Mar 12

Mar 12 District Office | Mass Timber Conference 2023

Sustainability, Design, Workplace Design, Office, New Construction

District Office

Designed by Hacker and now the location of Hacker Headquarters, District Office is a 106,000 square foot building in Central Eastside Portland that boasts an open Mass Timber Office Space with Cross Laminated Timber construction visible throughout the interior.

District Office

Portland, Oregon / 106,000 SF / Completion 2020

Certifications 2030 Compliant

Recognitions Portland Design Commission Design Excellence Award, 2018

Designer Notes

Guided by biophilic design principles and occupant health, District Office is home to Hacker’s new studio in 2020. The design prioritizes access to natural daylight, connections and views to the neighborhood and landscape, and deeply integrated sustainable design strategies. At six stories, the building includes five floors of new office space with ground-floor retail and restaurant space along an active multimodal thoroughfare. Glue-laminated columns and beams and cross-laminated timber floors are fully visible throughout the interior, a nod to the timber-heavy industrial past of the neighborhood. Oversized sliding glass panels open to create visceral outdoor connections, with natural materials producing strong tactile impressions. Double-height spaces lend volume and circulation to the interior, and allow tenants to create more intimate office layouts than a typical single-floor plan.

People
Alex Zelaya / Tyler Nishitani / Nicolas Pectol / Vijayeta Davda / Lewis Williams / Matt Sugarbaker / Daniel Childs / Garrett Martin / Corey Martin / Clarissa Acevedo / Jennifer Fowler / Sonia Norskog

David Keltner, Design Principal
Scott Mannhard, Project Manager

Regional Material, Regional Impact

Forests are one of Oregon’s most abundant natural resources. Douglas fir forests, which are native to the Pacific Northwest, offer significant carbon storage potential and produce some of the most desirable wood for engineered lumber due to its strength and visual appearance.

Mass Timber is a valuable industry in rural communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. New facilities that embrace new technology in advanced wood production, such as D.R. Johnson in Riddle and Freres Lumber Co. in Lyons, promote growth in economically challenged areas and help to stimulate local economies.

District Office, a 6-story Cross Laminated Timber office building, uses 73,300 cubic feet of wood, which results in 1,866 metric tons of carbon stored and equivalent to removing 547 cars from the road for one year. This amount of wood is regrown in Oregon timberland every twenty minutes.

Human Centered Design

Mass timber is a contributing element to biophilic design, which strives to satisfy the human desire to be connected to nature. Studies have shown that the presence of wood in interior spaces improves focus and creativity.

The strength of cross laminated timber minimizes the need for structure at the building perimeter, allowing more natural light to fill the inside of buildings. Effective use of natural light can improve mood and reduce energy demands.

Humans have an affinity for wood. Natural materials offer warmth and comfort to interior environments. Studies have shown that natural materials have calming effects, reducing stress of building occupants.

Systems Integration

Exposing the timber structure requires exceptional coordination of building systems. District Office uses gaps between the mass timber panels to distribute utilities like piping and conduit, without impacting the wood structure.

Wood is structure, finish, and fireproofing. The size of wood elements can be increased to withstand fire. Exposing the structure provides an exceptional finish, which minimizes the need to add ceilings and fire-proofing.

Accelerated Construction

Robotic and automated fabrication ensures precise building materials.

Smart pre-planning and digital coordination of projects is critical to capitalize on the speed of mass timber installation.

Wood structures are light, yet strong, allowing them to perform well in seismic events. The lighter weight can also result in lower foundation costs.

Mass timber buildings can also bring cost savings through quicker construction schedules.