Oregon’s mass timber structure blends industry and nature

by tanya_martins | December 23, 2024 11:00 am

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The 4,645-m² (50,000-sf) Public Works Operations Building is the cornerstone of Salem, Ore., a central hub dedicated to maintaining the city’s infrastructure.

The design blends industry and nature, using durable materials, natural textures, and patterns that echo the surrounding landscape with three gabled forms rising from the ground. This is strategically offset to create welcoming plazas filled with native plants and rainwater management features.

Within these plazas, the central hubs foster a sense of community among the various departments.

Sustainability is at the forefront of material choices, with locally sourced Juniper used for the exterior wood siding. The warm mass timber structure is a backdrop, contrasting with a palette of steely blues and earthy tones.

Light enters the common area through continuous north-facing windows. Open staircases link different divisions within Public Works, including large indoor rainwater planters in collaborative areas that treat onsite water before returning it clean to the system.

Hacker designed the project with Ground Workshop LLC, which provided landscaping.

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/oregons-mass-timber-structure-blends-industry-and-nature/

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