Sawyer's Row

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Sawyer’s Row, part of Portland’s Northwest Plan District, is composed of two 3-story, wood-frame walk-up buildings. Forty apartments, 20 units per building, are arranged on all three levels. Each building module is 50 feet wide, scaled to mimic a traditional storefront in a walkable city.


Rather than consume the site with a long, overbearing structure, the building is dispersed into four smaller parts, physically and figuratively. The reduced scale and proportions promote a residential neighborhood feel, setting the tone for new development in this area of the city. Situated in a former industrial area, Sawyer’s Row is surrounded by an eclectic mix of industrial, commercial, and multi- and single-family buildings, and sets an example for successful future infill development in the neighborhood.

Materiality

The material palette is a balance of textured cedar rain screen cladding system with cement stucco and steel canopies, a nod to its industrial surroundings.

Inspired by the unique characteristics of the site and neighborhood, textured cedar rain screen cladding system with cement stucco and steel canopies compliment the unique historical and industrial aspects of the surrounding Slabtown neighborhood. The animation of the façade is achieved through the subtle patterning of windows, and the slight shifting of floors, producing varying vertical bays and giving the impression of horizontal movement.

Client

CE John

Location

Portland, OR

Completion

2013

Size

42,300 sf
40 units

Certification

LEED Platinum