontractors: Ambient Automation, Bargreen Ellingson, Baxter & Flaming, Brandsen Floors, Cascade, Caughlan’s, Code Unlimited Colonial Services, Faster Permits, Five Star Electric, Haberstitch, Heritage Glass, Jack’s Overhead Door, Kingsmen Contracting, Laneco, Latimer HVAC, Marx Okubo, Miller Sons, Nuvo, Point Monitor, Portland Garment Factory, ProConstruct, StagePlan, Sturm Elevator, Submarine Hospitality, WCF, Wyatt Fire Protection

The new Snow Peak USA Flagship and Headquarters is an adaptive reuse of a nondescript, four-story, 1980s-era building in Northwest Portland into a multifunction retail space. Snow Peak occupies 14,725 square feet on the first two levels, with retail on the first floor and Snow Peak’s headquarters on the second floor.

The design is based on three driving principles: enter the outdoors and leave the city behind; build a new language both deeply Japanese and of the Pacific Northwest; and provide strong community-building experiences. Drawing on these principles, a diverse program of retail, showroom, office space, event space, restaurant and outdoor spaces were designed to provide ample moments to gather around food, art, home and nature.

Stacked platform stone stairs transport customers from the busy urban exterior and take advantage of the slightly subterranean first level to emphasize an interior experience that begins in the earth. Materials such as dark stone, wire-brushed black stained wood flooring, hand-troweled concrete, loose river rock, wood paneling and custom wall coverings were chosen for the first level.

Century-old Douglas fir beams were milled and stacked into a unique wall retail fixture system in a contemporary, American-inspired nod to traditional Japanese wood building methods. The ground floor features a restaurant and bar. The restaurant, Takibi, has indoor dining as well as seating in its covered outdoor patio space. The 1,000-square-foot patio includes an open, multipurpose space that is perfect for gathering around fire pits with Snow Peak’s camp chairs.

Snow Peak staff enter through the main retail space and use the gallery staircase and suspended bridge to enter the office space on the second floor. The office space holds two conference rooms, private offices, an open office, a kitchen, dining area and outdoor patio that overlooks the restaurant patio.

Renaissance Commons
Submitting Company: Walsh Construction
Location: Portland
Cost: $28.5 million
Owner/Developer: REACH Community Development
Architect: MWA Architects
Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
Additional Engineering Firms: Cundiff Engineering, Samata Consulting Engineers
Other Consultants: Cascade Radon, Housing Development Center (development), PLACE (landscape architect)
General Contractor: Walsh Construction
Subcontractors: Academy Specialties, Acousti-Level Floor Systems, Affordable Window Coverings, AFP Systems, Bok Modern, Bridgeport Interiors, Building Material Specialties, Cascade Radon, Cascadia Windows, Civic Construction, Contemporary Vision Signs & Wayfinding, Culver Glass Industries, De-El Enterprises, dormakaba USA, Eagle Striping Services, Faison Construction, Floor Solutions, G.R. Morgan Construction, Gorilla Hardware, Ha’s Painting, Haier US Appliance Solutions dba GE Appliances, Hillebrand Construction, Interior Technology, Jacobs Heating & Air Conditioning, KO Construction, Kodiak Pacific Construction, Kone, Kraft Masonry, McCoy Millwork, McDonald & Wetle, MEP Trades, Mid-Valley Glass & Millwork, N8 Excavation, Nail It Roofing, Northwest Masonry Restoration, Northwest Waterproofing, O’Neill Construction Group dba O’Neill Electric, Pioneer Sheet Metal, RDF Builders, Saltese Companies, Salvage Works, Standard TV & Appliance, Tapani Plumbing, Topline Counters, United Brothers Cabinets, Vale Insulation Group, VPI Quality Windows, Western Rebar, Zion Metal Work

Renaissance Commons brings 189 affordable homes to North Portland’s Kenton neighborhood, including 10 studios served by project-based Section 8 vouchers. The new family-friendly community welcomes residents negatively impacted by urban renewal.

Developed by REACH CDC, Renaissance Commons consists of two four-story buildings. The apartments range from 375-square-foot studios to three-bedroom homes of 1,055 square feet. The two buildings feature ground-floor community rooms, office space, a fitness room, a community pantry, bike rooms, and an outdoor play area and courtyard. Emergency storage promotes community resilience during a natural disaster.

With Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and an extensive solar array, Renaissance Commons is pursuing Earth Advantage Platinum certification.

Situated near the 12-acre Kenton Park and the Kenton town center, Renaissance Commons is designed as an anchor project that will serve as a catalyst for future development in the neighborhood. Artwork by local artists is on display throughout the building as well as the outdoor play area fencing.

The project team’s vision was to create an inclusive environment and support diversity during construction. MWESB participation exceeded the original goal of 20 percent by attaining 32 percent.

Cost containment proved to be a constraint, and the project took about a year longer than anticipated to assemble the financing. Significant collaboration within the development team during preconstruction led to a smooth construction process, which minimized challenges onsite.

The site’s proximity to frequent bus service and the MAX light-rail line reflects REACH’s goals to build affordable homes and remain close to transit and vital services for families and individuals. A range of amenities exists within minutes of the site, from retail to parks to medical centers, giving workforce households an array of opportunities within this transit-oriented location that is intended to maximize density and reduce automobile use.

Red Rock Creek Commons
Submitting Company: LMC Construction
Location: Tigard
Cost: $9,510,487
Owner/Developer: Community Partners for Affordable Housing
Architect: Carleton Hart Architecture
Engineer: Humber Design Group
Additional Engineering Firms: Glumac (mechanical), Marianne Zarkin Landscape Architects, TM Rippey Consulting Engineers
General Contractor: LMC Construction
Subcontractors: Advanced Fireproofing, All Trades, Ambrose Glass, American Direct, Budget Mailbox, Cascade Acoustics, Casework Solutions, CF&I, DE-EL, Eagle Striping, Frontier Metal, GE Appliance, Halsey Design, Huntco, Innotech Windows & Doors, Insulation Contractors, Interior Technology, Island Fence, JB Insulation, Jet Industries, KO Construction, Kodiak Pacific Construction, Kraft Masonry, Lanz Cabinet Shop, Lauzon Contracting, McDonald & Wetle, Medallion Industries, Mill Creek Heating, Mt. Hood Windows, New Age Surfaces, Northface Drywall, Northwest Millwork, NW Waterproofing, Pac Green Landscape, Patriot Fire Protection, Pioneer Sheet Metal, Precision Countertops, RC Building Specialties, Shields Painting, Simple Safety Solutions, Tapani Plumbing, TerraCalc, ThyssenKrupp, Timberland, Ultra Quiet Floors, Merit of Oregon, Van Lom Structures, WH Cress

Red Rock Creek Commons is a four-story building that houses 48 units of affordable housing in Tigard’s Triangle Urban Renewal Area. The building features community spaces that allow residents to interact socially, an elevator, a full kitchen, efficiently designed units, and access to the natural area next to Red Rock Creek.

The vision for the property is a combination of workforce housing and affordable homes for people with very low incomes. New Narrative, a local mental health services agency, is a partner in providing support services for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness who are housed in eight of the units.

The location was unique due to the site’s topography, and the project team was challenged by budget constraints. They looked for ways to reduce costs in the infrastructure so they could keep as many of the unique finishes in place as possible, allowing residents to have nicer amenities.

Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires, the project team finished its work within budget and even prior to the contract completion date. Red Rock Creek Commons is Earth Advantage Platinum, and solar power for the building was made possible through the Renewable Development Fund.

The Fields Apartments
Submitting Company: Otak
Location: Tigard
Cost: Confidential
Owner/Developer: DBG Properties
Architect: Otak
Engineer: Otak
Additional Engineering Firms: ESS Engineering (structural)
Other Associates/Consultants: MFIA, RhinoOne Geotechnical, Teragan & Associates
General Contractor: DBG Properties
Subcontractors: Not provided

Spread over 24 acres in Tigard, The Fields Apartments includes five apartment buildings housing 264 units. It also features a clubhouse building with a green roof, a trio of three-story office buildings, trails, a playground, an outdoor pool and a water garden.

The project’s design incorporated vertical projections which highlight the exterior balconies and decks that provide private outdoor space for each resident. Large windows allow significant amounts of natural light into the living spaces. The structures also utilize natural cedar as a highlight to help ground the buildings to the site.

One of the main urban design challenges of the project was the steep grade and close proximity to existing homes. The design incorporated a stepped building and infrastructure placement that is responsive to existing view corridors and vegetation. Public infrastructure and other elements of the jurisdiction-driven project required coordination with Washington County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Clean Water Services, Department of State Lands, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Other challenges included getting the neighborhood association on board with the project; compliance with aggressive walkability requirements across the entire site; maintaining the construction schedule during the pandemic; and staying within budget during record material cost increases.

The Vancouver Clinic – Columbia Palisades
Submitting Company: Andersen Construction
Location: Camas, Washington
Cost: Confidential
Owner/Developer: The Vancouver Clinic
Owner’s Representative: DayCPM/Otak
Architect: ZGF Architects
Engineer: MacKay Sposito
Additional Engineering Firms: Geotech Design, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Mazzetti, McKinstry, Mill Plain Electric, Stantec
General Contractor: Andersen Construction
Subcontractors: Andersen Structures, ASSA ABLOY, BMS, Bratton Masonry, Chown Hardware, Drake’s Striping, Elmer’s Flag and Banner, Forms + Surfaces, Fought & Co./REFA Erection, Gibson Door, Huntco, Icon 3D Signs, Innotech Window and Doors, Iris Window Coverings, JBC Geomatics, McDonald & Wetle, Merit Contractor, North Fork Landscape, Northwest Scaffold Service, Oregon Commercial Painters, Palmer Group, Paulson’s Floor Covering, Performance Contracting, Pioneer Waterproofing, Primo Construction, Security Contractor Services, South Town Glass, Spectrum Custom Interiors, Sunbelt Rentals, Tapani, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Timberform

Designed and built under a progressive design-build contract,The Vancouver Clinic Columbia Palisades is a new 26,400-square-foot, two-story medical office building in the Columbia Palisades development bordering east Vancouver and Camas, Washington.

This was the first building in the redevelopment of the old Fisher’s Quarry site, which created the first challenge. There were no data lines within a quarter mile of the jobsite, and the site was pre-loaded with a huge pile of dirt to “weight” the site and stabilize the ground beneath the new building. Under the newly stabilized soil was a layer of solid rock.

This created challenges for the deeper boring needed for light pole bases as well as for standing water. The team worked with the local jurisdiction and low-voltage contractors to get essential data lines routed to the site, which took ample planning through the long process.

The new facility includes outpatient clinics, registration, phlebotomy, general radiology, ophthalmology, workspaces, an extensive parking lot with bioretention features, and a landscaped meadow for future expansion.

The open expanse of lobby and waiting room areas on the first and second floors let in light and build on the development’s proximity to the Columbia River at the western entrance of the Columbia River Gorge. The two-story glass lobby and stainless steel with glass feature stair contribute to the open feeling and light which enhances the health provisions of The Vancouver Clinic. Wall graphics and original art highlight the location and bring the natural surroundings inside.

The team delivered the project ahead of schedule and below budget, allowing The Vancouver Clinic to serve the community with needed health care services in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The end product streamlines access for patients, provides increased levels of privacy and promotes teamwork amongst clinicians and staff.

Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Elks Children’s Eye Clinic
Submitting Company: Skanska USA Building
Location: Portland
Cost: Confidential
Owner/Developer: Oregon Health & Science University
Architect: NBBJ
Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Additional Engineering Firms: KPFF Consulting Engineers, PAE
General Contractor: Skanska USA Building
Subcontractors: A Cut Above Concrete Cutting, Bauwerk Safety Systems, Benson Industries, Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, Carr Construction, Cascade Tower and Rigging, Caughlan’s Commercial Floor Covering, Cherry City Electric, Chick Of All Trades, Chown, Coffman Excavation, Crossfire Sprinkler, D & R Masonry Restoration, Dennis’ Seven Dees Landscaping, Faustrollean Fixture, Interior Technology, Interior/Exterior Specialists, Knife River, Masons Supply, Merit Contractor of Oregon, Mt. Hood Window Coverings, Ness Campbell Crane + Rigging, Northwest Scaffold Service, Otis Elevator, Pacific Foundation, PCI Democon, Performance Contracting, Pioneer Waterproofing, Prestige Tile & Stone, QEDLAB, Quality Door Service, R2M2 Rebar and Stressing, River City Rebar, Snyder Roofing, Specialty Firestop Systems, Streimer Sheet Metal Works, SunBelt Rentals, Swisslog Healthcare Solutions, Total Mechanical, Waypoint Sign, Western Partitions, Westlake Consultants

The Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Elks Children’s Eye Clinic is the first free-standing eye institute for pediatric patients in Oregon and throughout the United States. The clinic provides a full range of comprehensive and subspecialty care to children, babies and young adults, along with services for all ages in retina, ophthalmic genetics and vision rehabilitation.

The project had aggressive energy goals from the start that included a LEED Gold mandate; meeting the Architecture 2030 energy goals; providing all electric vehicles with no onsite gas; Energy Trust of Oregon’s Path to Net Incentive Program; and solar-ready electrical infrastructure.

These energy goals guided the design team in selecting the building envelope criteria and MEP infrastructure. The majority of the energy savings come from three main areas. The first is a complete LED lighting design, including occupancy sensors and daylight dimming beyond code requirements.

The second is an enhanced thermal envelope coupled with an efficient HVAC system, which consists of dedicated outside air systems for ventilation and a heat recovery variable refrigerant flow system for space conditioning. The third is an air-to-water heat pump installed for domestic water heating along with domestic water use restrictions.

Steelhead Surgical
Submitting Company: Mackenzie
Location: Portland
Cost: Confidential
Owner/Developer: Steelhead Surgical
Architect: Mackenzie
Engineer: Mackenzie
General Contractor: R&H Construction
Subcontractors: American Heating, Builders Appliance Supply, Cascade Door Service, CDI Blinds, Clean World Maintenance, Construction Specialties, DeBenedetto’s Commercial Flooring, DePaul Services, Digital Works Productions, District Painting, Eagle Striping Service, Heritage Glass, IES Commercial, Instafab, LaneCo, McDonald & Wetle, Pacific Window Tint, Paladeni Concrete, Patriot Fire Protection, Portland Drywall Systems Enterprise, Pure Floors, Rayborn’s Plumbing, Rytec, Steven W Broders Co., Uncommon Cabinetry, Viridian Reclaimed Wood, Vista Interiors, WMX Construction, Woodcraft

Steelhead Surgical’s 20,000-square-foot Portland headquarters includes laboratory space; demonstration/education and technical demonstration for surgical devices; Tissue Bank facilities; shipping and receiving; and sales and administration teams.

In the new office, these services are combined under one roof in a unique and synergistic environment. The design challenge, and opportunity, involved delivering a space that successfully balanced such radically different functions.

The office exudes a warm hospitality that is a sharp contrast to more austere medical labs where Steelhead’s products might otherwise be demonstrated. The learning and demonstration facility within the office is open and visible from other areas. This creates a cohesive and welcoming atmosphere where visiting medical professionals can observe a demonstration and then seamlessly transition to a less formal social area within the office, such as the rooftop.

The workspace simultaneously provides a clear vision of what Steelhead offers and a collegial, friendly place. The design embraces the industrial nature of the rehabilitated space and celebrates the existing architecture with exposed beams.

Steelhead Surgical’s new office offers cutting-edge medical demonstration functions, a showplace for the company’s technology and an attractive workplace. The unique aspect is just how seamlessly the pieces fit together in a coherent whole.

Corvallis Museum
Submitting Company: Gerding Builders
Location: Corvallis
Cost: $11.5 million
Owner/Developer: Benton County Historical Museum
Architect: Allied Works Architecture
Engineer: Devco Engineering
Additional Engineering Firms: ARUP, Glumac, Jacobs (formerly CH2M Hill)
Other Consultants: Jaffe Holden, Morrison Hershfield
General Contractor: Gerding Builders
Subcontractors: Bell Hardware, Brandsen Flooring, Comfort Flow Heating, Culver Glass, Delta Fire, FEI Inspection , Foundation Engineering, II-S Mechanical , Kiwi Fab, L&M Industrial Fabrication, LDC, Mid Valley Commercial Construction, Overhead Door of Salem, PAB, Pro Steel, Reeds Painting, Rite Way Electric, Santiam Heating & Sheetmetal, Smith Glass, Stutzman & Kropf, TGC Structural, ThyssenKrupp, Uncommon-Cabinetry, WH Cress, Willamette Valley Excavation

Located opposite a 125-year-old general store and the former territorial capital of Oregon, the 19,000-square-foot Corvallis Museum asserts a contemporary presence while complementing nearby historic sites.

The building embraces the street, inviting the public into the lobby and exhibit hall, museum store, classroom and event space, and public courtyard. Glimpses into the galleries are seen from the principal cross streets, as projecting bays and windows fold out over the sidewalk.
Visitors are guided up a grand stair into a series of interconnected galleries. The galleries occupy clear-span bays bisected by clerestories, providing controlled daylight to accommodate the varied nature of the collection.

The team chose to pursue LEED Silver certification for the building to honor sustainability goals and provide the most efficient systems necessary for the preservation of the historical artifacts. The temperature and humidity are carefully controlled throughout the museum with an advanced DOAS system. The interior lighting controls are 100 percent dimmable and individually controlled for each of the six exhibit rooms. The exterior light is on astronomical controls for automatic dusk-to-dawn lighting.

The Corvallis Museum took two decades to plan and more than two years to build. With a building such as this, it is intentional that portions fade away so as not to distract from the exhibit. It involved difficult architectural features that required a high level of detail and posed many construction challenges. As an example, the ceilings are not square, but rather slope in various directions to lead the viewer’s eye through the exhibit space.

As the project wrapped up, the dream was coming true and the calendar was booked. However, it all came to an abrupt halt when the pandemic shut everything down. The pandemic hindered large public gatherings, but the Corvallis Museum is allowing small groups by reservation.