24 hour neighborhood

winter 2021

type: hybrid

location: Old Town, Portland, OR

Since the 1850s, Old Town has been considered the late-night entertainment hub of Portland. Today, it comprises a number of bars, concert venues, and strip clubs. Within the past decade, the nightlife scene has become so prevalent that it has been named Portland’s “Entertainment District,” where streets are barricaded from cars for late night partygoers to roam freely. 

Oldtown is divided into culturally distinct sub-districts: Japantown/Chinatown, The Japanese Historical Plaza, Skidmore, the Entertainment District, and the Waterfront. The waterfront is activated during summer weekends with businesses active on weekdays. The entertainment zone, in contrast, is activated during the weekend evening hours by young party goers coming from outside of Oldtown. These sub-districts are isolated by occupancy, noise, and light. 

Our project aims to transform the closed-off corporate tower One Pacific Square and integrate it with the rest of the neighborhood by developing safe spaces for night workers, winter activity goers, and members of the Oldtown community. These interventions will revitalize and connect the district during all hours of the day (and night) through the market, public art, and other events - becoming a 24 hour neighborhood for everyone. 

The building is an embodiment of Oldtown’s historic characteristics while challenging what night infrastructure can provide. Design decisions were derived from a series of moments within the existing urban conditions which were then transformed to create new experiences with regard to light and shadow, mutating from day to night.