Harrison West Condominium

Portland, Oregon

2013 to present

The Harrison West Condominium is a historic, mid-century residential complex, completed in 1966 by Skidmore Owings and Merrill, better known as SOM. It is comprised of a 25-story concrete tower, surrounded by a dozen two-story townhomes. These are part of a complex of three towers and another dozen townhome units, central to the South Auditorium District of Portland, Oregon, a large pedestrian zone laid out by Lawrence Halprin and SOM, which includes several iconic fountains and parks that comprise The Halprin Sequence.

When the complex of three buildings was converted from rental units to condominiums in 2006, only cosmetic improvements were made to make the exterior of the towers and the individual units seemingly more attractive and thus marketable—and leaving 40 years (and by now, 60 years) of unresolved structural and maintenance issues at the Harrison West:

Structural failure at several locations (although, not with the high-rise tower);

Failed waterproofing at roofs, balconies, planters and courtyard level decks, causing pervasive leaks throughout the parking garage and within units;

Broken treads at exterior concrete stairs; and most difficult of all,

Failed galvanized piping for domestic water, resulting in clogged pipes, metal fragments in the water and frequent leaks from corrosion of the pipe walls.

The cosmetic improvements of 2006 included repainting all three towers in a multi-colored pattern that seemed deliberately to try and erase the memory of these being well-designed, mid-century modern architecture. But, the colors over time as they faded and became encrusted with dirt, could be described only as “putrid,” although even-more colorful expressions were often voiced.

Of all the improvements that were effected over the past few years, the most difficult to implement—the most intrusive—was replacement of the galvanized domestic water supply system with a new material, Aquatherm. To access the existing piping and make the new connections, required opening every wall and ceiling space where piping was concealed—hint: that was a lot, over 2,000.

Most people who reside at the Harrison West couldn’t have cared less about its architectural heritage or place in Portland’s history—either things work or they don’t. So the more difficult task proved to be perceptual. Most people had heard of Lawrence Halprin and were well-aware of his influence on the neighborhood, but perceiving the architectural elements as a yin/yang—an equally important counterpoint—proved an essential first step. Luckily, by 2023 the tide had turned and mid-century modern architecture was in vogue again.

Historical considerations

Replacing the piping

Image precedents