Designed in partnership with Portland State University, the proposed new Performing Arts + Culture Center will be a transformative addition to Portland’s downtown core, serving as a much-needed multi-use arts, education and culture complex. We collaborated closely with arts and culture organizations across the region to guide the design to ensure the venue is inclusive and accessible to all communities.

The Center is a celebration of our Pacific Northwest heritage, embracing the region’s natural beauty with a concept design inspired by the forests and waterfalls around us. The triple-height lobby, bathed in natural light and expressed in mass timber, features a cascading screen wall veiling the Center’s main 3,000-seat auditorium. This profile rises through the building and is visible as one approaches the site, a symbol of the significance of the arts. Dappled light and abundant greenery create a sense of connection to the outdoors, a hallmark of our region. The Center’s uniquely curved, tiered forms, a nod to the ebb and flow of water, rise above the urban site to provide patrons with expansive views of the city, Mount Hood, and the hills beyond–a reminder of our place in this captivating landscape.

Complementing the main theater, an adjacent 1,200-seat performance venue will cater to a wider range of performers and audiences. A new hotel, a spacious public plaza, and an array of work and dining amenities will not only enhance the visitor experience but also catalyze urban development, transforming the area into a vibrant arts destination. This is not just a building, but a catalyst for change and an emblem of our city’s commitment to culture and the arts.