Dismantling has begun on the facade of the Portland Building, the 1982 Postmodern civic structure by Michael Graves in the Oregon city’s downtown. Architects and engineers DLR Group will replace the nine-by-nine-inch teal-colored tiles that wrap the building’s lower exterior with terra cotta rainscreen tiles and will work with external cladding subcontractor Benson Industries to cover the painted concrete facade with an aluminum curtain wall. DLR Group also plans to replace the dark tinted windows with clear glazing. “There was no way to restore the existing design as it was because it was flawed in its detailing,” says Carla Weinheimer, who leads the project for DLR Group.
“What got built wasn’t the original design intent,” says Patrick Burke, a principal at Michael Graves Architecture & Design who consulted on DLR Group’s project. “It was a cheap version.” In addition to redoing the exterior, DLR Group will also seismically retrofit the building as well as upgrade plumbing and electrical systems.
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