One North: A New Standard for Building
A new commercial development in North Portland, One North is an innovative, sustainable mixed-use project that raises the bar for the design and sustainability of office space in Portland. Made up of two buildings, the development embraces a central courtyard designed to be a new asset for the community. Previously a brownfield site, One North is a testament to the fantastic teamwork and collaboration that made the development a reality.
Eye-Catching Apertures
The outward appearance of One North’s apertures would typically indicate a concrete structure due to their complexity and curvilinear forms. Given the goal of reducing the project’s construction carbon footprint and operational energy consumption, concrete was not an option.
Innovative Design Solutions
Holst worked with R&H Construction and Radius Track to develop an alternate method consisting of a light steel framework attached to the building’s wood primary structure with just a handful of steel plates. The innovative solution reduced the heat transfer through the aperture structure by 92%, and reduced the construction cost and duration.
Project Construction
Collaboration on the complex structural and waterproofing issues was only possible with frequent communication, lots of sketches, and 3D computer modelling. The engineering and fabrication of the steel framework were completed in Minnesota, so it was critical to the project’s success that Holst was able to coordinate the structural, waterproofing, and aesthetic details of the apertures in advance and get buy-in from all team members.
