The Mirabella South Waterfront – Portland, Oregon
Services Employed: Architectural Design, Interior Design, Sustainable Design, Graphic Design
CLIENT: Pacific Retirement Services
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: Mirabella is registered with the certification goal of LEED Platinum. Sustainable design strategies include reclaiming a brownfield site; solar hot water; handling of storm water runoff on site through a green roof and bio-swales; controlling the amount of needed irrigation by using native plants; proper building orientation; a water source heat pump and heat recovery system; stacked valet parking, which reduced the size of the parking garage by 2/3 of what a conventional garage would require; dual flush toilets; and locally sourced materials. By integrating the sustainable design goals into the project at the outset, Mirabella is set to reach Platinum without spending more than the building would have cost anyway if built to our client’s (PRS) normal standards and taking advantage of rebates/incentive.
CLIENT GOAL: Create continuing care retirement housing in an urban location that enables seniors to live an actively engaged life filled with friends, enriching activities, lifelong learning and a healthy lifestyle.
DESIGN RESPONSE: The 30-story slim tower design is elegant and urbane, appealing to sophisticated, active adults. With only 8 units per floor, residents are within a short walk of elevators and have easy access to ground floor amenities, as well as a 5th floor “park in the sky,” a 24th floor dining lounge and a 25th floor observation deck. The sculptural form of the tower, with its slim 82’ wide profile and tapering top, helps preserve sight lines to the Willamette River from the west. While the materials employed are contextually relevant, the project infuses more color and texture into the neighborhood. The site layout includes a courtyard that extends the public park across the street. Careful attention was paid to the project’s urban design, with wide sidewalks and a canopy on all four sides of the ground floor, creating a comfortable pedestrian realm. Human-scaled, active uses line the tower’s base, including a full health spa/fitness center with a lap pool; a library; café and courtyard; auditorium; and computer area. Some of these spaces are open to the public, providing an opportunity for social interaction with other residents in the neighborhood. Interior design concepts are tied to the architecture through continuation of both form and materials in the main public spaces. Interiors are contemporary and engaging, supporting Mirabella’s vision of an active, vital lifestyle. The project is next door to the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Wellness Center, which is connected by aerial tram to the main university campus on a hill west of the site. OHSU will also contribute the latest in technological resources and applications for aging, allowing residents to remain independent as long as possible while providing healthcare support when needed. At Mirabella (Italian for beautiful vision), physical age is just a number; it does not limit or define how people live their lives.
WINNER: 2007 AIA Design for Aging Merit Award
WINNER: 2008 Multi-Housing News Design Excellence Awards, Winner: Unbuilt Category
To learn more about Mirabella Portland: http://www.mirabellaretirement.org/portland/
