You know this building is famous, right? Like, crazy famous…read more
Okay, perhaps less well-known than the Portland Building (ugh), or the iconic Big-Pink/US Bankcorp tower, but definitely more important than both. And yet no one ever calls it out. No one ever takes the time to revel in it's significance. Maybe because it's a plain building in a neighborhood that boasts many ornate structures of the late 1800s. Or perhaps because it's a 14 story skyscraper that takes up a half of a tiny Portland city block, simply dwarfed by the others in town.
To most, seeing the Commonwealth is like seeing someone on the sidewalk. They could be the most famous person in the world, but their stature means nothing if you don't recognize them. They're just another face in a sea of people. And unfortunately, this building has become just another facade in the crowd.
So take a look at it sometime. Seriously. Stop and take a look. Designed by local architect Pietro Belluschi (herein referred to as: "The Man") in 1944, the structure was way ahead of it's time as one of the first tall "glass box" buildings. It showed up to the party before most of the iconic modern skyscrapers in the great US cities, most notably the Lever House in New York City. Originally named the Equitable Building, the green glass and aluminum sheathing looks like what you see on most contemporary buildings. But this was the first time it was ever used, and the double-glazed window system (meaning two pieces of glass with air trapped between them) was a state-of-the-art construction idea, creating an invisible insulation to help keep the glass building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Of course the air conditioning helps, it was the first commercial building in the world to have that, too. A tiny roof deck for employees of the building gives great views of the city, it's a shame, but totally understandable, that it's not open to the public.
Admittedly the Commonwealth's fame is really geeky, but when it opened in 1948, you can only imagine the ooh's and ahh's that it garnered from both Portlanders passing by and the envious/curious designers throughout the world. Today this office building is kind of drab and stuffy space to be in, especially when compared to buildings where you can open the windows and get some fresh air. But for the era, you couldn't ask for a cooler spot. Today the spaces are totally off limits to the general public, except for the tiny Starbucks on the ground floor, but if you get a chance, walk into the lobby, or at least press your nose against the heavy glass doors under the metal awning. You'll see minimal fixtures, polished materials, and a huge art piece by "The Man", himself hung overhead on the way to the bank of elevators. The Commonwealth is an example of how many cities changed after World War Two. Long before the Mad-Men era was even relevant, our tiny city was making waves and pushing ideas for urban America.
Which should be reason enough to point up at it next time you walk by with a friend or visitor and say:
"See that? That's a building that changed the world."
Revel, Portland. Revel.
