Photo of The Dianne

Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

 

The Dianne

Continuing a Portland Legacy

Working once again with developer John Carroll, our teams created another elegant, boutique apartment building in Portland’s prestigious Pearl District. The Dianne—named for Carroll’s wife—highlights the success our Architecture, Interiors, and Brand disciplines can achieve when they design together. Taking inspiration from Carroll’s appreciation of the Art Deco style, our team found opportunities to introduce custom elements throughout the building. From the entry signage to the interior casework, these stylish details work together in sophisticated harmony. The 102-unit luxury high-rise tower’s craftsmanship continues the high-quality standards found in our other nearby collaborations with John Carroll. We are thrilled to add to his team’s legacy of designing landmark apartment buildings that helped establish the Pearl District. Elevating the residential experience, The Dianne offers a fresh perspective on historical design.

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Portland, Oregon
  • 102 units
  • 15 stories
  • Completed in 2018
PROJECT CONTACT

Brand: marketing@ankrommoisan.com

housing@ankrommoisan.com


Brand Story

Modern Luxury with a Twist

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Cheryl McIntosh

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Casey Braunger

To develop the branded elements of The Dianne—custom logotype, signage, graphics—our team engaged the owner, John Carroll, in a series of workshops to explore the essence of this luxury apartment building. Through our conversations, we developed four brand cornerstones for The Dianne: cultured, fresh, personal, and pride. Our teams wanted this project to evoke residents’ sense of personal pride in living here and embody a sense of pride of place for the Pearl District because it beautifully contributes to the neighborhood. We also honed in on Pacific Northwest inhabitants’ strong connection to the region’s nature through access to outdoor spaces like the river and Mt. Hood, which are visible from the building. Named after the owner’s wife, our brand team developed a signature, sophisticated identity for The Dianne. The Art Deco style is carried through from the architecture and interior design. We captured the aesthetics of this classic era through extensive research. The gold color palette was inspired by the metaphor of a “gold nugget” as a symbol of richness. This high-end, timeless brand showcases symmetry, clarity, and stability over abstract, bulky masses. Clear, precise, and succinct visual cues are preferred over abstract shapes. Drawing from the shapes present in the physical building, we created custom lettering and modular pieces applied to the signage, art installations, and entry canopy. These elements were also used in leasing materials and the apartment building’s website. At every touchpoint connected to The Dianne, current and perspective residents should feel drawn into an experience of modern elegance established by its brand.

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Architecture Story

Art-Deco Elegance

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

Architecture Photo of The Dianne

© Shelsi Lindquist

Walking by The Dianne, one might think its Art Deco-inspired façade was created in the 1920s. The warm multitone, ornamental brickwork of this 15-story tower—accented by geometric precast concrete columns—exudes the sophistication of an all but forgotten era. Taking cues from buildings scattered throughout Portland’s Northwest quadrant, the apartment adds a modern, refined take on a classic design style. While the building is roughly half the size of most developments in the area, our Architecture team diligently and resourcefully pursued an efficient floorplate. We had to be resourceful: additional height was achieved by borrowing from a lot across the street—a move well supported by the neighborhood as it would preserve the scale of the historical building. Mechanized stacked parking structures made the necessary parking for residents possible. Our architecture team closely collaborated with interiors to achieve an upscale, mature design. The top story units resemble penthouses. The challenge of creating larger, premium quality residences throughout the building was realized through custom unit design. A balance of brick and glass give the exteriors texture while offering dynamic views of Mt. Hood and Downtown Portland. Welcoming high-end renters, the beautiful Art Deco-style relief work around the main doors leads to a terrazzo tiled lobby complete with custom artwork and signage. At night, the drama of the illuminated entry emphasizes the detail and verticality of the tower within the context of the block. The Dianne looks to gives further connection to the surrounding community neighborhood with public art. An illuminated modern sculpture designed by a Native American artist is based on a traditional dancing staff, while glasswork on the parking screens mimic the flow of water from Tanner Creek. The measure of success for The Dianne was if passersby thought the completed building looked like it had always been there. Carroll’s projects have always been responsive to the history of their settings and we are honored he partnered with our team to create a landmark building that “felt like it had always been there.”

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