Located in Portland’s modern Pearl District, The Cosmopolitan is the tallest residential building in the city. Working with the development firm Hoyt, we designed this building on a remarkable site between two city parks with the vision to make it stand out from other residential buildings in Portland.

The 28-story “point tower” with a small footprint on a podium base was conceived as a singular form rather than the typical tall building. The tower and base are clad entirely in high-performance reflective glazing to create one cohesive mass. Exterior spaces such as decks, building entries, and ground-level covered areas are “carved” into the glass façade and dressed in a contrasting cement panel that recalls the nearby park boardwalk. Performing as weather-protected outdoor rooms, these inset decks create strong vertical clefts accentuating the height of the slender tower.

The four-story podium conceals the above-grade parking with residential and retail units. A private roof garden is carved into the top of the podium and provides views to and from the parks below. A community room, guest suites, and fitness room spill out onto the centrally located garden.

Given the building’s prominent location, our design affords views of the Willamette River, the Cascade Mountains, and downtown Portland, where the iconic tower celebrates its site and marks the north end of the city.