Working once again with developer John Carroll, our teams created another elegant, boutique apartment building in Portland’s Pearl District. The Dianne, named for Carroll’s wife, highlights what our Architecture, Interiors, and Brand disciplines can achieve when they design together, shaping a cohesive residential experience rooted in craft and character.
Inspired by Carroll’s appreciation of Art Deco, we introduced custom elements throughout, from entry signage to interior casework, so details align in sophisticated harmony. The 102-unit luxury tower continues the high standards established by our nearby collaborations with Carroll and adds to a legacy of landmark buildings that helped define the Pearl District.
The Dianne offers a fresh perspective on historical design, with an Art Deco inspired façade that feels as if it could have been built in the 1920s. Warm multitone ornamental brickwork and geometric precast concrete columns bring a sense of an all but forgotten era, while a balance of brick and glass adds texture and frames dynamic views of Mount Hood and downtown Portland.
Although roughly half the size of many developments nearby, the building achieves an efficient floorplate through resourceful planning. Additional height was made possible by borrowing from a lot across the street, a move supported by the neighborhood because it helped preserve the scale of a historic building. Mechanized stacked parking structures made the necessary resident parking possible within a tight urban footprint.
Arriving at street level, Art Deco style relief work around the main doors leads into a terrazzo tiled lobby with custom artwork and signage. At night, the illuminated entry heightens the drama of the facade and emphasizes the tower’s verticality within the block. The building also strengthens its connection to the surrounding neighborhood through public art, including an illuminated modern sculpture by a Native American artist based on a traditional dancing staff, and glasswork on the parking screens that echoes the flow of water from Tanner Creek.
The true measure of success was simple: passersby should feel like The Dianne has always belonged here. Responsive to the history of its setting, the project delivers a new landmark that carries the familiar confidence of a building that feels timeless.
