Suzanne Blair and I recently attended the biennial AIA Vision Future Symposium on The Value Proposition for Equity and ended the week on a high note. Not only was the sun out (finally!); not only did we spend the day with some talented Portland business women; but we were re-inspired and challenged to improve ourselves, […]
Last month, construction began on the seismic retrofit and building upgrade of the Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building (PSB) for Washington County. The kickoff comes after more than a year of design and staff transition space preparation, and will address the county’s desire to provide a building that is ‘safe enough to stay’ following […]
In a first for SERA, we coupled our 2017 Sustainable Action Celebration with a Design Week Portland session in back-to-back events last week. Our celebration comes on the heels of the AIA’s recent report “The Habits of High-Performance Firms,” which highlights SERA’s four AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten project wins. The report attributes […]
The term ‘resilience’ is increasingly being used in architecture and urban planning to describe the durability, adaptability and flexibility of our built environment. With the increasing threat of volatile weather due to climate change, the high probability of a large-magnitude earthquake striking the region, and the slower moving but equally transformative effects of economic changes […]
Yesterday, joined by the mayor, neighbors, and our partners at HDR, we broke ground on an exciting new chapter for the City of McMinnville’s Alpine Avenue. Alpine Avenue is the city’s first large project in the McMinnville Urban Renewal District. Once complete, the $4.3 million, quarter-mile streetscape project will enhance pedestrian accessibility and comfort along […]
If you ever started on a household project and finished with something looking completely different, you’ll surely appreciate how gaming technology is changing the built environment. Architects are making use of virtual reality to walk around buildings — before they even break ground.
Last month, guests were served the first round of tapas and signature cocktails at AC Hotels’ newest property, in downtown Portland, Oregon. Originating in Spain, the brand by Marriott is aimed at travelers seeking a modern, European twist to their trips – even if their travels are stateside. Blending laid-back comfort with visual excitement, the AC Hotel Portland […]
In September of 2016, The Center for Public Interest Design reached out to their network of designers and activists to participate in the POD Initiative, to design and build a modestly sized home for someone without one. We previously wrote about that here. Since then, the POD Initiative and the City have been in talks […]
SERA Architects, a Portland, Oregon-based leader in sustainable architecture and urban placemaking, has launched the Institute for Civic Ecology as an initiative supporting our commitment to helping communities and organizations nationally and internationally implement and manage resilience initiatives. Conceived in partnership with local business associations, non-profits, governments, developers, religious organizations and institutions, and spanning rural, […]
This month, Principal Don Eggleston made it official: he’s retiring! After 45 years leading the firm, Don will start 2017 off with a renewed focus on family, while still working as a consultant on architectural projects around Portland. News Release: SERA Principal Don Eggleston Announces Retirement (PDF) Last week, we toasted to Don. His vision, emphasis on […]