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Karl Miller Center

Portland, US
2014–2017
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Campus building with glass pyramid entrance and wood facade. Trees in autumn, and people visible inside at dusk.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Open study area with bright yellow walls and grenn acusticceiling. Students are working at tables and a central counter.
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Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Campus building with glass pyramid entrance and wood facade. Trees in autumn, and people visible inside at dusk.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Open study area with bright yellow walls and grenn acusticceiling. Students are working at tables and a central counter.

Located in downtown Portland, the new Karl Miller Center is uniquely integrated with the city’s rich network of public open spaces and diverse urban uses. The design challenges the conventional 200-by-200 foot full-block archetype by integrating two distinct structures: the renovated existing building and a new addition. 

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. A split-screen view of a building: on the left, an older building on a gray day; on the right, a modern building made of glass and wood at dusk. This is a before-and-after photograph.

The project consists of two contrasting structures: a renovated 100,000-square-foot 1970s building retrofitted with a metal panel facade system broken up by an irregular composition of punched windows, and a new dynamic 45,000-square-foot addition clad in regionally sourced Alaskan Yellow Cedar.

Site Plan

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. A large atrium with terraced seating. Students sit and chat on the steps. The ceilings are brightly colored.

Centered around a five-story glass atrium animated with activities, the School of Business benefits from a diverse program. A wide range of spaces—informal meeting and study areas, gardens, classrooms, business incubators, student spaces, faculty and administrative offices, and retail—are strategically arranged to maximize communication and connectivity, promoting an inclusive approach to learning.  Flexible, student-focused informal learning spaces are evenly distributed throughout the building, acting as social anchor points that transform a transitional corridor into a pedestrian-friendly space for students and the greater University community. 

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Level 1-3

Client
Portland State University
Architects
Behnisch Architekturbüro
Address

615 SW Harrison Street
Portland, OR 97201
United States

Competition

2013, top selection trough RFQ

Gross Area

13.330 m² / 145,000 sq.ft.

Gross Volume

51.324 m3 / 1,812,500 cu.ft.

Photography

Brad Feinknopf
Janis Rozkalns

Certification

LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council

Awards

2017 CRE Transformer Award - Portland, OR, 1st place
2018 Daily Journal of Commerce Top Projects - Portland, OR, 2nd place
2018 The Plan Award, shortlist
2018 AIA New England, Honor Award
2018 AIA Seattle, Honor Award
2018 IIDA Design Excellence Awards, Honor Award
2018 American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter, Honor Award
2019 Energy Efficiency Award, winner
2019 American Architecture Award, winner
2019 BSA Honor Awards for Design Excellence, winner
2019 Engineering Excellence Honor Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Multi-level library atrium with stairs and study areas. Students sit at a counter and tables while others walk between floors.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Classroom with students seated at desks listening to an instructor speaking at the front near a lectern and screen.
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Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Multi-level library atrium with stairs and study areas. Students sit at a counter and tables while others walk between floors.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Classroom with students seated at desks listening to an instructor speaking at the front near a lectern and screen.

Taking advantage of Portland’s temperate climate, all new construction is designed without any mechanical cooling equipment. Utilizing passive sustainable strategies to minimize the environmental impact while prioritizing human comfort and well-being, this new social hub has achieved LEED Platinum status. It thus continues Portland State University's reputation as an institution dedicated to social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. 3D floor plan of a school level with labeled classrooms, atrium, boardroom, faculty and dean’s suites, and informal learning areas.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, Karl Miller Center. Street view of the Karl Miller Center, showing a large, wood-clad building on stilts with a glass entrance below. Cars are parked in front of the building along the street.

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