Portland Building - History

History

The distinctive look of Michael Graves' Portland Building, with its use of a variety of surface materials and colors, small windows, and inclusion of prominent decorative flourishes, was in stark contrast to the architectural style most commonly used for large office buildings at the time, and made the building an icon of postmodern architecture. It is the first major postmodern building, opening before Philip Johnson's AT&T Building, and its design has been described as a rejection of the Modernist principles established in the early 20th century. Graves' design was selected in a large design competition, with Johnson as one of the three members of the selection committee. Portland mayor Frank Ivancie was among those who expressed the opinion that the modernist style then being applied to most large office buildings had begun to make some American cities' downtowns look "boring", with most of the newer, large buildings being covered in glass and steel, and largely lacking in design features that would make them stand out. Among architects, reaction was mixed, with many criticizing the design while others embraced it as a welcome departure.

Beyond questions of style, many structural flaws came to light shortly after the building's completion. The building's failings are the subject of much humor and contempt by the civil servants who work there, who describe it as cheaply built and difficult to work in.

In 1990, only eight years after it was built, the lobby and food court were in need of remodeling. Four firms, including Michael Graves, were bidding for the job. Karen Nichols of Michael Graves's firm said "Michael feels like he owes the city one.... We have done a lot of public buildings since then. I do know we talk about the Portland Building all the time."