With the completion of the 4,000 SF glass and steel entryway addition to the Oregon Historical Society, another WALSH project was added to Portland’s Cityscape. The high-profile entryway created an elegant and inviting front entrance with easy access to the exhibit galleries and library. The lobby area serves as a gathering place for visitors and as a space for OHS receptions and lectures.

Although the creative genius is unknown to museum visitors, the elegance and modern style of the building was made possible by the innovative design of structural engineers.

Categories: Community, Renovation

SMART

GREEN

COMMUNITY

Oregon Historical Society

Size

The Oregon Historical Society added this 4,000 SF glass and steel entryway.

Clients

Architects

Thomas Hacker & Associated Architects

The most unique aspect of the construction involves the structural steel elements in the design of the entrance. The parking garage below was not strong enough to support the new entrance, so the team worked with structural engineers to design a support system without building new pillars or disturbing the flow of traffic in the parking garage. The innovative technique the engineers designed and WALSH applied involved centralizing the weight over the existing pillars and then allowing the steel structure to “float” over the existing deck. This pioneering technique showed the WALSH team’s creativity and dedication to completing the job as efficiently as possible.

Although most of the current exhibits and artifacts were removed from the museum, it was still a delicate operation to work in a museum environment. Extra precautions were taken to preserve security and environmental conditions.

WALSH expanded and renovated Oregon Historical Society’s existing facilities to accommodate anticipated large crowds. The result of the project is that the museum is easier to navigate and more handicapped accessible. Where the courtyard once stood, a new entry space was built and joined to two existing museum buildings. The lobby area serves as a gathering place for visitors and as a space for OHS receptions and lectures.

our WORK

Oregon Historical Society