The Portland Tribune's recent front page article, The lookers and the losers, illuminates the thin fog of conservatism which pervades architectural discourse in Portland. This conservatism is closely linked to preservation, which, in turn, is intertwined with Portland's success at retaining its urban character; it is the paradox we are living in in which the old becomes new - and old solutions become Worldchanging.

Nevertheless, while Portland is getting national press coverage for Bright (and Light) Green architecture projects, the local discourse in this arena is relatively uninspired - perhaps because from a strict sustainability standpoint, most new construction - no matter how "green" - is unsustainable.

Paradoxically, Portland is a Worldchanging place in part because it has refused to allow change to run rampant - employing methods such as strategic planning, historic neighborhood preservation, multimodal transportation, etc.

There is an aesthetic to planning - albeit a more conceptual aesthetic. Portland has been able to see that bike lanes and transit systems are "beautiful" - not only because they preserve beauty, but because multimodal transportation (riding quietly through a cathedral of trees in the Ladd's Addition) has an intrinsic elegance of its own.

Conventional perceptions of urban aesthetics have allowed the possibility that an ugly open space can be "beautiful" in that it allows for congregation, markets, etc. Similarly, perceptions of architectural beauty must be nudged away from a superficial glance at a skyline or chic/historicist material claddings.

Portland - home to such splendors as Washington Park, the Max, Bicycle boulevards, and frequent service bus lines - is home to a few architectural gems which are beautiful for what's on the inside (and on the outside, I must add). Unfortunately, architectural criticism (and to some extent public perception) is still regrettable mired in petty quibbles over facade appearances.

There are two exceptional projects in downtown Portland of Worldchanging caliber - not only achieving LEED certifications - but pushing the envelope way beyond the USGBC's standards. These projects, among others, begin to define how a local architectural discourse in Portland can embrace the ideas which have led the city as a whole down an admiral path to livability and sustainability.

The first is the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, Ecostrust headquarters.

Ecotrust's renovation of the brick and timber building respects the character of the original 1895 structure while incorporating environmentally-innovative materials and techniques. The redevelopment contractor, Walsh Construction, has estimated that more than 98 percent of the construction waste has been recycled or reclaimed, a Portland city record. The building also features an "ecoroof" that, together with street-level landscaping, filters and absorbs most, if not all, of the site's rainwater, eliminating runoff to the overburdened Willamette River.

The Ecotrust building houses Ecotrust, an organization devoted to Salmon habitat restoration and protection, Patagonia, Hot Lips Pizza, and others - all forming a cohesive whole which looks, feels, and is local, sustainable, and Worldchanging (yes, even Hotlips, who's mission "is to preserve culture and celebrate humanity through our rich culinary traditions and by joining with others in finding new ways, sustainable ways of doing business. We aim to make each day more joyous and delicious!")

Just as exciting is the Oregon Health & Science University's 16-story Center for Health and Healing, which is a projected to use 61% less energy than a conventional building of its size. Interface Engineering, which developed the integrated sustainable systems, offers a free case study, Engineering A Sustainable World, which explains how Interface achieved

• 61% more energy efficiency than required by Oregon code and LEED standards


• 56% reduction in potable water use vs. a similar conventional building


• 100% on-site sewage treatment with rainwater and wastewater being harvested for toilets and landscaping, saving 15,000 gallons a day from reaching the city’s overburdened combined sewer system, and cutting the owner’s future water and sewer bills


• Innovative features such as sunshades that double as solar power generators; the first large-scale on-site micro-turbine plant in Oregon to generate electricity; natural ventilation; displacement ventilation; radiant cooling; the first U.S.-use of chilled beams to replace air-conditioning in a large building; and other measures.

The most amazing thing is that they achieved all this even though "net mechanical and electrical systems costs are 10 percent under the $30 million allotted based on a conventional design." The Center for Health and Healing is at the end of the Portland Streetcar extension and is at the base of a new Aerial Tram. There are Tram advocates and detractors, but the concept summarizes the Portland ideal in a nutshell: "The tram provides a vital connection... while serving as a catalyst for economic development and urban renewal."