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PART I: Tropical Modernism in a Multicultural Context at the Docomomo US National Symposium

Tropical Modernism was showcased, explored, and celebrated at the sixth annual Docomomo US National Symposium in late September 2019. Docomomo US/Hawaii chapter hosted, and as the current Docomomo US/Oregon chapter president I had the opportunity to experience all things tropical and modern in Oahu, Hawaii.

Honolulu (2)-pmapdx

For those unfamiliar with the mouthful that is Docomomo (documentation for the conservation of the modern movement), it’s a national (technically international) non-profit dedicated to the preservation of modern architecture, landscape and design. At the Oregon chapter we take this mission a bit further by including art from the core era of modernism and one of the most controversial architectural movements: post modernism. But let’s get back to the oasis that is Oahu. First, if you have the opportunity to visit this island – DO IT. It is a multicultural, dense cosmopolitan city yet rural surf-town, absolute food heaven, post-war architectural wonderland where tropical resort design began, all rolled into one island that has weather far superior than what we ever get in the state of Oregon. Why do we all live in the cold and rain?!

The symposium kicked-off with a welcome reception at the Outrigger Canoe Club. The building is situated right along the Waikiki coast and was designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in 1941. Ossipoff had a prolific Honolulu-based firm, Ossipoff Snyder Architects. A common theme I was unware would take a central role throughout the symposium was about tropical outdoor/indoor living, or better known as lanai.

honolulu-beach

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
University of Hawaii at Manoa hosted the first day of symposium presentations at Jefferson Hall. While there are several mid-century buildings across the campus, Jefferson Hall is an architectural gem among them. Completed in 1963 and designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei with Young & Henderson. Jefferson Hall was the last building constructed of the East-West Center (EWC) campus. The EWC helped put Hawaii on an international stage, connecting Asia and the West. Jefferson Hall in particular “combines the austere symmetry of the New Formalism with hints of Chinese traditional architecture to convey the links between Asia and the West envisioned by the center’s multiple champions and founders.” (1.)

HAWAII OVERVIEW – from traditional architecture to mid-century modernism
Glenn Mason
Graham Hart

Bit perplexed that native Hawaiian architecture was breezed over and barely mentioned. The presentation began with thatched houses, then quickly jumped to the first Western-style frame houses being shipped to Hawaii in the 1820s. These were the type of structures the Missionaries were accustomed to. From there we learned that basalt quarries were developed in the 1880s, and the California Gold Rush really opened up west coast trade to Hawaii. For the first time Douglas Fir was shipped from the mainland to Hawaii. Mason then explained that while Hawaii had designers, they did not have architects, but architects from Australia or the mainland came to Hawaii and contributed to the beaux-arts and neo-classical styled structures. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that a regional style began to express itself in Hawaii, and across the mainland. Hawaii regional style elements include: double pitched roof, lanai, local materials, and an overhang roof.

Towards the end of the 1930s change thinking happens and international style references begins to be expressed in architecture. Hawaii sees an influx of younger architects from Europe that were schooled in modernist design. The late 1930s had a stream of construction on military bases (several designed by Albert Kahns office), but by the time of WWII, 99% of architects on the island went to work for the military. From the 1930s through the 1960s there is a shift in the architecture vocabulary in Hawaii. It begins with regional style with a hint of modern, then modern used to reinterpret regionalism. Modern architects of note in Hawaii from that era:

Vladimir Ossipoff
Peter Wimberly
Lemmon, Freeth, Haines, and Jones
Edwim Bauer
Alfred Preis
Johnson & Perkins

The shift in the architecture vocabulary in Hawaii continues from the 1940s through the 1970s. Now we begin to see the environmental influences on modernism, even though rural landscapes are being transformed into cosmopolitan centers with smaller, steep, tight sites or housing. Materials used for modern design now includes concrete, cast concrete, lava rock, coral, local woods, and aggregates. Modern architecture in Hawaii also embraces the natural environment. This is most reflective in architect’s obsessions with lanai. This obsession found its way from residential homes to large developments. The East-West Center (1962-1963) at the University of Hawaii Manoa, designed by I.M. Pei, is a phenomenal example of a monumental, institutional piece of architecture that embraced the lanai.

Jefferson-Hall-001

ASIAN INFLUENCES
Alison Chiu and Alissa Carson
Lorraine Minatoishi
Luca Guido

This group of presentations focused on different facets of Asian influences and how the contributions were interwoven in post-war architectural design throughout Hawaii. Lorraine Minatoishi focused on Japanese temple architecture influence of modern design post-war. There were distinct temple styles developed throughout their history in Hawaii:

Japanese Traditional Style (late 1800s – early 1900s)
Plantation Style (late 1800s – early 1900s)
Hawaii Eclectic Style (early 1900s – 1950s)
East-West Style (1918 – 1950s)
Post-War Modernism (led by second-generation Japanese architect Niser)
Post-War Traditional

Luca’s presentation took it a step further by discussing an obscure architect from the mid-century modern era, Bruce Goff, and how he also influenced local architects to Hawaii. I had not heard of Bruce Goff like most, but Luca Guido explained why this figure in the realm of modernism was obscured until now.

RESIDENCES OF WIMBERLY AND COOK
Following presentations at the University of Hawaii and a self-guided walking tour of other mid-century campus resources, I chose to attend the Residences of Wimberly & Cook Tour. Pete Wimberly of Wimberly & Cook designed two residences situated above the Manoa Valley. Wimberly designed some of the most iconic mid-century modern buildings in Hawaii. Wimberly came to Hawaii in 1940, and post-war his career flourished. His designs embodied tropical modernism, spaces that blurred indoor and outdoor living. The residential designs we toured both featured indoor/outdoor living, natural cross-ventilation, elegant interior details and finishes, and a smart use of natural light. However, they were completely different in essence, aesthetic, style, and state.
Cook-Residence-PMAPDX
The Japanese style pavilion house was like walking into a meticulously cared-for time capsule. There wasn’t even dust on the book shelves that displayed artifacts collected and arranged by the original homeowner! However, there were a few signs of wear-and-tear on the interior Japanese style floor mats, kitchen cabinets along their frames, and slight dry-rot peppered across the original wood deck. Otherwise the home was pristinely maintained. Wimberly’s private residence across the street was a different story.

Wimberly’s private residence was constructed in 1945. This is an insane date for residential construction due to World-War II ending the same year, and the majority of architects/contractors in Oahu were working on military projects. With the Japanese style pavilion home, you enter by walking down slightly winding stone steps. With Wimberly’s private residence, you enter by climbing up stone steps that deliver visitors to a small landing, and then up more exterior stairs. The second set of stairs (wood planks suspended by cables) makes for a swoon-worthy entry sequence that looks like something Dwell or Architectural Digest would gobble up for a feature article.
Wimberly-Residence-PMAPDX
From the now faded red door, redish-pink painted wood paneled ceilings, decorative animal sculptures situated within the header above the door that leads from the dining area into the kitchen, to ornate light fixtures and various metal finishes throughout the space, Wimberly’s private residence utilized design elements that reflected the multicultural diversity of Hawaii. The residence is also quintessential mid-century design: natural cross-ventilation, sliding wall panels to completely open up or section off the main-floor living, dining and lounge areas, and a technological savvy (for its time) kitchen. From the perspective of how we design kitchens today, it is real sad and small, save for the to-die-for view of the lush tropical garden from the kitchen window over the sink.

Wimberley’s private residence also showed signs of being well lived-in, yet not maintained with any desired vigor. The wood framed windows on either side of the structure are rotting like the planks along the entry façade deck, and there are several cracked panes of window glass. Structural settling has made itself known, and the kitchen is retro in a manner no one would want for daily use. Most of the interior painted walls or ceilings have faded into softer hues of their original bold colors. And, when we visited, it looked as though someone was living there, yet possibly setting up an estate sale for interior items. There were some true mid-century interior design gems scattered in the clutter piled up from the floor I wish I could have packed in my suitcase for the return trip.

Hope you enjoyed PART I: Tropical Modernism in a Multicultural Context at the Docomomo US National Symposium! In Part II we will discuss the Hawaii State Capitol, and presentations on Historic Preservation in Hawaii and Tropical Resort Design.

Written by Kate Kearney, Associate.

1. Shen, Haigo and Irene. Tropical Modernism At University of Hawaii At Manoa. Docomomo US National Symposium, Oahu, Hawaii, September 2019.

Five Questions with PMA’s Summer Intern, Skyla Leavitt

This summer Skyla Leavitt had the opportunity to participate in a paid internship at PMA in our Portland office. In addition to working as an intern, Skyla is working at the University of Oregon (UO) in Portland as a Student Services Assistant. Her position at UO includes fielding emails from incoming students, organizing orientation and a field trip that the incoming class takes, and giving tours for both the architecture and historic preservation programs. Additionally, Skyla is the first and only student to pursue concurrent Masters in the Architecture and Historic Preservation programs at the UO Portland campus. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Architecture from The Ohio State University: Knowlton School of Architecture, a Masters of Architecture from the University of Oregon: College of Design in Portland, and is currently finishing her Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Oregon: College of Design in Portland. It has been a delight to have Skyla working with all levels of staff at PMA on renovation projects for existing and historic properties.

Describe something new you learned while at PMA during your internship?
I came to PMA with some professional experience in architecture and a fundamental knowledge of historic preservation. However, in the 7 years since I have started this career path, I have somehow never learned Revit, let alone how Revit is used in conjunction with an existing building. I have been developing my Revit skill-set during my internship, and I think it has been particularly helpful to learn this program through the lens of preservation, as this is how I will continue to use it throughout my career. The use of 3D laser scans and point clouds, technology I had never previously been exposed to, has not only been interesting, but also eye opening to the ways this field is effectively utilizing technology.

What have you enjoyed working on while at PMA?
I have been allowed the opportunity to partake in a variety of work in my short time at PMA, which I am very grateful for! The process of carrying out condition assessments and documenting the current state of a historic building, as well as how we might address its issues, is very satisfying to me. I have also enjoyed developing enclosure details, which has exposed me to the numerous and specific challenges architects face when working on historic buildings.

Has your internship changed your perspective on historic preservation, or working with existing resources?
I wouldn’t say my perspective has changed, rather that it has been validated. My internship has confirmed for me that I am in the right field and that I have found my niche, so to speak. I have always wanted a specialization, and new construction has never appealed the same way adaptive reuse or renovation work has. Preservation was a natural fit for me and sits well with my tendencies towards the nostalgic.

How will your internship experience influence your studies when you return to school?
When I return to school this autumn, I plan to write my Master of Science in Historic Preservation thesis about the intersection of architecture and historic preservation in practice, specifically the interdisciplinary negotiations and compromises that allow a building to maintain its historic integrity, while also achieving improved technical functionality and code compliance. I believe our ability as architects to successfully facilitate these conversations is integral to sustaining not only the physical longevity of a historic site, but also the relevance and importance it holds within the community by allowing it to serve users in new or improved capacities.

Do you have a favorite aspect about architecture or historic preservation?
I am very interested in building enclosures and how we marry modern concepts with historic practices when we make an intervention in a historic building envelope. Masonry in particular, as opposed to wood, fascinates me as it is both fragile and enduring.

BONUS: Anything fun you did in PDX this summer?
The highlights of my summer have been tubing down the Clackamas River, berry picking at Sauvie Island, attending a few concerts at the Moda Center, and hiking the Tom, Dick, and Harry Trail on a clear day when I could see Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Jefferson all at once. But I also just hang out with my cat, Olive, a lot!

History of Fountain Place Apartments, formerly Wheeldon Annex

Back in April, we introduced an exciting on the boards project – Fountain Place Apartments Seismic Upgrade. Working with Lorentz Bruun Construction, we are delivering a design-build project to improve the life safety of Fountain Place Apartments, while retaining its historic character. Completed in 1914 and originally named Wheeldon Annex, Fountain Place is a five-story unreinforced brick apartment building located in downtown Portland, owned and operated by Home Forward. There are 74 total units, with studio, one-and two-bedroom homes. The unit mix is 5 at 40%, 5 at 50% and the rest restricted at 60% area median income (AMI). While the project is progressing on schedule, we will be discussing below the architectural significance of this historic resource as it relates to our built environment.
historic-1916-fountainplace-wheeldon-annex
OVERVIEW
Constructed in two distinct phases in 1911, the Fountain Place Apartments were originally named the Wheeldon Annex. The building occupies a quarter-block lot in downtown Portland, Oregon, at the corner of SW Salmon Street and SW 10th Avenue. The Wheeldon Annex is one of the earliest surviving examples of a U-shaped residential apartment/hotel in downtown Portland. It is a 5-story brick structure with intact Italian Renaissance Revival features such as a decorative bracketed cornice, buff brick body with corbeled details and rusticated base, and an upper level treated as a paneled frieze. Character-defining wood double-hung multi-pane windows have been retained throughout and appear to be well maintained. Alterations to the exterior have been quite minimal.

The interior of the Wheeldon Annex has good integrity; although a number of units have been altered or divided, the general layout with U-shaped double-loaded corridors at every floor remains, and many units still contain at least some original features, materials, and layouts. These include primary rooms with original oak flooring and in some cases, the original built-in furniture with pull-out beds and fold-down desks; kitchens with wood cabinetry and trim; and bathrooms with claw foot tubs and built-in ventilation and cabinetry. While there are many units that have been divided, the alterations (primarily in the mid-1930s but continuing into the 1990s) have generally left original features in place.
detial-fountain-place-home-forward

The history of Wheeldon Annex is engrained in Portland’s and Oregon’s social history and practice of systemic racism. From Oregon’s statehood in 1859, the Black population were marginalized and segregated from the White population. Oregon’s State Constitution included Article 1, Section 35, “No free negro or mulatto not residing in this state at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall come, reside or be within this state or hold any real estate, or make any contracts, or maintain any suit therein.” With the 14th and 15th Amendments, in 1868 and 1870, respectively, the Article should have been nullified, but the practices within restrictive covenants, discriminatory real estate sales, and racist zoning practices overwhelmingly prevented Black people in Oregon from accessing jobs, housing, and other vital resources.

In 1910, one year before Wheeldon Annex opened, the Black population in Oregon was 1,492 while the state’s total population was 672,765. In Portland, the Black population was 775 while the city had a total of 90,246 inhabitants. The legal and systemic provisions put in place by the White majority were working to the detriment of Black people in Oregon.

DESIGN OF WHEELDON ANNEX
When Ernest MacNaughton was commissioned to design an apartment building for Frank Warren, he would have been quite familiar with the large apartment blocks built for well-off tenants on the east coast. MacNaughton’s design for the 1911 Wheeldon Annex illustrates a residential apartment block form with front courtyard protected on three sides. This form created an outdoor area but with restricted access, a pragmatic response to the more urban condition in downtown Portland.

The Wheeldon Annex, with its front entry court, appears to be among the first buildings in Portland to use a residential apartment typology in the downtown setting. There are only two earlier examples of a U-shaped apartment-style building constructed closer to downtown than those listed above; one of these is now demolished: the 1910 Beaux-Arts style Rose-Friend Apartments at 1307 SW Broadway. The other comparable downtown example pre-dating the Wheeldon Annex is the 1908 Nortonia Hotel (now Mark Spencer Hotel) at 409 SW 11th Avenue. The 6.5-story building was designed by Josef Jacobberger and has, atypically for a hotel, individual rooms along the ground floor rather than storefront with more commercial or public uses. The building exhibits a U-shaped plan with a central front pedestrian entry court and has a restrained style, with some Tudor elements and some Italian Renaissance Revival decorative touches. It is worth mentioning that there was another much larger but well-known hotel that may have been inspirational in its massing and layout. The opulent full-block Portland Hotel, which opened in 1890 and was demolished in 1951, was a 6-story building with H-shaped plan including a large forecourt for carriage drop-off.
fountain-place-home-forward
SIGNIFICANCE
Designed by MacNaughton & Raymond for owner Frank M. Warren, the Wheeldon Annex is locally significant for its illustration of the newly acceptable, and even fashionable, shift towards high-end residential apartment living in downtown Portland. The building is one of the earliest downtown examples of a U-shaped residential apartment block form, which later proliferated across Portland, including in the downtown setting. It was completed in 1911, using a U-shaped layout first seen as early as 1907 in high-class apartments in the exclusive “Nob Hill” residential district to the west of downtown Portland. The Wheeldon Annex is associated with Portland’s exponential growth during the ten-year period starting with the Lewis and Clark Exposition. During this time, apartment buildings were introduced in Portland as a new type of construction and use targeted towards the wealthier class.

The Wheeldon Annex is also locally significant because it is a highly intact work of the well-regarded Portland architectural partnership of MacNaughton and Raymond. The building displays distinctive characteristics of the Italian Renaissance Revival style in its division into three parts; the rusticated base, middle, and decorative cornice. The Wheeldon Annex was conceived as a high-end venture; and its use of modern built-in, fold-away furniture, single bathrooms for every apartment, dumbwaiters, and tenant services gave the building a highly respectable and up-to-date reputation as soon as it was completed in 1911. While not all of these interior features, especially in individual units, are still present, the building still has good integrity overall. The building is still in its original and primary residential use, although it no longer has “hotel” functions. The building maintains its original location, design, setting, materials, and workmanship and still conveys its overall historic feeling and association.
1920-wheeldon-annex-oregonian
The incredible boom in apartment and hotel construction in the first decade of the 20th century in Portland took place primarily in downtown and in northwest Portland. What is significant about the Wheeldon Annex is that it was one of the first to take the new apartment building block form, the largest and newest residential typology, and put it downtown without any ground floor commercial or significant public uses. Rather, the building featured a residential-style front courtyard. Almost all earlier forecourt apartment block examples in Portland were located significantly west of downtown. The Wheeldon Annex was constructed as an apartment-hotel, offering limited services to guests who might be permanent or temporary.

The building is locally significant for its association with the period of explosive growth starting with Portland’s Lewis and Clark Exposition in 1905. It is one of the earliest existing representations of a building typology that was to become all but ubiquitous. The size, scale, and general footprint of the building spawned hundreds of structures across Portland using a similar size, scale, and front court entry well into the 1930s. The building was designed by MacNaughton & Raymond for Frank Manley Warren, a man who made his fortune in the salmon packing and canning industry and died on the Titanic in 1912; one of only two Oregon residents to perish in the disaster. The building design features highly intact Italian Renaissance Revival exterior features such as a projecting decorative cornice with grouped brackets, a rusticated brick base, and multi-pane wood double-hung windows. It is therefore also locally significant for its architecture; as a well-crafted example of the style by a highly regarded Portland architectural firm.
HF-Fountain-Place-PMAPDX-LBC
MACNAUGHTON & RAYMOND ARCHITECTS
Ernest Boyd MacNaughton was an architect in Portland who practiced successfully for several decades. However, he also succeeded in becoming, through his own efforts, one of Portland’s powerful and influential banking and civic leaders. MacNaughton was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1880. MacNaughton arrived in Portland and was employed by Edgar M. Lazarus for three years until he formed his own office in 1906 with his brother-in-law, Herbert Raymond, an engineer. In 1907, only a few years after he had arrived in Portland without appreciable money or family connections, MacNaughton began to make speculative real estate transactions, riding the incredible growth in land values at that time in Portland.

In 1913, E. B. MacNaughton’s reputation took a hit when he was fired by Henry Pittock, publisher of the Oregonian. MacNaughton had been hired to renovate the Marquam building at Sixth and Morrison, but the east wall of the building collapsed when renovations were attempted and the building ultimately had to be demolished. By some accounts, the building was poorly constructed with defective materials.

By 1928, MacNaughton became involved with the First National Bank of Portland. He became president of the bank in 1932, and by 1947 chairman of the board. MacNaughton also sat in a position of leadership with many Portland institutions.

Across his design career, MacNaughton’s work shows an excellent sensitivity to scale and composition and a propensity towards a muted, 20th Century Commercial aesthetic perhaps most evident in his later warehouses. He did not have his classmate and early partner Ellis Lawrence’s facility with asymmetrical compositions or charming English styles, but MacNaughton showed a more than competent talent for the design of urban, commercial structures. Many of his buildings use tripartite “Chicago” windows, and almost all are brick.

Written by PMA staff, edited by Kate Kearney, Associate, for clarity.

Condensation Analysis for Historic Window Replacements

Window alterations for original single pane glass or new insulated glazing units with new interior storm windows, are growing requests from building owners of historic commercial properties. Two items we recommend to consider regarding these types of alterations: the potential for condensation as a result of the alterations, and the required review processes that may be triggered by exterior alterations to the historic building. In addition, installing a mock-up of proposed window alterations provides the opportunity to accurately measure and document existing and proposed conditions, and review the location of sealant joints and proposed glass types in order to accurately simulate the risk of condensation.

CONDENSATION ANALYSIS
Installation of new storm windows typically reduces the potential for condensation at the interior face of the glass as the surface is kept warmer. However, interior storms can lead to condensation within the interstitial space between the existing window and the new storm window. The condensation is a result of the warm humid air inside the building leaking into the colder interstitial space. As air leaks into the interstitial space, it cools and it can condense on the interior surface of the exterior glazing unit. Moisture/condensation within the interstitial space can cause deterioration of the wood surfaces and obscure views to the exterior.

For this type of condensation analysis, PMA uses THERM, a tool for modeling 2-dimensional heat transfer and WINDOW, a tool for calculating window performance to analyze the windows. The purpose is to understand how the addition of storm windows will impact heat transfer and window performance in order to gauge the potential for condensation. The focus of this type of simulation is determining if the temperature of the air within the interstitial space would reach its dewpoint – indicating water would condense. Following the analysis results, PMA provides recommendations for mitigating and minimizing condensation based on the condensation simulations.
condensation-analysis-historic-window-replacement
LIMITATIONS
It should be noted that no single tool exists for modeling all of the variables associated with moisture and heat transfer through windows. Hygrothermal analysis (transfer of heat and moisture), is typically limited to 1-dimensional simulation which is inadequate for the complexities of a window which has wood, air, glass, sealant, etc. The 2-dimensional software that has been verified is not currently capable of simulating the complexities associated with heat transfer/soar heat gain through glass surfaces and air. The software we use for window analysis studies is designed to provide the following information:

U-Values
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
Condensation Resistance Index
Surface Temperature Map of the Entire Window
2-Dimensional Heat Transfer

Additionally, the potential for condensation is directly related to air temperature and relative humidity. Depending on the use of the commercial building, the interior air temperature and relative humidity are expected to vary greatly. The simulations performed as part of this study cannot account for all of the potential temperature/relative humidity variations that may occur. The results may vary depending on different interior/exterior conditions.
condensation-analysis-historic-window-replacement
MODEL SET UP
For this type of analysis we develop cross-section drawings for the window head, sill, upper jamb, lower jamb, and meeting rail. The sections are developed based on field measurements (note, sometimes we only have access to interior measurements, making exterior ones approximate). The sections are imported into THERM and modeled to simulate heat flow through the window. We then select glazing systems from the extensive glass library. The systems are selected to match the properties of the proposed materials as closely as possible.

Simulations are set up to run according to the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) standards which specify conditions for simulating the interior and exterior environments. The required exterior temperature is at 0 °F and the interior at 70 °F. These temperatures provide information on more severe conditions than Portland, Oregon, however, they can be used to conservatively predict when condensation is possible. Once the cross sections has been modeled and simulated in THERM, the results are imported into WINDOW to calculate the full window performance, including SHGC, Condensation Resistance Index, U-Value, and temperature Map.
condensation-analysis-historic-window-replacement
CONCLUSION
While simulations cannot definitively predict the location and quantity of condensation, the results can be interpreted to predict the probability of condensation occurring. Sometimes our analysis shows the possibility that water will condense within the interstitial space, which happens primarily for the following reasons:

The air temperature within the interstitial space is significantly colder than the room air temperature. Any water within air infiltrating into this space may condense under the right conditions. This is exacerbated by the fact that the room temperature and relative humidity may vary greatly and cannot be strictly controlled.

The simulation for predicting condensation on the interior face of the IGU indicated that condensation was possible when the air within the interstitial space matched the properties of the interior air. Under actual conditions, the air within the interstitial space will likely be cooler and more humid than the interior air. The cooler, wetter air will have an even greater potential for condensation.

Condensation within the interstitial space between an existing and storm window is common and several methods are available to reduce the potential for condensation and mitigate any water within the cavity. For clients we provide recommendations with our analysis of window alterations for original single pane glass.

Written by Halla Hoffer, AIA, Assoc. DBIA

2019 Modernism in America Awards

“Not all preservation advocacy efforts result in a positive outcome, but these efforts would never happen in the first place without one person carrying the banner, holding the megaphone, taking the lead, and Peter has exhibited that strongly in this case, and throughout his career.”
– Gunny Harboe, Docomomo US Director

Via DOCOMOMO US
An Advocacy Award of Excellence is given to Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB, for his leadership and advocacy work related to the Portland Public Service Building (the Portland Building). As the founding President of DOCOMOMO US/Oregon, Peter and his architectural practice Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA) played a pivotal role in speaking up and advocating for the sensitive preservation of the Postmodern icon, designed by Michael Graves and completed in 1982.

In 2011, PMA wrote the nomination to add the building to the National Register of Historic Places, a serious undertaking, without being contracted to do so. Shortly thereafter the city began to consider making improvements after years of deferred maintenance and chose to move forward with a reconstruction plan that disregarded the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

Despite opposition from PMA, local and national advocates, and a letter from the National Park Service stating the building would be “de-listed” from the National Register, the Portland Landmarks Commission nevertheless voted to approve the reconstruction plan. Faced with significant alteration of arguably Portland’s most important architectural icon, Peter pushed forward individually and appealed the decision. Portland City Council denied the appeal, essentially ending the effort. Peter remained dedicated to the cause throughout the entire process, despite substantial local professional risk.

Although the fight is now over, DOCOMOMO US/Oregon has not let the story go out of the headlines, continuing to document the ongoing dismantling of the Portland Building’s façade.

For the full list of 2019 MODERNISM IN AMERICA award winners, please visit DOCOMOMO US.

On the Boards: Fountain Place Apartments Seismic Upgrade

HF-Fountain-Place-PMAPDX-LBC

Built in 1914 and originally named Wheeldon Annex, Fountain Place is a five-story unreinforced brick apartment building located in downtown Portland, owned and operated by Home Forward. There are 80 total units, with studio, one and two bedroom homes. The residents it serves have incomes between 40% and 80% of the area median income. The building is listed in the City of Portland Historic Resource Inventory, with an III ranking for its architectural significance. Fountain Place was built in the Second Renaissance Revival style with a raised basement, bracketed sheet metal cornice, and belt course with brick corbels. The building has a basement and courtyard. Presently, PMA is working with Lorentz Bruun Construction on a design-build project to improve the life safety of the building, while retaining its historic character.

Within the need for seismic upgrade lies a number of challenges our team has the solutions to resolve. Seismic upgrades within historic buildings are disruptive to existing electrical systems, mechanical systems, plumbing systems, and impact existing resident walls and units. The design-build team understand the challenge of minimizing the disruption and how to navigate current City of Portland URM retrofit standards as they relate to potential future mandates for these types of buildings.

While the project is in its preliminary stages, the team has reviewed the existing conditions at Fountain Place, including the extensive previous documentation and visited non-occupied spaces within the building. Up next for the team are additional investigations into the existing conditions that go beyond research and visual observations.

FOUNTAIN PLACE TEAM
Lorentz Bruun
Peter Meijer Architect
KPFF
Reyes
GLUMAC
Salazar Architect, Inc.

HF-Fountain-Place-PMAPDX-LBC

The History of PPS McDaniel (formerly Madison) High School

At the end of January, PMA was invited to give a presentation to students at Portland Public Schools McDaniel (formerly Madison) High School. “The History of Madison High School” turned out to be engaging for many of the students in two back-to-back social studies classes taught by Mr. Jason Miller, and fun for the presenter from PMA (Kristen Minor) as well. PMA is part of the multi-disciplinary team for the PPS McDaniel High School Modernization project.

Below are highlights from the presentation illustrating changes over time in the vicinity of the school, an area that is quite familiar to the students. Old photographs of a place remind us how radically our environment changes, even though it feels (especially to a high school student) that change is s-l-o-w. The presentation also covered basic facts about the school, including its design in the International Style, a subset of Modernism, and what that means in comparison to pre-war “traditional” architectural styles. Madison was constructed in 1957 and designed by the firm of Stanton Bowles Maguire & Church, who also designed Marshall High School in SE Portland a few years later in 1960.
PPS-Madison-HS-PMAPDX-Lecture
PRE-SETTLEMENT HISTORY
Much of East Portland, especially the northerly portions along the Columbia, was Chinook tribal territory. These peoples were decimated by diseases from contacts with European and American exploration, colonialization and fur trappers in the period between the 1780s and the 1850s. Oregon Trail pioneers began to come to the area to settle by the early 1840s. The Donation Land claim act of 1850 divided the western territories into quarter mile grid sections and deeded the land to individuals (up to 320 acres) and couples (up to 640 acres), as long as you would live on and farm the land. That’s why the distribution of land by the federal government is clearly visible in the grid pattern of streets of our western cities, with anomalies like Sandy Boulevard and Foster usually being remnants of older tribal pathways.

TRANSPORTATION
This image shows 82nd Avenue where it crosses Halsey in 1916, when the train tracks crossed the roadway at grade. This location is a little more than half a mile south of the school. In 1916, people were getting around by horse and carriage, streetcar, train, walking, bicycling, and for a lucky few, driving (Model T’s went on the market in 1908). By the mid-1920s most families were able to purchase a car, but people didn’t take them everywhere like they do today.

– Transportation –

LAND USE
These three photos, all looking north on 82nd Ave, are from the early 1930s. The lower right photo illustrates the 1934 construction of a viaduct for the train line, so 82nd could finally extend over the train lines. The upper photo shows early development along a segment of 82nd in the Montavilla area, with mostly houses visible along the roadway in 1932. By 1937, Portland re-zoned the entire 82nd corridor to be commercial or industrial, so all of these houses were later demolished or heavily altered. Finally, the lower left photo shows 82nd being widened in 1934, with the Madison school site at the left at the very top of the hill on the horizon. Large areas of land were still completely rural, either undeveloped or producing crops. By the 1920s and 1930s, most of the farms that had once been in this area (many originally owned by Japanese immigrant farmers around Montavilla) had given way to increased development.

– Land Use –

HOUSING BOOM
The same Halsey Street intersection in 1947 is shown at the center of the photo, with 82nd Avenue stretching almost up to the Madison school site (just off the upper right of the image). None of the major freeways had been constructed yet, so the gully still only carried long-distance train tracks. After the war, housing development really took off, which resulted in an immediate need for schools in the area.

– Housing Boom –

SCHOOL DESIGN AND EFFICIENCY
From 1945 to 1970, Portland Public Schools constructed 51 new schools! The district had to be efficient and smart about costs under all the pressure to create schools in such a short period of time. Modernism as a style, with its emphasis on functionality, repetition, and horizontality, worked well for the district to ensure that they could construct the most building area for the least cost. Schools were designed in standardized materials and in expandable forms, allowing maximum flexibility.

– School Design and Efficiency –

As McDaniel High School moves closer to its construction start date for the PPS Modernization project, it is worth remembering that the school is a highly intact example of the mid-century International Style design aesthetic, but that the new iteration of the school will preserve portions of this design. Students in the updated school will hopefully have an appreciation for both the changes and the past design, with a glimpse into the history of change at the school and in the area surrounding the school.

Written by Kristen Minor, Associate / Preservation Planner

Post-Modern Higher Education Facility Assessment

BACKGROUND
Construction means and methods of masonry veneer walls, and particularly flashing systems needed for protection from water intrusion of those veneer walls, was well known in the Post-Modern era (circa 1980’s – 1990’s). Many professional organizations and industries (e.g. Brick Institute of America) published technical documents as guides to proper construction of masonry veneer walls.

PMA was retained to conduct a building envelope enclosure assessment of a Post Modern masonry veneer building, over the Owner’s concern of advanced deteriorated conditions of precast window sills. The purpose of the assessment was to provide the Owner an understanding of the extent of the precast failures, whether or not any other materials were impacted by the failed conditions, and to provide an analysis of potential cause and a rough order of magnitude cost of potential mitigation. The Owner also sought an evaluation of the effectiveness of a proposal to install sheet metal over the sills to prolong the life of the precast for another forty years.
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The circa 1984 Post Modern masonry veneer building links two existing historic academic classroom buildings and functions as both laboratory space and faculty offices. The building is an off-set “T” in plan with the leg of the T forming the link between the existing academic structures. A six-story faculty office tower, rises between the existing structures on the east end of the leg. The majority of the window openings occur along the bar of the T on the west elevation. The building wall cross section, from exterior to interior, is comprised of a single course of masonry veneer, a 1.5 inch air gap, an 12 inch thick cast in place concrete structural frame, a 4 inch air gap, steel stud framing, and one layer of interior gypsum board. Given the laboratory program, there is a strong interior positive air pressure that creates significant air flow within the interior air gap between the gypsum board and concrete frame. There have been no major renovations of the building since its construction.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS
PMA conducted a two-part assessment program. Part 1 consisted of a visual only assessment performed on the precast window sills, precast window headers, masonry veneer mortar joints, sealant joints, and interior gypsum board adjacent to the aluminum window sill corners. Review of the 1984 original design documents and detail book were used to augment the on-site observations.

Visual observations of the exterior face of the veneer identified the extent of the aforementioned pre-cast sill damage, previous repairs and subsequent further cracking to the pre-cast window headers, mortar popping out of the joints, sealant failure along masonry control joints, rust staining corresponding to the veneer ledgers, and weeps were not visible along the ledger locations. In addition, dirt, debris, and other exterior material had blocked the built-in aluminum window frame weep holes.

In review of the design documents, it was noted that not all details followed industry standards. In specific, flashing was absent from some details. Other details indicated an incomplete flashing system for adequate protection of veneer walls. No three dimensional drawings for indicating flashing termination were included.

Part 2 of the assessment involved creating openings in the wall system both on the exterior and the interior. The purpose of the invasive openings was to verify that the wall was constructed as designed, to confirm if additional flashing was installed, and to determine if water intrusion was contributing to the visible damage. Given the degree of deterioration observed on the exterior, target locations for wall openings were performed of the interior face of the gypsum board immediately adjacent to the interior aluminum window sills.
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FINDINGS
The results of the invasive openings were significant in providing evidence of how lack of proper flashing can damage wall components while high internal positive air pressure can limit the damage to interior systems and protect veneer building envelope enclosure systems from extensive water intrusion.

The as‐built conditions, in some locations, varied considerably from the design details. No flashing was installed below the pre-cast window sills and no flashing was installed along the interface between the vertical window system and veneer walls. An outer layer of backer rod behind the vertical sealant joint and inner layer of backer rod behind the gypsum board were the only line of defense against water intrusion. Adequate and substantial copper flashing protected the steel ledger but all rope weeps (a common Post-Modern era construction material for veneer walls) were installed at proper spacing but did not extend to the exterior thereby trapping water against the ledger angles. Beyond the initial outer layer of defense against water intrusion (sealant system, veneer wall, and aluminum window system) there is no back up / secondary protection in place.

No interior finish systems appear to be damaged. The lack of adequate flashing does not currently create interior water intrusion. Current water intrusion is isolated to materials outward of the concrete structural frame. The lack of damage to the interior can be attributed to the high positive air pressure which in turn creates high volume of air flow within the interior air gap inward of the concrete frame. This positive pressure acts as a mitigating element against bulk water intrusion. Combined with the thickness of the concrete structural wall (approximately 12 inches), water intrusion is isolated to the masonry veneer system. Even at the aluminum window frame interface, the two layer of backer rod are sufficient to block water intrusion with a positive air pressure environment.
PoMo-EME-Building-Assessment-WSU
Recently installed new roof coping provided the means to mitigate the lack of through wall flashing along the parapet and greatly reduced water intrusion in the veneer wall air cavity. Given the age of the building, and visual observations, damage has already occurred prior to the new roof coping. In addition, the lack of flashing increases the need to routinely replace deteriorated sealant systems and maintain weeps on both the veneer wall and the aluminum window system. The extensive existing damage to the pre-cast components will require full replacement. During replacement, further assessment of structural components can be made and adequate flashing and weeps can be installed. The pre-cast replacement process may also serve as an opportunity to mock up potential secondary defense systems at the aluminum window frame/veneer wall interfaces. At this time the laboratory use requiring positive air pressure is protecting the interior. However, should the use of the building coincide with lowering of the pressure and air flow, a secondary means to prevent water intrusion will be required. For now, the large amount of air flow with in the cavity provides sufficient temperature and flow volume to adequately dry the cavity space.

Veneer systems, especially those constructed during the Post-Modern era require attention to the flashing details and corollary protective systems like sealant joints, weep holes, and preventive maintenance procedures to prolong the life of the structure and reduce the need for substantial repairs.

Written by Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB / Principal, and PMA architectural staff.

Five Questions with Halla Hoffer, AIA, Assoc. DBIA

This fall, Halla Hoffer, AIA, Assoc. DBIA and Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB, had the opportunity to teach a course in the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Oregon, School of Architecture & Allied Arts: Field Recording Methods. The course is designed for students to learn and practice the methods and strategies for conducting physical site, structure, building, and object investigation using professional practice standards. The case study for learning these methods and strategies included the Belluschi designed Robert and Charles Wilson Homes situated along the Deschutes River. The homes are included in Restore Oregon’s 2019 Most Endangered Places list.
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1. How does your architect’s mindset influence your role teaching a historic preservation class?

Historic Preservation and Architecture are very closely tied together – and yet there can be a disconnect between the two fields. As architects, we are taught to think creatively about problems and develop design solutions, while also understanding building constructions and materials. I believe our background in architecture gives us a unique perspective on not only on the construction of historic buildings but also allows us to creatively find ways to preserve those structures. In this course, we’ve been able to share our architectural experience through discussions on building observations/assessment, drawing conventions, building materials, and more.

2. What is your favorite aspect of working with students interested in learning about how to conduct site-specific observation/assessments for historic structures?

We’ve had the opportunity to take two field trips out to the Wilson Homes in Warm Springs, Oregon. Each visit has been a really fun experience for the entire class. When learning how to conduct a building assessment – there is only so much information that can be communicated through a lecture. The experience of being in the field and observing a structure in person cannot compare to photographs. I’ve had a lot of fun looking at the Wilson Homes with the class – and making observations with them about the condition of the homes, original constructions/materials, existing conditions, etc.

3. Do you have a favorite aspect of the Belluschi designed Wilson Homes? [layout; relation to the land; opportunity for rehab; etc…]

One of the most unique aspects of the Wilson Homes is their location on the Deschutes River. The homes are located directly on the river – and deeply connected to the landscape. It is difficult to explain the experience of being within a canyon along the Deschutes River and within one of the Wilson Homes. The views and sounds of the landscape are completely intertwined with the experience of the Homes.

4. Why is it important to rehabilitate these structures? What stories will be lost if they disappear?

Few intact examples of northwest mid-century modern homes remain. As a culture – our preferences for interior finishes, appliances, spatial layouts, etc have changed over the last half-century. Many mid-century homes have retained their exterior appearance, yet significant interior alterations have altered the original design intent. The Wilson Homes are unique in that minimal interior renovations have taken place. In both homes, the original spatial arrangements remain in-tact and many of the finishes are unaltered. The Robert Wilson home is particularly unique in that the original kitchen remains, dishwasher included. A rehabilitation would preserve these unique examples of mid-century architecture in the Pacific Northwest.

5. If you could give one piece of advice to graduate students (or recent graduates), what would it be?

Take the time to form relationships with both professors and people outside of school you can learn from. School is a wonderful, structured way to gain knowledge. But… that structure falls away once you graduate – and the need to continue learning doesn’t. Having people you can reach out to for guidance can be a valuable tool!
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Halla Hoffer, AIA, Assoc. DBIA
Associate / Peter Meijer Architect, PC

Halla is passionate about rehabilitating historic and existing architecture by integrating the latest energy technologies to maintain the structures inherent sustainability. Halla joined PMA in 2012 and was promoted to Associate in 2016. She is a specialist in energy and environmental management, as well as building science performance for civic, educational, and residential resources. Halla meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61).

Recycling Steel Windows: Is there a process?

PMA is leading the discussion to find a process to recycle steel windows.

Through our work of existing building restoration, PMA often encounters older properties with original steel windows. And more likely than not, we receive a request from the property Owner to upgrade those existing steel windows. Rarely does the request result from degradation or damage of the window system. Most often the Owners desire thermal and energy improvements.In order to achieve the desired improvements, while meeting code upgrades and other tenant improvements, replacement of the original steel windows is often the option of choice. And that is when the difficulty of recycling existing steel windows begins.
existing-steel-windows
STEEL WINDOWS 1920s – 1940s
In the 1920s through 1940s, there were a number of local and national steel window manufacturers. Steel windows were the preferred window system in both commercial and industrial buildings because of the simplicity of components, ease of installation, availability of product, size of window openings, and affordability of the product. Steel windows from every manufacturer typically used the same readily available extruded steel bar profiles: the “T” & “h” cross sections. The entire window assembly is characteristically composed of three materials: the frame, the glass, and glazing compound. Operable windows have added hardware. The steel sections of historic windows are still in use on today’s steel windows.

With such sparsity of components, and availability of an industrial steel recycling industry, why are steel windows not recycled? The answer is hazardous materials: lead paint and asbestos containing putty. Creating clean steel for recycling involves a two-step process. Once removed from the building, the steel windows must have the glass and glazing removed and the paint removed. Both the glazing and the paint must be disposed following hazardous material regulations. And that is the primary block to recycling. There are very few business established to remove hazardous waste from windows.
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CURRENT INDUSTRIAL PRACTICES
However, if we look at two current industrial practices, wood window restoration and carpet tile manufacturing, there is a basis for introduction of steel window recycling. Wood window restoration processes include the removal of lead paint and asbestos containing glazing putty. The industry has the capacity to use dipping tanks to remove the paint and putty on a large quantity of windows and then properly dispose of the waste. Modify the existing process to accommodate steel windows could be readily achievable. Manufacturers of carpet tiles revolutionized the industry by owning the recycling process from cradle to grave. Carpet tile manufacturers take back the tiles they manufactured for recycling and reuse. Steel window manufactures could do the same.

Currently steel window manufacturers purchase the cross sections from steel producers and do not become involved in the life span of the products they produce. If the steel window industry reassessed and evaluated their role in sustainable products, an opportunity to recycle existing steel windows would become available.

Here at Peter Meijer Architect, we are committed to lead the discussion with the design, build, and manufacturing community to find an economical solution to recycling steel windows. We believe that existing industries can be adapted to keep steel windows out of the waste stream and better utilize existing resources for reuse.

Written by Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB / Principal