Portland’s Architectural Icon?
As you know, Portland Metblogs is part of a larger network of city blogs around the world. As a result, we get stories and insight into what’s happening outside our little sphere. One of our captains, Andre in Montreal, posed a great question - What is your city’s architectural icon? In Montreal, he suggested their Olympic Stadium. His thought was - what do people think of for architecture when they think of Montreal? Every major city in the world has an icon that helps define the city’s character or history - Big Ben, Petronas Towers, Golden Gate Bridge, Red Square and so on. Yet are these “architectural” icons or just icons?
I have been racking my brain since last week thinking about what I would think of as Portland’s architectural icon. To be honest, all I could think of was some of our bridges and a few of the older venerable buildings in Old Town, yet something told me those don’t fall under architectural, more under beauty or tradition. The only architectural building I can think of that may fall in this category would be the Portland Building because it is so unique and I believe won some awards when it was designed. Honestly, I think it looks like a wrapped present.
My good readers I ask of you a favor. What would you label as Portland’s architectural icon? Do we have one that stands out? What defines an icon? With the suggestions, I’ll head out with my trusty little camera and take some photos and then at a later date we can have a vote off.
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I think you have to consider Pioneer Courthouse Square. “Portland’s Living Room,” is a physical representation of the city’s welcoming, comfy, cozy feel. It serves as a civic center as well, hosting many cultural events for the city.
I think you have to consider Pioneer Courthouse Square. “Portland’s Living Room,” is a physical representation of the city’s welcoming, comfy, cozy feel. It serves as a civic center as well, hosting many cultural events for the city.
I feel that the Ecotrust building is an architectural icon. Its crunchy exterior is filled with ecofriendly goodness. And it has a good pizza parlor, which is a must for any great building!
Wish I could join y’all, but I’m in night class until mid-February. Have one (or three) for me!
My absolute favorite place in Portland is the Ira Keller Waterfall. When warmer, you can grab some bento from the cart there, grab a seat on the edge of the waterfall and people watch all the crazies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVPtfamh05E
2nd runner up is the “Lovejoy Fountain” hidden from all except those in the know…
http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=42348&#lovejoy
Mt Hood
3rd runner up…the Benson Bubblers. Perhaps not architectural like y’all were thinking. But cool never the less.
http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?a=bbhbje&c=ecdei
I don’t think we really have one in the sense of the Space Needle of Eiffel Tower - our icon isn’t architecture - it is Mt. Hood in the background of every photo of downtown Portland.
Or maybe that Welcome to Oregon deer sign on the Burnside bridge….
The most famous retail architecture is Powell’s.
http://www.bad-seed.org/dwelling/2008/01/powells-to-expand-flagship-store/
Let’s all hope it becomes one we can be proud of.
St. John’s Bridge - just has that old skool, towering wonder about it, IMO. Are bridges played out as metaphors, tho’? If so, I’d then next recommend the Hung Far Low sign.
Of course the Portland Building is architecturally important and unusual. (Not that I like it, I think it’s ugly.) But what about Pittock Mansion?
Love it or loathe it the Portland Building and Portlandia. (I happen to love it)
Duh, obviously portland’s architectural icon is voodoo donuts.
The Portland Building is a post-modern high rise, and of all of Portland’s buildings says least about our city. More critically and historically important is the Commonwealth Building (on 6th and Washington) designed by Pietro Bellusci and stands as America’s first Modernist high-rise. I would not suggest either as an icon of Portland. The most prominent architectural edifice is either Big Pink (dubbed so by Portlanders which says a lot) or the convention center with it’s two towers. Around the country our bridges are very famous due to the popular Bridges of Portland poster, and in some ways I would say they are the icons of our city. However, perhaps what says the most about our city is that there is not one building/bridge/structure that stands out, it is the feel of the place, and the urban environment. Something that cannot be captured by one building. So maybe it’s the park blocks, tied together by Pioneer Courthouse Square. But I think I like most the image of Mt. Hood with our city laid at her feet.
Excellent discussion all. I love the interpretation. I have been asking this question all day and here are some of the answers:
Pittock Mansion
Union Station in Old Town
Standard Plaza on SW 5th (50’s arch)
Fremont Bridge
St. John’s Bridge
Timberline Lodge (albeit not in Porland)
Tea house @ Japanese Gardens
Union Bank of California on N. Broadway
Keep the suggestions coming. It looks like I’ll have a busy weekend of photo taking.
Hawthorne Bridge.
The generic, soulless, high-rise condo bunker.
A construction crane.
If it just wasn’t so out of sight, the St. Johns Bridge would win this hands down. Albeit a bit shorter, I think it’s as grand as the Golden Gate Bridge.
It’s more than a bridge. It’s art.
As much as I love the St. John’s Bridge, it’s not actually in the city.
The only truly unique and wow-inducing building we’ve got is the convention center.
My vote would’ve been for the old Tom Peterson’s location on 82/Foster, but it seems to have undergone some demolition recently. Good ol’ Tom made PDX known the world over as being the happy place to buy.
i hate to say it but- big pink
second, i would say the portland building, then montgomery park, the equity building, pam, and then the bridges…
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! The ski lift to nowhere!!
OK Steve, we get the point. You seem to hate Portland and instead of offering suggestions as to what you would feel is an architectural icon in Portland, you would rather go down the road of hating on what you perceive is wrong with Portland - condos and the tram.
A thought for you: not everything about Portland is politically negative and ugly. Maybe for a change, instead of thinking sarcastically about the stuff you hate about Portland, think about what is good. Just a thought and suggestion.
In terms of architectural uniqueness, I’d actually throw the tram a few points. But… it’s new and hasn’t been a part of Portland long enough to really get to be an icon.
In terms of skyline-defining stuff, the KOIN tower has found its way into the Portland Streetcar logo and is pretty distinct, but nothing really special in itself. Looking the other direction, there’s the convention center.
Other bits of distinct (maybe not iconic, but still) architecture I’d throw in would be:
* Union Station
* Bridges (esp. Hawthorne, St. Johns)
* OMSI
* Wells Fargo Center (’cause it’s the tallest)
* MAX trains (okay, not architecture)
* Vista Bridge
* Grain loading stuff
Ok, I’m rereading my comment back to Steve and realize it was too strong a wording. Knee jerk reaction. If I offended, I’m sorry. I get a little passionate about Portland even though it has its challenges.
It’s facile to call critics of policy that benefits big developers over the needs of common citizens “haters.”
I love Portland, but I’m critical of what a handful of big developers (Homer Williams et al.) and their handmaids in local government would have it become.
People like Vera Katz and Sam Adams had a vision for a Portland that looks like the “cool” cities on the West coast, like Vancouver (B.C., people!).
Well, I’ve got news for you: Portland isn’t “cool,” at least not like that.
We’re cool because we’ve got strong working class roots. We’re cool because of our strong performing arts scene, and our commitment to quality neighborhood living. We’re cool because of our creative class.
Unfortunately, this “vision” our civic leaders had about being cool was built on shaky funding schemes. Now that those schemes have fallen flat, we’re stuck with millions of dollars a year in operation and maintenance on “transportation” projects (streetcar and tram) that don’t actually do anything to solve transportation problems faced by those of us living in the truly “cool” parts of town.
Yes, it’s fun to take out-of-towners for rides on the little train and tram, but wouldn’t it be nice if people in outer southeast had paved streets? Or if people in outer southwest had sidewalks?
Steve,
I’m not sure why you are ranting against public policy and the challenges Portland faces on a post about architecture. No where in the post nor in the comments did anyone rave about either the tram or the condos.
It is a good discussion to have, yet I’m not sure this post is the place to have it.
It would be like if I posted about cute dogs and someone came along ranting about Bush’s rich man’s war.
I just don’t see the correlation.
Architecture, the design of public spaces, is a matter of public policy.
There has been a specific movement to put Portland on the map architecturally. The slender towers originally planned for South Waterfront (but later changed to look less needle-like) and the tram were specifically designed to be iconic (the topic of your post).
My point is that they’re more emblematic of bad public policy than good design of public spaces.
Architecture isn’t just about nice looking structures and spaces. It’s about public policy. I don’t see how that’s off-topic at all.
OOOOO!
I change my vote!
I think it is our double spires on the convention center!
I just saw the movie ‘untraceable’ and it totally stuck out like whoa…
If I can speak as an outsider–MT. Hood is the defining landmark. This is OK, MT Fuji works for Tokyo.