skylab completes environmentally-minded columbia building in portland

skylab architecture introduces its columbia building in support of the bureau of environmental services in the city of portland, oregon. housing workspace, a visitor reception area, and public meeting spaces, the 11,640-square-foot building not only supports the engineering department of the wastewater treatment facility but also functions as an immersive educational experience, all integrated within a sustainable landscape.

images by jeremy bittermann

skylab architecture‘s new single-story columbia building in portland, oregon features seven folded cast-in-place concrete roof forms. these geometries are shaped to channel stormwater through a planted roof, which drains along the berms into a visible collection system that leads to the columbia river. the project accomplishes three unique objectives in one single campus site: the creation of a vibrant and efficient workspace; clean on-site stormwater filtration; and a dynamic building that stimulates conversation about the health of the region’s watershed and rivers.

the design team at skylab architecture incorporates its radiating columbia building in portland with transparent, north facing facades. these facades serve to focus attention towards a central and partially enclosed commons area, as well as to the habitat that surrounds the building. the serrated curtain wall features operable air circulation vents which enables the interior spaces to be natural ventilated. mirrored glass reflects and refracts light in the commons, merging the building into the landscape. the building is LEED gold certified.