Oregon Conservation Center
Portland, OR
- Award Year
- 2020
- Award Category
- Institutional
- Architect
- LEVER Architecture
- Contractor
- Lease Crutcher Lewis
- Structural Engineer
- KPFF Consulting Engineers
- Photos
- Jeremy Bittermann; Lara Swimmer; Shawn Records; LEVER Architecture
A blend of mass timber and light wood-frame construction, this renovation and expansion of The Nature Conservancy’s Oregon headquarters transforms a dated office building into a collaborative hub that reflects the environmental mission of its owner. Central to the upgrade is the addition of a 2,000-sf ground-level pavilion that serves as a gathering space for public events and collaborations. The building achieved LEED Gold certification, with features that include domestically-fabricated and FSC-certified cross-laminated timber panels, rooftop photovoltaics that produce 25 percent of the building’s electrical supply, efficient building systems and fixtures that reduce electricity consumption by 54 percent and water consumption by 44 percent, and a landscaping and subsurface filtration system to manage stormwater. Abundant daylighting, operable windows, and the use of local materials enhance comfort and connect occupants to the neighborhood and greater region. 15,000 sf / Type VB construction