By Lindsey Coulter听

In the heart of downtown Portland, a once-stark Brutalist building is now alive with light, greenery, and the energy of听nearly 2,000听students. The Vernier Science Center, formerly Science Building One, has been completely reimagined to foster collaboration, curiosity, and cultural inclusivity. Glass-wrapped entryways, climbing vines, and oversized planters frame a human-scaled entrance, signaling that science education at Portland State University (PSU) is no longer听just about labs听and lectures 鈥斕齣t鈥檚听about people,听community听and the stories they bring.听

The original 1967 structure, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, was constructed for $2.9 million. The new iteration of Vernier Science Center, however, features a mezzanine between the first and second floors, two basement levels, and a covered pedestrian skybridge connecting the second floor to the adjacent Science Research and Teaching Center. Then reimagined six-story, 88,795-square-foot building, completed in 2024 by Bora Architecture and Skanska, however, now serves as an inclusive hub for STEM education, combining advanced laboratories, collaborative听classrooms听and community-centered spaces.听听

The renovation not only updated the facility for contemporary STEM education but also created a new campus landmark. From the expanded entry level to the striking glass facades, every element reflects a thoughtful balance of accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and technical performance.听

Inclusive Design Process听

Engaging PSU鈥檚 diverse student body was critical to the project鈥檚 success. The team intentionally sought input from Black, Indigenous, and students of color to ensure the building met teaching and learning needs while celebrating the university鈥檚 diverse cultural backgrounds. Student voices informed everything from room programming to circulation patterns, lighting, and informal learning areas.听

鈥淐reating inclusive, collaborative spaces was a priority in our new听building鈥檚听design,鈥� said Todd Rosenstiel, Dean of PSU鈥檚 College of Liberal听Arts听and Sciences. 鈥淚n building this transformative and Indigenous-focused space, we brought to life a place of science and discovery created by and for Portland State University鈥檚 diverse population. We built an entire building based on stories of people.鈥�听

The renovation also听leveraged听a Critical Race spatial lens to address historic inequities in science education. Engagement with BIPOC and Indigenous students guided a variety of project elements including programming, the integration of open and informal learning areas, artwork selection and even lighting design. Spaces such as a community gathering room, a decolonized library, and a food/plant teaching kitchen expand the typical lab offerings, allowing Indigenous communities to explore science in culturally meaningful ways. A 鈥渟cience on display鈥� concept permeates the building, giving students opportunities to听showcase听their work collaboratively.听

Skanska Senior Superintendent Troy Boardman highlighted the thematic approach to the building鈥檚 facades.听听

鈥淓ach of the four facing external facades has a unique theme including north toward the Columbia Gorge, east toward the Cascade Mountain Range, south toward the Willamette Valley and west toward the mountainous Coastal Range, which honors the Indigenous journeys to get here,鈥� Boardman said. 鈥淓ach design and construction consideration points to access in multi-disciplinary, collaborative spaces that promote engagement and co-creation.鈥�听

This intentional inclusivity translated into a design that balances transparency and privacy, ensures accessibility, and incorporates material finishes that reflect local ecosystems and Indigenous culture. Human-scaled entryways and communal spaces embody PSU鈥檚 commitment to听equitable听access to STEM education.听

Engineering Excellence听

From an engineering perspective, the project posed significant technical challenges. Integrating seismic upgrades into an active campus environment听required听meticulous planning, careful sequencing, and constant coordination with faculty and staff.听

鈥淪cience buildings are inherently complex, and going听vertical听adds layers of coordination, especially when integrating dense mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to support advanced lab environments,鈥� said Schneider.听

The team employed laser scanning and Building Information Modeling (BIM) to capture precise conditions from the original 1967 structure. By听consolidating听MEP-intensive labs on upper floors, constructability was听optimized, and classroom construction could progress in parallel. The vertical layout also enhances interdisciplinary collaboration by stacking STEM disciplines within a compact footprint, improving connectivity between students and faculty.听

Additionally, the main floor was pushed outward by eight feet and wrapped in glass to strengthen connections to greenery and natural light. The resulting transparency creates visual access and encourages interaction, reflecting the building鈥檚 community-centered mission.听

Construction Strategy and Phasing听

Skanska developed the facility through a $62.8 million, three-phase plan to accommodate the active campus and research labs. Phase I involved demolition of Stratford Hall and relocation of research and lab services into nearby buildings. During demolition, concrete shears and real-time vibration听monitoring听minimized disruption to sensitive labs nearby.听

Phase II focused on the renovation of 48 rooms in the Science Research and Teaching Center while the building remained operational. Work was scheduled around class times, with noisy activities starting as early as 5 a.m., ensuring faculty and students moved only once during the transition.听

The final phase transformed Science Building One into the Vernier Science Center. Adjacent buildings were protected through air quality monitoring and safe pedestrian access management. Schneider emphasized the importance of combining technical precision with human-centered planning.听听

鈥淥ur approach blended technical expertise with human-centered planning,鈥� he said.听

The downtown campus location also posed logistical challenges, including high pedestrian traffic, narrow one-way听streets听and proximity to听the Portland听Streetcar. Just-in-time deliveries and real-time updates via QR codes along the fence line enabled uninterrupted material flow while keeping the campus community informed.听

Sustainability and Resilience听

Sustainability was a core principle throughout the project. Reuse of the original structure minimized embodied carbon, while mechanical upgrades and new double-glazed windows significantly improved energy efficiency. Smart energy practices, including LED lighting, controllable systems, low-emitting materials, and forestry-conscious wood products, supported the building鈥檚 pursuit of LEED Gold certification.听

Waste diversion exceeded 90%, achieved by rigorously sorting materials and prioritizing recycling and reuse. The demolition of Stratford Hall also created opportunities for regeneration, as the site now hosts a campus park with meandering paths, log seating, and native grasses, extending the building鈥檚 focus on wellness,听gathering听and reflection.听

Project Data听

• Project Name: Vernier Science Center听
• Location: Portland, Ore.听
• Area:听89,500 square feet听
• Construction Cost: $64.7 million听
• Architect: Bora Architecture & Interiors, Studio Petretti Architecture, Woofter Bolch Architecture听
• General Contractor: Skanska Building USA听
• Structural Engineer: Catena Consulting Engineers听听
• Consulting Engineers: VEGA, Pace, Affiliated Engineers Inc., Samata, O-LLC, Jacobs Consultancy, PBS Environmental, Project PIVOT, Reichle听
• Acoustical and A/V Consultant: The听Greenbusch听Group听
• Technology Consultant: Vertex Technology Design & Consulting听
• Code Consultant: Code Unlimited (now Jensen Hughes)听
• Roofing: Professional Roof Consultants听
• Sustainability: SORA Design Group听
• Historic Preservation: ARG听
• Geotechnical Engineering: Geotechnical Resources Inc.听
• Foodservice Design: JBK Consulting & Design, Bargreen Ellingson听
• Commissioning: Precision Test and Balance听
• Abatement: Performance Abatement Services, Environmental Resource Inc.听
• Environmental Consultant: Anderson Environmental听
• Excavation: Weitman Excavation听
• Concrete Cutting and Drilling: Bedrock Commercial Concrete Cutting, Finish Line Concrete Cutting听
• Construction: Interior Exterior Specialists, Turtle Mt. Construction,听NativeWorks听LLC, Performance Contracting Inc.听
• Landscape Design: Pac Green Landscape听

Get more weekly reports and听timely听updates by subscribing for free at听schoolconstructionnews.com/subscribe.听

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By Lindsey Coulter

At a glance:

• Location: Portland

• Major Funding Secured: PSU has secured $155M for the Performing Arts and Culture Center (PACC), including $137.5M in state bonds, $7.6M from Prosper Portland, and $10.5M in philanthropic pledges.

• Purpose and Design: The PACC will feature a 1,200-seat theater, academic spaces, parking, and a city-owned venue for Broadway-level performances, located on PSU鈥檚 University Place Hotel site downtown.

• Part of Two-Theater Strategy: This is the first phase of Portland鈥檚 two-theater plan, designed to keep performing arts active downtown without long-term closures.

• Economic & Cultural Impact: Leaders see the project as a cornerstone of downtown revitalization, supporting education, arts, cultural exchange, and economic resilience.

• Next Steps and Timeline: PSU continues fundraising and exploring partnerships (possibly including a hotel and conference center) with the PACC expected to open in 2030.

PORTLAND 鈥� Portland State University (PSU) is making significant strides in its ambitious Performing Arts and Culture Center (PACC) project, having secured $155 million in funding for the next phase of development. The funding includes $137.5 million in state bonds approved by the Oregon Legislature as well as contributions from Prosper Portland and philanthropic donors.

The Oregon Legislature approved the $137.5 million in state bonds as part of Senate Bill 5505. Of this amount, $85 million will fund the construction of a 1,200-seat theater and academic space, while $52.5 million will go toward developing on-site parking infrastructure. The funding is paired with $7.6 million from Prosper Portland and $10.5 million in philanthropic pledges.

PSU鈥檚 Performing Arts and Culture Center will be located at the south end of downtown Portland, on a 4.25-acre, PSU-owned parcel at the current site of the University Place Hotel. The facility will integrate a variety of spaces, including the PSU-owned theater and academic spaces, alongside a city-owned venue designed to accommodate Broadway-level performances.

The development is part of a broader vision to create two world-class performance venues in Portland鈥檚 downtown, which city leaders hope will serve the community for generations to come.

“Portland State University is grateful for the support of Gov. Kotek and the Oregon Legislature,” said PSU President Ann Cudd in a statement. “We believe this project reflects the bold leadership and creative vision needed to reinvigorate our city. This is about shaping a future filled with opportunity for our students, artists and community.”

This project is the first phase of Portland鈥檚 two-theater strategy, authorized by the Portland City Council in October 2024. The strategy calls for the construction of two Broadway-capable theaters in sequence, with the PSU theater being the first to be developed. This approach is designed to ensure that performing arts programming can continue in the city without long-term closures.

Rep. Dacia Grayber, whose district includes PSU, celebrated the funding approval as a key win for both the arts and Portland鈥檚 economic future.

鈥淚nvestments in arts and culture are investments in economic resilience, in education, and the vitality of our downtown,鈥� Grayber said in a university statement. 鈥淲e are choosing with these bonds to boldly sing the song of our city and who we can be for generations to come.鈥�

As the project gains momentum, PSU has already secured $10.5 million in philanthropic support and is actively engaging with major donors and potential development partners for the next stages of the site, which may include a hotel and conference center.

The PACC will play a pivotal role in Portland鈥檚 downtown revitalization, creating new opportunities for the performing arts and cultural exchange. It is expected to become a hub for students, artists, educators, and audiences from across Oregon, with plans to welcome visitors when it opens in 2030.

PSU and city officials are committed to ensuring that the PACC will remain a cultural anchor in Portland for years to come.

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PORTLAND, Ore.鈥擜 recent transformation at Portland State University has given new life to an outdated structure, infusing a 1960s venue with natural light and flexible spaces and resulting in an instant hub of campus activity.

The task was to transform the outmoded, fortress-like Neuberger Hall (now named Fariborz Maseeh Hall) into a modern, interactive, light-filled academic hub. The five-story building was originally built in the Brutalist-style, a common campus aesthetic which reflected the pragmatic and inwardly focused buildings of that era. A half-century later, these buildings represent the antithesis of the open, flexible environments called for today. Evolving this building to meet the current needs focused on three key strategies: 1) re-centering the design to the user鈥攖he students, faculty, community members, and others who use the building; 2) prioritizing life-cycle and life safety upgrades to the building as a whole; and 3) engaging with owners, contractors, consultants and subcontractors in collaborative, fine-grained decision-making that preserved as many opportunities as possible to support all Portland State University students.

The design concept repositions the building鈥攚hich functions as a central student hub with classrooms, lecture halls, student services, and faculty offices鈥攖hrough a series of interventions, renovations, and expansions. The result is an engaging, open, and humane experience. With an emphasis on access to daylight and connections between indoor and outdoor spaces, the 250,000-square-foot building now enhances campus function, while better connecting and responding to its urban setting.

The original building was completed in two phases, 1961 and 1969. The two elements are now joined by a common floor plan, while their distinct exterior appearances are preserved. Through a rigorous programming exercise, the removal of 20,000-square-feet of floor area for the light well reduced only 3,000-square-feet of assignable space, while improving program efficiency and flexibility with the additional floor area at the interior with access to daylight. Exterior facades were upgraded through new curtainwall systems. That increase visibility while enhancing energy performance.

A new central light well brings daylight into the heart of the building, and a more transparent facade provides visual connectivity to the outdoors. The new floor plan now provides students, faculty, and staff with enhanced opportunities for cross-pollination. Improved ground floor program distribution also now provides visual and physical connections between the plaza and park amenity spaces and expands opportunities for more student activity and interaction outside of the classroom. The physical connections are improved through a continuous accessible floor plan with full ADA access and enhanced way finding. Previously closed-in hallways and circulations now have unobstructed line of sight between the building鈥檚 eastern and western perimeter.

By renovating Fariborz Maseeh Hall rather than demolishing and rebuilding, the team was able to preserve the embodied carbon of the building and substantially reduce carbon emissions. Together, the combination of replacing all windows with high performing substitutes and the increased daylight into the building reduces the building鈥檚 energy demand by 25% from the CBEC baseline model of buildings of similar size and use.

Hacker Design Team

David Keltner 鈥� Design Principal
Jennie Fowler 鈥� Interior Design Principal
Nick Hodges 鈥� Project Manager
Rashmi Vasavada 鈥� Project Architect
Matt Leavitt 鈥� Project Architect
Sonia Norskog 鈥� Interior Design
Jake Freauff 鈥� Design Team
Shawn Glad 鈥� Design Team
Marissa Jordan 鈥� Design Team
Brendan Hart 鈥� Design Team
Alex Palmer 鈥� Design Team
Vijayeta Davda 鈥� Design Team
Brad Smith 鈥� Design Team

Consultant Team

Architecture and Interiors: Hacker
Contractor: Fortis
Landscape: Mayer / REED
Civil Engineer: KPFF
Structural Engineer: ABHT
Mechanical & Plumbing Engineer: PAE
Electrical Engineer: Reyes Engineering
Geotechnical Engineer: GRI
Lighting: Biella Lighting Design
Acoustical Engineer: Stantec
Fa莽ade Building Envelope: RDH Building Science
Historic/ SHPO: Architectural Resources Group
Sustainability: Lensa Consulting

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Coding camps and makerspaces are the new trend to get young students interested in new tech or science subjects, and to engage them in interactive learning. But this method shouldn鈥檛 end after middle school; it can be applied easily to higher education to benefit students, researchers, professors and even sports administrators.

These spaces make 鈥渕aking鈥� happen in a different way, in which students do less tinkering and more collaborating. At the higher level, it becomes difficult for students to work together on the same document or project, so how do they collaborate on one document at once? Many students may look to document sharing platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive, but this method just lets multiple people type at once.

Many university makerspaces are stocked with tools such as 3-D printers, laser cutters, CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines, hand tools and welding equipment where participants can innovate, design, prototype and build everything from practical devices to art. On campuses from Stanford to the University of Texas at Austin to North Carolina State University, students use these studios to create tangible portfolio pieces to satisfy course requirements in engineering, architecture, design and art classes. But for those who can鈥檛 tinker with physical objects, some makerspaces embrace virtual participation using videoconferencing for input and inspiration from remote experts.

Portland State University envisioned a place for local government and private companies to work alongside their researchers on a variety of projects that link data sets, visualization, and decisions. The university created a Decision Theater to accelerate research and learning in areas such as forest fire prediction and prevention 鈥� where large-scale data visualization permits people to see patterns they otherwise could not predict or determine 鈥� and also to create a community resource available to host local businesses such as architecture firms, or other regional stakeholders such as first-responders. University leaders created a 360-degree, large-scale view with InFocus Mondopads along four walls, and a collaboration and video conferencing interactive board. The room lets large and small groups form to work side-by-side and chat with researchers, professors and other students in collaborating programs.

Some universities saw the potential of this technology and applied it to their athletics department. Collaboration technologies are being deployed in football programs to improve everything from training and game management to competitive analysis and sports broadcasting; Digital video and enhanced collaboration tools allow coaching and analyst staff, who are often in multiple locations during a game, to immediately review plays together on the screen, create or revise play calling in real-time, annotate directly on top video streams and archive video for later analysis.

NCAA college football is experimenting with collaborative replay review for more accurate officiating and response to call challenges. In a high-stakes 12-game season where every call and yard count, the potential for increased officiating accuracy is game-changing. Video and off-site collaboration are used similarly to the Decision Theater, where possible targeting fouls are reviewed by an onsite official in a remote video command center, using instant replay and real-time communication technologies. For officials as well as for players and coaches, it is critical that everyone is seeing the same thing and that confident, well-informed rulings are made quickly. Developing a common operating picture and collaborating efficiently are essential requirements for the technology.

The rapid evolution of collaboration technologies is changing the college experience on the gridiron and in the classroom. The library and the lab are becoming dynamic and deeply engaging resources that drive innovation and entrepreneurship, linking students across the campus and around the world.

Brady O. Bruce is chief marketing officer for InFocus, headquartered in Portland, Ore.

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