Project Description
The precedent-setting Hyatt Place and Lawson Residences is a 23-story mixed-use building containing 160 hotel rooms and 111 residential units in an upscale neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Representing a new kind of sustainable design, and helped by a change in the City of Portland’s (City’s) zoning codes, the project will add market-rate and affordable housing in a tight real estate market.
Otak is taking full advantage of the code changes, as one of the first firms to design a project under the new zoning codes that allow a maximum height of 250 feet along with unlimited density or floor-area ratio (FAR) if the project includes affordable housing. To maximize the FAR while also protecting significant historic buildings in the area, the design and development team intends to transfer the floor-area ratio (FAR) to the site from historical buildings in the area. While the building will be higher than all the others in its four-block radius, it is designed to respond to the rest of the neighborhood with a design concept that symbolizes moving into the future while protecting the past.
The building will house hotel rooms and support space on levels 2 to 11, with one-bedroom and studio dwelling units on the upper levels. Ten percent of the residential units will be categorized as affordable. Outdoor decks will be strategically placed for both guest and residential units to articulate the architectural form while providing enhanced views. An outdoor terrace adjacent to an indoor event space and two window bays will further allow for an indoor/outdoor experience while adding to the overall aesthetics of the property.
The project provides for 175 long-term bicycle storage spaces that are an ideal amenity to complement the City’s strong biking culture. The site is also adjacent to the Flanders Greenway, which is a bicycle-centric path running through the district from east to west. Under the City’s new plan, Otak is able to incorporate this alternative transportation option in lieu of parking for vehicles.
Paramount to the project design is that it fits in with the existing feel of the neighborhood and serves as an asset to the community, meaning that careful consideration will be given to the form and materials. The building itself is organized into three distinct parts—a base, middle, and top. The three-story base anchors the tower and is strongly responsive to the neighborhood context.
Carefully selected materials that will add to the character of the neighborhood include a tall storefront glazing system, ACM (aluminum composite metal) wall panels in conjunction with a window wall system for glazed openings in the middle and at the top of the building, glass and metal for spandrels, and a glass and metal balcony guardrail system.
The design and development team embraced the opportunity for innovative, sustainable design and has chosen to register with Green Globes Building and Rating system. The project will use a highly efficient HVAC system, in-slab ducts, lower energy light fixtures, and an exterior wall solution engineered to provide an effective energy-saving building envelope. At least 60 percent of the roof surfaces will use an eco-roof to mitigate the heat island effect of the urban environment and provide stormwater management support and insect and bird habitat.