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View of The Aurora at dusk taken from across the street while a car drives by.

The Aurora

Providing 93 units of affordable housing, The Aurora maintains the feel of a residential building while providing the maximum number of units in East Portland.

Project Details

Location

Portland, OR

Client

Our Just Future

Year Completed

2023

Project Size

93,956 sq. ft.
93 units

Certification

Earth Advantage Multifamily Platinum

Sustainability

The certified Earth Advantage Multifamily Platinum project integrates numerous sustainable design features and exceeds Portland Housing Bureau’s target EUI goal of 30%. The all-electric building features a photovoltaic array on the roof and energy-efficient appliances within the units. A photovoltaic array on the roof covers household plug loads. The fully brick-building skin, developed after many iterations of material mixes and patterns, was chosen for its ease of maintenance and longevity.

Land Recognition

We have a responsibility to not only acknowledge but also elevate Native communities and their needs. This project sits in the area currently known as Portland, which encompasses the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River.

Educating ourselves is an important action. We encourage you to explore the stories of these communities through Native-led resources like David G. Lewis, PhD’s The Quartux Journal and Leading with Tradition.

Kids are running around and playing in an outdoor, fenced-in play area at The Aurora.

Family-Oriented Affordable Housing

Designed for Our Just Future, a Portland-based nonprofit that envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods that all people can share, The Aurora provides affordable housing and community services designed with families in mind. Located on a busy civic corridor, residents have ample access to public transportation, shops, and stores, as well as an easy connection to nearby city centers.

View of The Aurora from the corner.

Gracious Neighborhood Face

Set further back from the street edge, The Aurora sets a precedent for future developments in the area. It also allows for a large right-of-way, including lush landscaping, bike parking, steps, and a ramp, highlighted by weathered Corten steel fins.

A person sits reading a paper while another person is walking into a hallway at The Aurora.
Three kids play in a fenced-in outdoor play space at The Aurora while a person sits at one of the outdoor tables to supervise them.

Fostering Connections

Spacious and thoughtful amenities focus on the needs of families and are designed to foster connection among residents. Inside, A large, flexible community room with a demonstration kitchen provides space for various events, classes, clubs, and workshops. A visible, oversized laundry room visually connects to an indoor/outdoor playroom to make laundry day an opportunity for neighbors to connect.

A person in a yellow shirt walks up the ramp to the front door of the apartment building, The Aurora.

Dynamic Façade

The five-story building’s efficient floor plate and fully wood frame minimized cost while accommodating the 93 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Contrasting light and dark brick colors and the grouping and framing of windows within a vertical coursing pattern create visual dynamics on the exterior. A reveal with depth causes the lighter panels to appear to float above the darker mass.

When we mix affordable housing that builds the bricks and sticks you see, with long-term rental assistance and add in funded supportive services, we create the best systemic permanent response to homelessness that we know of.
— Andy Miller, Our Just Future, Executive Director

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