Tag Archives: PMA Findings

How to Improve Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings

As historic architects we find window replacement projects to be particularly challenging — removing original materials from a structure can fundamentally change the design aesthetic. Our built environment must evolve to support more sustainable living, but finding the best way to achieve this goal for historic structures, while minimizing any aesthetic impacts, is an ongoing challenge.

When looking to improve energy performance the first inclination is often to replace the component with the lowest thermal resistance – the windows. Single pane historic windows provide minimal thermal resistance and contribute to heat loss through the building envelope. But is window replacement really the best option for reducing the carbon footprint of a historic building – how does it compare to other strategies?

energy-analysis-West ElevationPMA recently performed an energy analysis study to answer that question. The project was to provide quantitative data on the energy savings associated with window replacement versus insulating exterior walls. We choose to study a structure on the brink of historic status – a 1960’s multi-story residential structure with large character defining view windows. The structure is composed of concrete walls, beams, floors, and columns with single pane aluminum windows. The existing building has approximately 36% glazing and no insulation.

The analysis we performed compared seven retrofit strategies ranging from minimal code compliance to super insulated walls and windows. Details on the specific constructions, r-values, and glazing properties are outlined below.

Construction Types Chart A wide range of constructions were chosen in order to see the full range of possible results. Future studies may focus on more refined material choices and a narrower set of parameters. The analysis was run in Autodesk Green Building Studio which is an excellent tool to perform basic energy models. While GBS does not allow for complex simulations it can quickly and accurately compare a variety of different design alternatives.

We chose to look at four different indicators to compare the results:
• Energy Use Intensity (EUI) indicates how much energy is used per square foot per year and is a very common way of comparing how different buildings perform.
• The quantity of electricity used per year indicates how much energy is used on cooling loads, heating loads, interior loads, and lights.
• The quantity of fuel used per year indicates primarily energy used for heating.
• The annual peak demand indicates the maximum amount of energy used at any single time over the course of a year.

We assessed the data in terms of percentage improvement over the Existing scenario. The charts below provide a comparison of the seven different retrofits.

Results Chart

The Results
What is intriguing in the results is the large difference in performance within the glazing retrofits options between the Double Pane LoE Glazing and the Triple Pane Glazing. While the Double Pane Glazing provides a notable improvement to the building’s energy performance it is still surpassed by all of the other retrofits. Conversely the Triple Pane Glazing far out performs all of the insulation retrofit strategies. The range between the two glazing retrofits indicates that new windows have the potential to have a substantial impact on energy performance. Unfortunately triple pane glazing is typically cost prohibitive and the LoE coatings applied to achieve maximum efficiency are incongruent with historic buildings. As technologies change and improve it is possible that these obstacles will be overcome – potentially making window replacement for energy efficiency purposes a more viable option.

window-detailWith current technologies the results indicate that adding insulation to a building has the most cost effective impact on energy performance. Installing new insulation is typically less expensive than window replacement and the results of this study show that Code Compliant (R-~7) insulation can have a significant impact on overall energy usage, outperforming Double Pane window replacement. Interestingly, the results also indicate that a High Insulation (R-25) retrofit performs better than a Combined Retrofit with Code Compliant Insulation (R-~7) and Double Pane Glass.

The results clearly indicate that adding insulation is an excellent way to improve energy performance without impacting the exterior façade of a historic building. Like any retrofit, insulation poses its own challenges: can it be installed on the interior without affecting historic finishes? Will changes in the temperature of the wall cause deterioration?, etc. Conversely, there are instances where window replacement is the right choice (when the existing windows have reached the end of their lifespan) and in this instance choosing a double pane glazing option can improve energy performance. In most cases, if you are looking to improve the energy performance of your building – it is more effective to explore insulation retrofit options rather than window replacement.

Written by Halla Hoffer, Architect I

Indigenous Mid-Century Religious Architecture of Oregon

During the 1960s Oregon architects, led by the Portland Archdiocese, created significant examples of unique mid‐century churches and religious structures in collaboration with local craftsman, artists, and influenced by European examples, resulting in a unique indigenous religious Modern Oregon style.

Indigenous Mid-Century Religious Architecture of Oregon

Oregon has several examples of unique mid-century churches and religious structures. Oregon is also rich in mid-century religious architecture that are unique examples of the community and/or church leadership’s interest in combining modern architecture with modern art.
During the late 1930’s Oregon architects were seeking ways to meet both the liturgical programs of their clients yet express the architecture using materials evocative of the Northwest.

Watzek-houseGreatly influenced by the 1936 publication of John Yeon’s Watzek House, Oregon architects began to experiment with wood skins and “Mt. Hood” entry facades reminiscent of Yeon’s design. The idea that wood was symbolic of Northwest character continued through the 1950s and 1960s mid-century modern aesthetics. Local architects like Francis Jacobberger, McCoy & Bradbury, Pietro Belluschi, and others crafter their designs from outside to inside using local species of wood while simultaneously using wood to express the structural elements.

During the 1950s and 1960s, architectural journals devoted pages and images to the increasingly innovative use of concrete as both a structural element and aesthetic material. Local Oregon firms too experimented with concrete. John Maloney’s 1950 design for St. Ignatius is executed entirely of formed concrete. The exterior, interior, and the bell tower are unabashedly presented as an aesthetic material worthy of religious structure. Maloney deliberately painted the interior white to match the exterior and emphasize the versatility and economy of concrete, the new material of choice.

Queen of Peace
One of the most unique indigenous examples of Oregon religious architecture is the Queen of Peace in north Portland. Queen of Peace combines both the engineering daring of concrete with the creative influences from local artists. Queen of Peace is created with clay, river stone, and stunning minimalist concrete structure.

120715 N Portland Church 001

Queen of Peace was influenced by Friar John Domin who served the Portland Archdiocese as a priest for 57 years, as a pastor of several parishes, a high school art teacher, and volunteer at the Art Institute of Portland. As Chairman of the Sacred Art Commission of the Archdiocese of Portland, he actively engaged in the design process of churches and chapels. He worked with architects and hired ingenious liturgical artists who worked in a variety of media to enhance churches with stunning sacred art. ” (Sanctuary for Sacred Arts website)

bronze-entry-doors-queen-of-peaceWell known Oregon artists, including Ray Grimm, a ceramists, created the dominating Tree of Life mosaic on the west façade. LeRoy Setziol, the “Father of Wood Carving in Oregon,” created the wood Stations of the Cross and baptismal font. Surprisingly Setziol was commissioned to execute the stained glass windows as well. And Lee Kelly, one of Portland’s best known metal sculptors, enriched the church with delicate displays of metal work both on the interior and exterior. Queen of Peace is a marvelous collaboration of architecture, art, and technical daring creating a wonderful display of Oregon indigenous mid-century religious architecture.



Written by Peter Meijer AIA, NCARB, Principal. This post is an excerpt from Peter’s presentation at this year’s DoCoMoMo_US National Symposium: Modernism on the Prairie. Peter is the President and Founder of DoCoMoMo_US Oregon Chapter. For more information, please visit: DoCoMoMo-US

Modern Residential Building Styles

city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdxBuildings constructed before 1965 have reached the age of eligibility for being considered historic by the standards of the National Register. That means that much of Modern Architecture, the general period ranging from 1950 through 1970, is historic, or soon will be considered historic as the 50-year mark is crossed. As historians assess and study Modern Architecture, we provide ever more precise descriptions and terms to describe the sub-styles and variations within the large umbrella term, “Modern.” As in taxonomy, which classifies and categorizes living organisms, we can recognize and assign groups of similar resources together for study.

Modern architecture had its roots after World War I as part of an egalitarian movement. The new architecture looked to industrial materials and processes to replace painstaking handwork; a horizontal proportion and deliberate embrace of the ground plane as opposed to a formal, vertical building proportion; and the rejection of ornamentation.

A Mid-Century Residential Survey in the City of Olympia

PMA has been working on a Mid-Century Residential survey in the City of Olympia. The date of construction for resources surveyed is limited to a two-decade span from 1945 to 1965, and the building type is limited to single-family residential. Surprisingly, there are more individual sub-styles found in this survey than were identified in a more broadly focused survey, our 2013 Mid-Century non-residential survey in St Louis, MO. The reason for this is that the tight focus of study allows for classification based on more specific characteristics.
WWII cottage-city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdx
The St. Louis survey identified resources constructed from 1945 to 1975 as being either Moderne, Brutalist, International Style, New Formalist, Neo-Expressionist, or simply “Modern Movement” if the style could not be placed in any sub-style. A few had mixed characteristics. The wide variety of building types in the survey, including churches, high-rise towers, and industrial buildings, kept style classifications necessarily broad. Local variations of styles were observed and identified, but were not given their own identifying style name. A future regional survey of the same time period could invite more stylistic classification, if there were enough similar resources to compare.

The Olympia Mid-Century Residential survey covers approximately 400 single-family homes. The variations in style identified might be described in an overview as belonging to one of three “families.” Transitional Modern includes Stripped Classical, Minimal Traditional, and World War II-Era Cottage styles. The second group is Ranch style, which covers a broad range of sub-styles and forms, including Split-Level or Split-Entry Ranch; Contemporary Ranch; Storybook Ranch; and Colonial or Early American Ranch. The last group is a Neo-Expressionist collection of styles that were primarily constructed starting about 1965. These styles include A-Frame, Shed, Geodesic Dome, neo-Futurist, Pavilion, and other eclectic explorations and celebrations of building technology and structure. While none of these Neo-Expressionist styles were identified in the Olympia Mid-Century Residential survey, PMA expects at least one of these (Shed style) to be identified in urban Olympia if the time period studied is extended beyond 1965. Also, many of these styles were constructed in more rural areas than the concentrated Mid-Century neighborhoods examined in the survey. It is possible that Neo-Expressionist residences will come to light with further survey and exploration.

Min-Traditional-city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdxThe Olympia survey classified the first grouping of styles as those that are transitional. Transitional Modern styles have some elements of Modern and some elements of more traditional architecture. Windows might be vertically-oriented, double-hung wood windows (traditional) rather than having horizontal proportions (Modern). A roof might be a moderate pitch, with minimal overhangs (traditional), rather than a shallow pitch with outwardly-extending gables (Modern). In Olympia, 37% of the houses surveyed were Modern Minimal Traditional, by far the most prevalent Transitional Modern style.

Ranch-city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdxRanch style architecture is the style that architecture critics have generally spurned, since houses were often constructed by contractors without architect’s involvement. Ranch buildings are broad, one-story, and horizontal in overall proportion. They have an attached garage which faces the street and is part of the overall form of the house, and almost always a large picture window facing the street as well. Cladding is used to accentuate the horizontal lines of the house, so there is often a change in material at the lower part of the front façade- brick veneer was a popular choice. Many of the sub-styles of Ranch architecture are “styled” Ranch houses, meaning that elements from another style of architecture were placed on a Ranch form building. One example is Storybook Ranch, which uses “gingerbread” trim, dormers or a cross-gable, and sometimes diamond-pane windows. Are these decorated sub-styles still part of the canon of Modern Architecture? In many ways, they are more Post-Modern than Modern, but that distinction is worthy of an involved discussion of its own.

Split-level-city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdxThe Olympia Mid-Century Residential survey found over half the resources surveyed to be Ranch or variants of Ranch style. 31% of the surveyed homes were identified as simply Ranch, with another 11% Early Ranch, 9% Contemporary Ranch, 4% Split-Level or Split-Entry, and 4% one of the “Styled” Ranch variations. Sheer numbers alone remind us that the Ranch is deserving of study and shows us how the majority of middle-class Americans lived. As Alan Hess writes in his book Ranch House,

“Most critics overlooked or ignored the prototypical Ranch house architecture, the variety of its manifestations, the social complexity of its neighborhoods, and the tract Ranch’s often innovative mass-construction methods. To most critics living in traditional cities with little contact with the conditions, desires, and apparent satisfactions of middle-class suburban life, the suburbs were a foreign land.”

The more we study these styles of Modern residential architecture, the more they may be appreciated, celebrated, and well-maintained. And if you live in or grew up in a Ranch style house, it is now potentially historic.
cropped_orig elev-city-of-olympia-survey-pmapdx

Written by Kristen Minor, Preservation Planner. For additional MCM survey projects, please visit our STL Modern Non-Residential Survey project.

Sustainable Housing: High Desert Design

Eco-Huts for Warm Springs Tribes

Warm-Springs-ProForma-pmapdx-designProjects that integrate building science, stewardship planning, and place design are simultaneously exciting and challenging. Any one of the three core concepts can drive the decision making process resulting in a number of solutions. Our current concepts for minimalist eco structures, or “Huts” in the beautiful High Desert of Eastern Oregon are a fantastic challenge.

PMA was provided an opportunity to create temporary Eco-Huts for both the avid fly fishing community and also the vacationer seeking solitude and natural beauty. The site is nestled on the right bank along a gentle curve of the Deschutes River adjacent to the Warm Spring Tribe Reservation. The site topography has a shallow slope towards the river with basalt escarpments forming the river valley. Landscape species include juniper, white pines, native grass, lavender, and wild flowers.

Warm-Springs-ProForma-pmapdx-designWorking with the The Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs, PMA created a prototype model, easily constructed and assembled off site (test fit), then transported to the site and efficiently erected. The prototype was designed to be economical and constructed from lumber from the local lumber mill that produces products from high desert pines. A contemporary design style was chosen to harmonize with existing mid-century Belluschi homes on the property. Both the Belluschi homes and the Eco-Huts stand in contrast with the landscape and topography.

Elevation-pmapdx-design

Perspective-pmapdx-designConceived to have minimal footprints on the land, the Huts rest on piers elevating the floor above the land and accommodating the undulating landscape. A modular dimension was chosen permitting variation in the Eco-Hut sizes. The floor, walls, and roof planes are built off-site and tilted in place. Exterior stained wood material varying from plywood to sawn boards were chosen to harmonize with the High Desert landscape and be of minimal maintenance to the Tribes. Plywood panels are dressed with battens and either in-set from the wood framing or installed flush to the exterior. Sawn mill boards are stained dark desert grey and applied horizontally to create solid side walls atop of which are placed ribbon windows. The primary entry and view wall is a wood frame window and door façade. A deep roof overhang protects the interior from solar gain. Interiors are exposed panel faces or stained mill boards. Partial height walls denote areas of more privacy. The process of assembling the Eco-Huts on-site and disassembling them in the future determined the material pallet of dimensional lumber and pre-assembled wood window walls. The prototype incorporates modular concepts enabling variation in floor plan and amenities in direct response to the Owner’s request for market flexibility.

Section-pmapdx-designInherent in our design approach for the Eco-Huts is the creation of design solutions that emphasize the uniqueness of Place. The concept includes Land Restoration and Land Stewardship. PMA’s goals when designing the prototypes was to help enhance the natural beauty of the river edge by integrating a built structure into the landscape that has minimal disturbance to the site and will leave no footprint when removed. Willows, sedges, and juniper will be planted to provide riparian cover along the Deschutes River in an effort to increase fish habitat and mitigate flooding. The plantings will also help mitigate visual impact from the river. The lumber mill site’s river edge offers an opportunity to create an employee park and river restoration replacing equipment storage and log staging. The Eco-Huts offer an opportunity to test the integration of stewardship planning and place design.
Plan-pmapdx-design

Written by Peter Meijer AIA,NCARB, Principal

The Challenge of Insulating Historic Buildings

A Limited Moisture Study

At its core, architecture in the Pacific Northwest is closely linked to moisture. The damp climate in Portland, Oregon has an impact on how we design new buildings as well as how we retrofit existing structures. Choices in construction, insulation, and flashing systems are always informed by our understanding of water. The success of any building envelope can be determined by how it performs against condensation, humidity, and water infiltration. Adding insulation to historic buildings is particularly challenging because the added material can change how a building envelope functions, leading to future moisture issues. At PMA we use WUFI to simulate and analyze how proposed retrofit strategies may impact the historic building envelope. For a recent project, we performed a limited moisture story of an unusual exterior brick wall that was to receive interior insulation. We studied how variations in insulative material and construction could impact the durability of both the brick and the interior wall structure.

The challenge when insulating a historic building is to protect the masonry from excessive moisture and cold. In uninsulated masonry walls, the building’s heating system warms and dries the masonry from the interior. If insulation is added, the masonry typically stays colder and wetter for longer periods of time, which can lead to deterioration. The intent of PMA’s study was to evaluate the masonry for future deterioration and to also identify any potential for condensation/moisture in the insulation cavity. WUFI was used throughout the design process to provide feedback on potential constructions and inform critical material decisions.

The building was built in 1921 and is unusual given that the original envelope consisted of a two wythe masonry wall with an interior plaster finish. A two wythe masonry wall is not common as it provides limited structure or protection from the elements. The renovation included an extensive seismic retrofit and the installation of new insulation to compensate for the existing wall’s limited structure. PMA was brought onboard to provide feedback on the building envelope detailing. We began our analysis by comparing the performance of the proposed envelope with that of the original building.
Constructions-Existing-building-envelope-pmapdx

Constructions-Proposed-building-envelope-pmapdx

As shown in the illustrations above the existing construction (small drawing) was: 8” of masonry on the exterior, an airgap where wood lath separated the masonry from the plaster, and approximately 1” of plaster on the interior. In comparison the proposed construction (large drawing) consisted of: the existing 8” of masonry on the exterior, a 1/2″ airspace, 1/2″ inch plywood sheathing, 6” of fiberglass batt insulation, a vapor retarder, and 5/8” gypsum with paint on the interior. The first step in our analysis was to accurately model each of these constructions in WUFI. Accurate material modeling is especially challenging in historic buildings. WUFI uses five different material properties to calculate moisture and heat movement. While an extensive built-in database exists for new materials, significantly less information is available for historic materials. PMA often tests materials to determine their properties and adds them to our expanding database of historic materials. The scope of this project didn’t allow for additional material testing. However, we ran several iterations of the analysis with different historic masonry materials to determine a baseline for our analysis. The remaining materials were chosen from WUFI’s building material’s database.

ProposedBrick-RelativeHumidity-pmapdx-wufi

ExistingBrick-RelativeHumidity The results of the initial analysis indicated that as might be expected the masonry was not only exposed to longer periods of cool temperatures, it rarely was capable of fully drying. The two charts at the right show the relative humidity in the original construction and the proposed construction where each vertical line marks a calendar year. Note that a relative humidity above 95% indicates a likelihood of condensation. As can be seen in the original construction, during the wet months the relative humidity hovers at about 95%, but drops off significantly during the warmer months. Alternately in the proposed construction the relative humidity rarely drops below 95%, indicating that moisture is present in the masonry almost year round. When the individual layers are examined it becomes clear that in addition to considerable moisture in the masonry itself, water is likely to condense within the wall cavity. As seen in the series of charts below the relative humidity remains high through the airspace and plywood only dropping off between the exterior and interior face of the insulation.

ProposedLayers-RelativeHumidity-pmapdx-wufiGiven these initial results we suggested a redesign of the insulation system. The existing two wythe wall was not capable of adequately protecting the interior of the building, and the redesign had to accommodate for water infiltration through the masonry. Two options were discussed A) treat the masonry as a veneer wall and install waterproofing to the exterior face of the plywood as a drainage plane or B) install insulation that could be exposed to moisture and water. The constructability of Option A was significantly more complex than that of Option B so our initial analysis focused on Option B.

Constructions-ClosedCell-pmapdx-wufi

Constructions-Hybrid-pmapdx-wufiSpray foam was identified as an alternative to the original batt insulation because it can both serve as a vapor retarder and insulate even when exposed to moisture. Two design options were investigated to determine the extent of closed cell foam necessary to adequately protect the interior surfaces from moisture. As can be seen to the right we investigated a construction filled entirely with closed cell polyurethane foam vs. a cavity filled with a combination of closed and open cell polyurethanes. Additionally we looked at the condition of moisture/heat transfer at the perceived weakest point in the structure, where the structural framing was only barely (1/2”) separated from the masonry. The structural integrity of the seismic upgrade depended on a minimal distance between the framing and the existing masonry, but concerns existed as to whether the wood would be exposed to enough moisture to cause mold.

At the conclusion of the study the spray-foam hybrid option was chosen for further detailing and construction. The combination of closed and open cell foams effectively protected the interior from moisture and condensation. In each renovation scenario studied the exterior masonry was exposed to similar conditions; including increased moisture and cooler temperatures. Given every strategy resulted in similar conditions it was the combined performance of the hybrid system that stood out to the design team.

When the assembly is studied at the structural members, the interior components (plywood and gypsum) retain their low relative humidity. It is important to note that in this scenario the exterior face of the structural wood members are at above 80% relative humidity year round. These conditions may facilitate the growth of mold according to ASHRAE 160-2009. It is recommended that moisture protection be applied to the outer potion of these members.

When the assembly is studied at the structural members, the interior components (plywood and gypsum) retain their low relative humidity. It is important to note that in this scenario the exterior face of the structural wood members are at above 80% relative humidity year round. These conditions may facilitate the growth of mold according to ASHRAE 160-2009. It is recommended that moisture protection be applied to the outer potion of these members.

This chart shows the hybrid option of using both open and closed cell polyurethane foam to insulate and weatherproof the building. The relative humidity remains high at the exterior components, but is reduced to well below 80% on the interior components.

This chart shows the hybrid option of using both open and closed cell polyurethane foam to insulate and weatherproof the building. The relative humidity remains high at the exterior components, but is reduced to well below 80% on the interior components.

When only closed cell polyurethane is used to fill the cavity the performance is similar to the hybrid scenario. This chart shows that the outer components are constantly at a high relative humidity while the interior components remain more closely linked with the interior conditions of the building.

When only closed cell polyurethane is used to fill the cavity the performance is similar to the hybrid scenario. This chart shows that the outer components are constantly at a high relative humidity while the interior components remain more closely linked with the interior conditions of the building.

Ultimately, the project serves to show how an iterative approach to designing building envelope retrofits is critical to achieving an effective solution. By carefully modeling and simulating the initial proposed system we were able to provide critical feedback that led to a more effective and responsive design. In this case, fully understanding the unique two wythe wall system was essential to providing adequate moisture protection for the wall cavity. While a typical masonry wall is capable of preventing water intrusion, the minimal depth of this masonry wall proved insufficient. Our analysis uncovered this flaw and allowed the system to be redesigned to work more effectively. Unlike new construction where the entire envelope system is designed simultaneously, with historic buildings we must work backwards from the existing to create a cohesive design that responds to and compliments the original elements. WUFI serves as an essential tool in understanding the existing and investigating the new.

Written by Halla Hoffer, AIA / Associate

Graphic Design and Architecture

Graphic design is a communication tool that plays an important role in architectural design. At its most fundamental level, graphic design visually communicates information with typography, color, and form. It also, and perhaps more importantly, influences our interaction with and the identity of place and space. From way-finding signage, supergraphics, branding, material and texture, to motion-graphics, graphic design helps integrate word and content with architecture.

Graphic design is used to visually communicate and reinforce the sense of identity for architectural projects – including both new design, renovation, and planning projects. From logo design, visitor orientation and infographics, graphic design is an integral part to the sense of place. It affects the overall experience with the visitor, public, or inhabitant. It is also dependent on the architectural design. Think of the range of materials and its finishes used through-out a building. Graphic design must be intentional, otherwise chaos results in color, type, and form within the design struggling against the architectural design, materials and texture.

OSU-Example-pmapdx-graphic-design
PMA has had the pleasure of incorporating graphic design into projects. The most notable projects have included graphic design for way-finding signage and project branding. For Oregon State University (OSU) PMA created a campus-wide Historic Preservation Plan which included a Historic District, and the design of historic district signage, interpretive panels, and a campus walking tour brochure. We use way-finding signage daily to quickly distinguish different spatial areas, direction, and to distinguish landmarks. The way-finding signage produced for OSU was created to distinguish the campuses Historic District from other campus areas, which included a walking tour of its historically significant campus buildings. Color was utilized as the mnemonic devise to distinguish the Historic District, while also seamlessly integrating with existing OSU colors.

MCM-Logos-Example--pmapdx-graphic-designPMA has been involved with several architectural planning projects that center on significant structures from the Mid-Century Modern era. These projects surveyed and documented hundreds of architecturally significant structures that revolutionized architecture and design throughout the 20th century. On the surface such planning projects can be difficult for a wide audience to understand and appreciate because the final project is not a new or renovated building(s). What better opportunity then, for graphic design to communicate and connect the significance of the project and its structures. For these projects, project logos and marketing collateral were designed as the visual symbols that communicate the entire identity of the projects. While both projects surveyed Mid-Century structures one focused on residential structures while the other did not. Both logos use form with text and color to help shape the sense of which type of mid-century modern structures were surveyed.

John-Yeon-Example-pmapdx-graphic-design Following our planning projects centered on Mid-Century Modern architecture, PMA provided graphic design services for the renovation of the John Yeon designed Rose Festival Headquarters building (former Visitors Information Center). For this project, typography and color were the focal points for communicating the next chapter in this buildings life-cycle. The new graphics, color, and signage produced pay homage to the original design, while being entirely their own.

Graphic design is an essential component to architectural design. It is a visual communication tool that utilizes typography, color, and form as a way to influence our interaction with and provide a sense of identity of place and space. Graphic design can solve important issues such as spatial orientation within a space, or by using graphic tools to communicate story-telling and identity. For a more in-depth look at our projects incorporating graphic design, please visit our OSU and STL Modern project pages.

Written by Kate Kearney, Marketing Coordinator

Advocacy for Urban Character

Qubec

Quebec

Quebec City is a beautiful, fascinating place. It is a place like no other North American city. Walking on the streets immediately transports you to a French provincial, charming town. Its’ citizens and language are French. Its’ foundations are literally built on the historic fortification walls. And as a result of the physical evidence of the historic urban fabric, Quebec City has become a World Heritage Site, the first in North America.

Strolling through Quebec City creates a direct experience with the history of the city, the region, and, in fact, the world because Quebec City was the debarkation and trade center for both England and France and the capital of a vast fur and trading region stretching west of the Mississippi River. To experience Quebec City is to experience urban history through the built environment, the streets, buildings, parks, and natural features. It is seemingly impossible to convey the connectivity of modern Quebec City to the historic events and people without the physical examples from its past.

Marquette Plaza (historic photograph)

Marquette Plaza (historic photograph)

The city’s character, like the character of many cities, resulted directly from advocacy for retaining historic places. Advocacy often begins with a few individuals thinking and acting against conventional wisdom. Or more appropriately, postulating positions and thoughts about preserving cultural aspects of the built environment long before the majority believe the places embody history.

It is not that the individual is smarter, or more prescience than the majority in determining the necessity of advocacy. But perhaps the urban environment has triggered an experience that resonates as a connection with the community. That moving through the built environment creates an evidence of knowledge within the individual, or group, causing a desire to offer the same opportunity for others in far future generations to experience the same connection to community.

Piazza d'Italia

Piazza d’Italia

So as a firm with a practice centered on design, science, and preservation, PMA has a profound interest in the built environment. In specific, an interest in preserving existing places for future generations. Advocacy is a natural outcome of our practice and we view advocacy as enabling future generations an opportunity to experience current urban places as significant cultural resources.

Buildings go through cycles of use, maintenance, and age. The first 30 years may be characterized as the new, adoration cycle. From 30 – 60 years old is the cycle of danger for buildings when use has caused wear, and system have reached the end of their life cycle, and age is not deemed old enough to be historic. The cycle after 60 years old is the celebratory cycle when dedication anniversaries are highlighted and resources are again invested.

James R. Thompson Center

James R. Thompson Center

It is the cycle of danger that is dependent upon advocacy. When the built environment has lost the luster of new, and the connection with community has waned, and when older generations cannot convey historic character to newer buildings, and the younger generation has not yet been taught the recent past; advocacy is needed to initiate the discourse and once again create the evidence of knowledge connecting buildings and urban fabric, building the character of our collective places. Whether as an individual, a group, or under the leadership of PMA, advocacy is critical to urban places, necessary for human existence, and crucial to healthy dialogues about the future of our cities.

Written by Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB, Principal.

Practices for Preserving Post Modernism

Post Modernism, a style of architecture beginning in 1965 with the publication of Robert Venturi’s Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture and extending to 1989, has always elicited great public debate on the architectural merits of its built works perhaps best exemplified in the controversy over one of the most iconic Post Modern buildings, Michael Graves’ Public Service Building (aka the Portland Building).
portland-building-NR-nom-pmapdx

Whether or not Post Modern architecture is considered merely flamboyant superficial decoration or serious building design and genuine work is greatly debated. The debate, beginning a mere thirty years after the apex of the style, has arrived sooner than expected and focuses on the distinction between design and architecture. Whether or not the materials and assemblies used to construct the buildings are impermanent remain to be assessed, understood, and judged over a longer duration of time. Therefore, are material conservators and preservation technologists ready (and willing) to contribute a scientific approach and unbiased assessment to a controversial debate over a design style?

Post Modern design was broadly practiced in both the United States and internationally. Large and small firms were attracted to the stylistic incorporation of classical western design vocabulary in stark juxtaposition against the plain, unadorned, square box that many argued architecture had become. Design magazines published examples of Post Modern buildings ranging from the academic and scholar approach by architects like the Italian Aldo Rossi to the flamboyant American style creator Philip Johnson, as well as, buildings by architects only known on local and regional levels.
panorama

Architects, engineers, and material suppliers were pushing new materials and innovative construction technologies as a way to create Post Modern design elements. Continuous innovation in building skins reintroduced porcelain enamel panels, a product brought by Lustron to the building industry during the housing boom following World War II. New skins made from Glass Fibre Resin (GFR) capable of being molded in classical curves and ornamental shapes favored by Post Modern design were created. Innovations in brick technology including large scale brick panels made from a single wythe of masonry to panels whose outer face was only one half inch of masonry, or thin bricks. Improvements in resins created new wood or simulated wood products and adhesives for mounting faux finishes to structural systems. Perhaps one of the more ubiquitous new materials used in the creation of Post Modern architecture was the faux stucco product Dryvit, and Exterior Finish Insulation System (EIFS). Like porcelain enamel panels, EIFS were introduced as insulated wall assemblies as a means to improve energy performance during the world’s energy crisis of the 1970s.
141013 APT Assemblies 2

As Post Modern buildings reach thirty and fifty years, systems and products are aging and, like all older buildings, significant investments or improvements to infrastructure systems are often needed. Compared to more recent material innovations, Post Modern building performance levels are low and some of the innovative materials resulted in long-term material failures. As it is with any building skin, often the deficiencies of one material are in combination with more robust materials or the failing components are critical to the character defining features of the Post Modern design. And when material failure is coupled to design aesthetics and those aesthetics do not offer universal appeal, questions arise as to the merits of retaining the component. But should subjective opinions about design, a very personal matter compared to one’s appreciation of art, drive decisions to preserve or demolish a building? And when the building carries international recognition as a work of architecture, or as a work that defines the Post Modernism, should more resources be given to its preservation? Does the inherent impermanence of the original materials justify an approach of non-preservation as preservation? Many Post Modern buildings incorporate systems or components that are neither produced nor currently assembled in similar manners due to improvements in technology and building envelope science. Therefore, the process and method of building envelope repair could dramatically impact the exterior character of Post Modern structures.
Ext Ceramic tile
Is the proper approach to retain the essence of criticism towards Post Modernism by preserving the appearance of insubstantial material installed incorrectly? Proposals to improve envelope performance of both the individual components and building systems are challenged in finding products that will both improve performance and retain the aesthetics of a Post Modern building. Like previous building styles and periods, the preservation of character defining elements that were originally inadequately or incorrectly produced or assembled has always been a source of preservation controversy. In preservation and the undersized windows of the Portland Building are defining elements of the Post Modern design. The preservation community should be prepared to participate in discussing the merits of Post Modernism. The conversation has begun.

Written by Peter Meijer AIA, NCARB, Principal.

Veterans Memorial Coliseum: Portland’s Architectural Jewel

Historic Aerial of Memorial ColiseumPresently, the City of Portland awarded a contract for Spectator Facilities Construction Project Management Services for a yet unnamed Veterans Memorial Coliseum project. The city is preparing for potential renovation scenarios. The uncertain future of the Coliseum feels like déjà vu.

Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and built between 1960 and 1961, is a premier jewel of International Style modernism in the city. The structure consists of glass and aluminum, a non-load-bearing curtain wall cube with a central ovular concrete seating area. It is a true engineering and architectural masterpiece that offers uninterrupted panoramic views of Portland from the seating area. The Veterans Memorial Coliseum is also a war memorial, featuring exterior sunken black granite walls inscribed with the names of veterans in gold paint.

At its completion it was the largest multipurpose facility in the Pacific Northwest. And a significant structure within the larger urban planning Rose Quarter Development project. In 2009 the city of Portland proposed to demolish the Coliseum to make way for a new sports facility. The greater community of Portland, including architectural preservationists and historians, successfully applied for National Register of Historic Places status for the building. In 2011 it was placed in the National Register.

Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a phenomenal renovation opportunity from both historic and economic perspectives.
VMC-preservation-pmapdx

Despite being listed in the National Register, built during an era of urban and planning reform that advocated for the latest in building technologies, and designed by one of our countries leading modernist firms, many challenge its architectural value. The Coliseum shows the remarkable and collaborative approach towards design and construction by SOM. It is also the only arena world-wide with a 360-degree panoramic view from the seating area. Consider the inability to experience this modern architectural marvel and war memorial firsthand. Simply put, the demolition of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum would be a loss to the city.

Concerns regarding its deferred maintenance and historic materials are often attached to the illogical demolition conclusion because the building does not meet specific 2014 building codes. It is possible to integrate new building technologies while retaining the building’s exterior and interior character defining features. Unfortunately, significant modernist architecture designed by influential architects in the 1950s-1970s have not been regarded with proper facility maintenance. Deferred maintenance has its price. Regardless of building age, if a structure is not properly maintained it will fall into disrepair. Thankfully, Portland has a robust AEC industry dedicated to solving design challenges.

As a city, Portland boast’s its commitment to living green and investing in sustainable practices throughout the greater community. The renovation of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum is exactly the type of project that would highlight our city’s commitment to sustainability. There is no greener option than renovating and reusing existing architectural resources. This renovation would also economically benefit the city by boosting investment around the Rose Quarter area. Potentially extending and overlapping with the renewed development interest in the Lloyd District. Portland could have two premier sports facilities, doubling the city’s ability to provide world-class sports and entertainment events. It is a renovation project with long term urban renewal benefits.
VMC-construction-preservation-pmapdx
Veterans Memorial Coliseum is an internationally recognized architectural masterpiece. Its architectural legacy is deeply intertwined within Portland’s socio-economic and cultural heritages. Portland must learn from the recent demolitions of modernist architectural marvels like Prentice Women’s Hospital, several Paul Rudolph buildings, and the forthcoming Astrodome. Threats to our modern architecture is a threat to our architectural heritage. It is time to celebrate the last fifty years of Portland’s international jewel with a thoughtful renovation that looks ahead to the city’s next fifty years of architectural history.

Written by Kate Kearney, Marketing Coordinator