Portland State University's new Academic and Student Recreation Center (ASRC), Portland, Ore., is a mixed-use complex bound by a new transit mall and MAX, Portland's light-rail system. It is situated at the center of the Portland Streetcar and downtown bus routes. Each facade reflects the varied uses within the facility by responding to their different solar orientations and urban context.
The ground floor will house retail storefronts and restaurants. The upper floors, in addition to the recreation complex, will house the university's School of Social Work, a new auditorium, general classroom space and the offices of the Chancellor of the Oregon State Board of Education. It also will house the City of Portland Archives.
Project costs will be covered by state-authorized bonds, student recreation fees, retail lease fees, university allocations and fees from the City of Portland, the Portland Development Commission and the Oregon University System.
The project is seeking LEED silver certification. Water-efficient systems will reduce the building's water use by 50 percent. Its energy performance will exceed code by 35 percent. Reflective and green roofs will reduce urban heat islands in the summer, and capture and retain natural heat during the winter.
The architect is Yost Grube Hall Architecture (Portland, Ore.).
