Portland State University, Schnitzer School

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Portland's iconic Park Blocks are a bridge of landscapes linking the city. A new building for Portland State University (PSU) School of Art, Art History, and Design located at the terminus of the South Park Blocks, forms another kind of bridge—a cultural one—that connects the university to the other culture-making institutions along the park.

This building unifies the School by housing all three practice areas under one roof. Art Practice, Art History, and Graphic Design departments come together to form a vibrant center for art and design that fosters collaboration and inclusion. This interdisciplinary facility engages the city with art and design galleries on Broadway, welcomes the community into a west facing “work yard” for events and display at Park Avenue, links to the Native American Student and Community Center with landscape along Jackson Street and provides an activated segment of the "Green Loop" linear city park on College Street.

The design process for the School centers student voices through an initiative guided by Dr. Amara Perez, a consultant for equity and inclusion. Perez implemented a research inquiry using a Critical Race Spatial Lens to lead a cohort of fifteen black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) art and design students to create a series of “Spatial Aspirations" used to inform the planning and design of the project. Some of the things the process yielded include a secure outdoor space connected to nature for gathering, working, and resting; and a student-run gallery that is open and connected directly to student common space with public visibility.

To meet the LEED Gold target, the project incorporates sustainable design elements such as a fully planted roof, an all-electric mechanical system, and a mass timber structure. 50 percent of the wood used to create the glulam columns and beams are sourced from regional Tribal enterprises.

The Park Blocks in downtown Portland form a cultural corridor linking key institutions including the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Gallery District, Portland Art Museum, and Portland State University's School of Art + Design

The four story 100,000 gsf building includes classrooms, studios, galleries, faculty offices, production and teaching labs, technology labs, student support areas and common areas. A douglas fir timber structure is exposed throughout the building. Forty foot long-span timber beams provide flexible work spaces while a rhythmic colonnade of timber posts in the hallways create pocket galleries for ad hoc display. These pocket galleries are inspired by the existing art and design building where students have the agency to create and interact with space as an extension of academic practice.

Site plan view of program overlay (left) and upper floors (right)

Sustainability is a key feature, with the building achieving an annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 95 MTCO2e (Metric Tons of carbon equivalent), representing a 25% decrease compared to buildings constructed under current energy codes. The building features a highly efficient all-electric heating system, which generates surplus heating capacity. This excess capacity will be transferred to the neighboring Shattuck Hall, significantly reducing its dependence on campus steam consumption and further saving over 60 MTCO2e. Additionally, the landscape design plays an active role in the regeneration of campus native landscapes. A prominent Oregon White Oak serves as the centerpiece, enhancing the indoor-outdoor academic experience. Situated along the South Park Blocks, the site extends the native and climate-adaptive planting palette of the Native American Student and Community Center (NASCC) and celebrates the first Green Loop campus segment with a bold row of native Red Alders.