MHAAO Recovery Campus

The Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) is a community based nonprofit organization that supports the recovery goals of individuals, including entering treatment, securing housing, or finding employment. The project is a renovation to an existing medical office building and will now serve as the MHAAO Headquarters & Recovery Campus when completed in Fall 2024. Located in Portland’s Lents neighborhood, the project will provide valuable resources to the historically underserved community.

MHAAO will provide peer services, training, and technical assistance to users at the Recovery Campus. Designed through a trauma-informed lens, there will be a day center, triage room, wellness room, peer support space, and additional flexible spaces to meet the evolving needs of the growing organization. Situated under double-height windows, the walk-in lounge acts as a transition zone into more intimate interior spaces. The office includes a wellness room designed by KultureCity, a nonprofit dedicated to creating accessible sensory spaces.

Local materials like Douglas Fir and cedar tones were used as grounding elements to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, deviating from the typical clinical feel often found in support service spaces. Layered spaces, multiple access points, and acoustical treatments and surfaces throughout all contribute to an inclusive environment.