Ideals and image into brick and mortar
Architecture - Mercy Corps sets out to transform its mission into a visual statement as well
Thursday, December 14, 2006
RANDY GRAGG
The Oregonian
Mercy Corps is renowned for how quickly it delivers aid to war and disaster zones. But when it comes to making decisions on its new headquarters building, it's moving a little more slowly.
Consider agenda item No. 1: goals.
"Create a clear and powerful image for Mercy Corps, which projects its worldwide mission and promotes the dignity of the people it serves," read the architects' first draft of goal No. 1 at a recent meeting.
"Whose power?" interjected John Hanson, Mercy Corps' senior program manager for Africa. "It seems like we're bragging."
A 10-minute agenda item quickly stretched into 35 as the committee analyzed every word of a total of five goals. Should the building "project" or "illuminate" Mercy Corps' mission? Should it "respond" to the neighborhood or "interact"? Should it be "economical" or "affordable"?
The lead designer, Thomas Hacker, likes to rev his clients up with forceful and inspiring words. Mercy Corps, accustomed to dealing with the victims of power and worried about leaving the impression of extravagance with potential donors, is more wary.
But, at this stage, with no tough money decisions to be made, the disagreements between the designers and the building committee are lighthearted and productive. A 20-minute discussion at a second meeting led to a final draft for goals ranging from the building's public image and flexibility to its neighborhood friendliness.
The Oregonian is following the design process of Mercy Corps' new headquarters -- the translation of the organization and its ideals into "architecture." If things go as planned, Mercy Corps will renovate and expand the historic Skidmore Building at Southwest Ankeny Street and First Avenue. But for now, the building committee is dealing with the preliminaries: goals, square footages and, of course, parking. Architecture is still blurry.
Consider the issue of space. Jean von Bargen of Michael Willis Architects, who is collaborating with Hacker, discovered staff members spend, on average, less than 40 percent of their time at their desks. Besides meeting spaces, employees need quiet rooms for making phone calls and finishing reports and grants. Because many work in Portland but their hours coincide with the work day in a distant country's time zone, some would like to have better kitchen facilities. Some employees want rooms for naps, yoga and breast feeding. Executive director Neal Keny-Guyer wants a "photo-op" spot for his frequent TV interviews.
Architect Hacker showed the committee two drawings describing one of their wishes: a central space -- possibly an atrium -- uniting everything. The architects want it to connect the historic 1895 Skidmore Building they'll renovate to the newer building they will design around it. The staff wants someplace to gather and to see one another. Hacker's first drawing is conceptual, a simple circle in a square. The second shows rough plans of new and old buildings connected with dots and scribbles suggesting people and movement.
"It needs to be dynamic," he said. "I see an interpenetrating space filled with natural light."
There are limits. Under current zoning, Mercy Corps could build up to 95,000 square feet. It needs only 65,000 -- at least for now. A key question Mercy Corps must face is whether it wants to be a landlord, building more space than it needs in order to have future expansion room.
Vollum center model
Executive director Keny-Guyer thinks the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center is a great model, the home for the ecological advocacy and research group Ecotrust, which leases some of its space to other like-minded organizations. But Mercy Corps' building committee got a cold lesson in current development economics when the project manager they've hired, Carter MacNichol of Shiels Obletz Johnsen, flatly stated, "You can't build new office space for what you can rent it for."
In short, they would have to subsidize any tenants, at least for a while.
Another complication is parking. Despite the staff's high environmental idealism, a recent survey showed one-third of Mercy Corps' 140 employees have either family or commuting needs requiring them to drive every day. Tenants would require more. Additional spaces for the planned learning center would be good. But given the site's limitations, 31-74 spaces is all that's possible, and each one is expensive.
"Ideally, we want at least 75 spaces," said committee chair Matthew DeGalan, who will be leading the fundraising for the building. "But it will all come down to cost."
As committee members' eyes drooped over the realities, architect Hacker stepped up mid-meeting to present some actual architectural concepts.
Concepts spark energy
The room's oxygen level increased as the effervescent designer started talking, not about square footages and rents, but baskets. Hacker pointed to various displays around Mercy Corps' offices of artisans' work from countries where the organization works. The baskets in particular are an excellent starting point for architecture, he says. It just so happens, it's an idea he's working on with another building, which will soon rise in south downtown, the 1700 Fourth Avenue condominiums.
Hacker clicked through PowerPoint images of that structure's faceted facade and then flashed a sketch in which Hacker's gestural strokes of red, yellow and blue have woven a building next to the Burnside Bridge -- Mercy Corps' site. It's nothing more than a vaguely rectilinear cloud of red, blue and yellow lines. But it's clear enough to show a step-back and a tall line of trees rising from a roof terrace to separate the upper building from the busy bridge while creating a green gateway into the city.
The committee's excitement was palpable, even as some members pointed out flaws -- like a roof terrace on a shady north side next to a busy bridge. MacNichol, mindful of the budget, fidgeted and sighed. ("It's my job to be the bad guy," he quipped.) But all Hacker wants for now is a weather report: Does the committee see clouds or sun so far with his concept? The committee members nodded their warm approvals.
"I'll tell you one thing," said committee member David Evans. "It sure beats the hell out of talking about parking. It's great to have you giving form to what we do."
Randy Gragg: 503-221-8575;
randygragg@news.oregonian.com.
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