“Gray day. Everything is gray. I watch. But nothing moves today.” – Dr. Seuss It all started when I needed a place to eat my lunch. As a strong believer in the lunch break, I noticed that I had been skipping my noontime intermission. Our resilient foodcart owners are still peddling tom kha soup, but where […]
Is love the missing ingredient in sustainability? We think so. In a world of metrics and check lists, are we overlooking that buildings, streetscapes, and interiors are made for people? People who want to thrive, who want to love the way they spend their days. We think that this love translates into care. Care translates […]
If you’re at all familiar with the design and building industry in Portland, Oregon, chances are you’ve encountered Bing Sheldon – whether in person or by reputation. And if you have found yourself admiring Portland’s historic character and focus on sustainability, Bing is one of the city’s key influencers we have to thank for the the forward-thinking […]
The industrial strength thumping sound ringing through the Pearl District may be unfamiliar to newcomers, but is a welcome sign of economic revival after four years of relative silence. The thumping is the sound of construction crews driving piles into the ground for the foundation of the 225-room Residence Inn by Marriott. The Pearl District’s […]
If you’re headed to San Francisco for this year’s Greenbuild extravaganza, please be sure to connect with us. You can find the following SERA folks offering these compelling presentations: — Water: from Research to Policy to Practice Lisa Petterson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, LC, NCARB – Assoc. Principal, Project Architect, Sustainability Resources Group Manager, Technical […]
With the launch of our revamped website in 2012, we wanted to include something different – a piece that aims to visually capture the ethos and aspirations of SERA. After a number of collaborative sessions, “SERA Dreams Big.” took shape. But more than a stand alone statement, SERA Dreams Big. is intended to spark a dialogue. In […]
The journey to a new website for SERA has been a long time in the making. In the midst of fast-paced projects and an obsession with client service, these sorts of initiatives can sometimes be found collecting dust on the back-burner. Yet, despite our collective busyness, we knew the time had come for this task […]
J.E. Dunn Construction hits a major milestone this week as it tops out the $295 million Collaborative Life Sciences Building on the Schnitzer Campus at Portland’s South Waterfront. It’s been almost one year since Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber led the state’s education leaders in breaking ground on the project, 2750 S.W. Moody Ave. J.E. Dunn, the contractor […]
Case study executed by SERA Architects with input from Benjamin West and product manufacturers. For further information, please contact Lisa Zangerle at 503-445-7348. Unlike the majority of hotel rooms on the market, the newly refreshed rooms at the Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown have sustainable measures that go beyond the basics. Many hotels have adopted […]
As practitioners of urban design, we tend to focus on the built environment as the key to sustainability. But as planners, we also know that communities thrive best when the people who live in them have a stake in their success. Civic Ecology is a process that brings these two critical pieces together through a […]