Settling In and Looking Forward: We're Hosting an Open House on Sept. 22

On Thursday, September 22nd, from 4 to 7pm, we will be hosting an open house to showcase our new studio space at 1222 SW Broadway, as well as sharing some recently completed projects and those we have in the works. It's been interesting for us to have our new architectural studio housed in a building created by one of the preeminent figures in Portland's architecture history, Pietro Belluschi. Pietro came from Italy to the United States in the 1920s, and eventually settled in Portland where he joined the firm of A.E. Doyle. He gained national recognition with his first major architectural commission, the Portland Art Museum. In addition to significant modern works such as Portland's Commonwealth Building (originally the Equitable Savings & Loan office tower), he also spent a large portion of his career designing on a more modest scale for community churches, private residencies, and commercial businesses. Pietro was always balancing the concerns and needs of the client with his classic, timeless, and forward-thinking style.

The building where we are now settled is the former Edris Morrison Studio, built in 1947. She was a well-known photographer, and Pietro's custom design for her stands as a clear example of notions of elegance, simplicity, and functionality. Our studio space is on the upper floor, overlooking the unique, glass-fronted courtyard at the street edge. Originally our space had been offices, changing rooms, and a 'black-box' photo studio, which we've opened up for a more daylight filled working environment. As we work through the fall towards 2017, we will surely draw connections and inspirations from our new location, as many of Belluschi's design interests and civic concerns have resonance with ours as well.