2023 AIA Oregon Design Awards
On Thursday, The Nick Fish and the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law Library received Merit awards at the annual AIA Oregon Architecture Awards. The award program celebrates outstanding projects achieving design excellence locally and globally. We are so proud of The Nick Fish and the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law Library and share congratulations to all of our partners who made these projects possible.
The Nick Fish
AIA Oregon Design Merit Award
Setting a New Standard for Quality Affordable Housing
A joint development effort among Our Just Future, Edlen & Company, and Prosper Portland, The Nick Fish aims to capitalize on the potential of Portland’s Gateway Urban Renewal Area with a new standard for quality affordable housing. Its mixed-use program combines one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and studio apartments with office space for Our Just Future, ground-floor retail, tenant amenities, and parking to create a vibrant community adjacent to the new Gateway Discovery Park. To support equity in the community, the 52 affordable and 23 market rate units are interspersed and designed to the same level of finish.
The Nick Fish is a provocative new model for urban mixed-use mixed-income housing. The façade solution excels in adjusting the perception of scale through the staggered banded motif and provides a rich complement to the adjacent outdoor greenspace.— 2023 AIA Award Juror
The Nick Fish Partners
Our Just Future, Edlen & Co., and Prosper Portland (Clients); LMC Construction (General Contractor); MFIA (MEP); Catena Engineers (Structural); KPFF (Civil); PLACE (Landscape); Brightworks (LEED Consultant)
Photography by: Christian Columbres & Andre Jones
Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law Library
AIA Oregon Design Merit Award
Blending Tradition With Sustainability
Presided over by Her Royal Highness Sonam Dechen Wangchuck, the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law is the first law school in Bhutan, nestled within the dramatic slopes of the eastern Himalayan mountains. We worked with a diverse team of engineers and craftspeople to combine traditional Bhutanese artisanship with modern, sustainable design techniques. The building’s height takes advantage of the views across the valley, while the compact footprint reduces energy consumption. The building sets a new precedent for Bhutan, on display for the many future leaders that will pass through the School of Law.
The law library seeks to reflect upon the rich South Asian architectural legacy of the site while providing an inspiring new facility in Bhutan. The artful expression honors traditions and vernacular tectonics while looking ahead to the future.— 2023 AIA Award Juror
Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law Library Partners
Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law (Owner); Karuna Foundation (Client); Karma Wangchuk & Tashi Penjor (Local Architects); Dan Whitmore, Sam Hagerman, & Thorston Chlupp (Technical Advisors); Prudence Ferreira (Passive House Consultant)
Photography by: Matt Dutile
