Built in 1928 by renowned Portland architect A.E. Doyle and Pietro Belluschi, the Public Service Building (PSB) housed the offices of the Portland Gas & Coke Company, as well as the Pacific Power and Light Company.
TVA Architects was asked renovate PBS to make it marketable for creative office spaces, while simultaneously respecting the historic character and significance of the original structure. The work included upgrading the main lobby, elevator cabs, and exterior façade, and to create a building standard for common spaces and tenant suite entries. In addition, a full fitness studio was added in the building basement, complete with dedicated yoga room, exercise equipment, locker rooms, and showers. Bike storage facilities were incorporated to serve the needs of commuters, including a small bike maintenance area.
One of the most significant improvements to the PSB was the development of a conferencing center, lounge, and 2,000-sf roof terrace available for tenant use. Given the historic designation of the PSB, the proposed exterior modifications required jurisdictional design review thru a Type III LUR process.
One of the important components of the project was the development of a building brand. Working with ESI Design, TVA Architects helped incorporate a new identity that informed how the renovated amenities would be positioned. The design approach created a bridge between the historic past and our current sensibilities. Even the building name was changed to ‘Power + Light’ which serves to honor the character of the original operations, but modernize its application. A color palette and graphic pattern was custom designed to weave through interiors and amenity spaces, and to enhance the identity of the iconic property.
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