University Park Community Center was designed and constructed during WWII as a temporary facility to provide support services to nearby shipyard workers. The building was designed of slender wings that would provide natural light and ventilation to all occupied spaces, without reliance on air conditioning or artificial lighting. These wings had been carefully sited to keep existing trees in place and provide a natural shade canopy. Where windows were inappropriate, or too far away, clerestories provided natural light throughout the facility. This design could offer a textbook example of early sustainable design.

When we at Portland Parks and Recreation decided to save this “temporary” structure from further ruin, in 1997, it was these qualities that appealed to me as an architect: abundant natural light, clear circulation, cross ventilation and magnificent trees that towered over the facility. It was also these qualities that we have maintained and to some degree improved on: there is even more natural light and daylighting, the circulation is even clearer, we added more clerestories and skylights, and there are even more and diverse trees and beautiful sustainable plant materials.

The project achieved LEED Certified.

In conjunction with McBride Architecture [renovation] and Scott Edwards Architecture [new].   Constructed by Triplett Wellman Contractors.