A new 46-unit apartment building proposed in the St. Johns District of North Portland. The building's form was created as a reflection of its surroundings, being an inverted take on the area's industrial warehouses with low-sloped roofs, consistent finishes and large regular windows. Whereas most warehouses are internally focused with a shell that repels natural forces outward, the proposed envelope is reversed to allow all of the units to be externally focused and open. This allows the rich and visceral qualities of this specific  place's natural light, landscape and seasonal weather changes to infiltrate the very heart of the building. Like many of the industrial buildings closer to the river, the entrance, and therefore its lobby, will be the only denoted, marked and celebrated location on the structure's integument.

 

The interior offers modern amenities and finishes to its future inhabitants, including a large communal courtyard, lounge and ample bicycle parking. With the need for more affordable housing in the area and a glut of smaller studio apartments citywide, this project is poised to add larger one and two-bedroom units where they are needed the most.