Projects

Slabtown Square Wins Multi-Housing News Development & Design Excellence Award

We are thrilled to share Slabtown Square received a 2025 Bronze Award in the “Best Development & Design: Mid Rise” category of Multi-Housing News’ 19^th annual Excellence Awards.

Completed in 2024, the seven-story mixed-use building in Northwest Portland includes 200 apartments, ground-floor retail, underground parking, and a publicly accessible plaza. The design emphasizes transparency and connectivity, where expansive windows and open sightlines draw pedestrians in from the sidewalk into the courtyard and retail spaces.

“Receiving this Multi-Housing News Excellence Award in Development & Design is an incredible honor for our entire team and project partners,” said Trish Nixon, President and Managing Principal at LRS Architects, and a Multifamily Housing Leader. “This recognition reflects not just our design work, but the collaborative spirit that defines every project we undertake. When you’re working alongside talented partners like Tello Interiors and Guardian, and everyone is focused on creating something meaningful for the community, that’s when exceptional work happens.”

Multi-Housing News honors developments, renovations, design projects, individual achievements, and more via its Excellence Awards program. The multifamily housing industry’s most innovative and impactful projects of the year are recognized in one of the program’s 33 categories.

Featured In the News:
DJC
Cascade Business News
Portland Metro News

LRS Architects Designs Three Affordable Housing Projects in Central Oregon

LRS Architects is excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of three new affordable housing communities across Central Oregon—Wickiup Station Apartments in La Pine, Nine Peaks in Bend, and Trinity Place in Sisters. LRS provided architecture and interior design services, land use planning, and related services for all three projects, each of which is designed to meet rigorous sustainable design certification standards.

“All three of these projects have an important role to play in addressing an urgent housing crisis that impacts all of Central Oregon, and has a ripple effect across the state,” said LRS President Trish Nixon, a Managing Principal and Multifamily Housing Leader.

Wickiup Station Apartments

Wickiup station apartments is a three-story, 39-unit complex designed for households earning 30-60% of the area’s median income, with 10 units dedicated to veterans. The affordable housing complex is designed for universal accessibility and features enclosed breezeways designed for year-round comfort. The building’s modern butterfly roof supports an 85-kilowatt photovoltaic array, and its high-performance envelope is designed to achieve Earth Advantage Platinum certification. Amenities such as a community room, game rooms, fitness area, playground, gardens, and a mountain-view deck foster a welcoming, connected living experience.

Nine Peaks

Nine Peaks is a three-story, 45-unit garden-style community offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes on Bend’s northeast side, with upper floors capturing views of the nine peaks that inspired its name. Blending gable and half-butterfly rooflines, the design incorporates enclosed breezeways for protection from Central Oregon’s climate and includes high-efficiency mini-splits in every unit. The building has also been designed to meet Earth Advantage Platinum Certification, including future solar panel installation on the roof.

Trinity Place

Trinity Place will deliver 40 affordable garden-style homes for essential workers, agricultural and forestry professionals, and local families in Sisters. Focused on fire resilience and long-term durability, the project uses fire-resistant materials and defensible-space landscaping. The design maintains the site’s mature ponderosa pines and emphasizes water and energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable material use. A National Green Building Standard (NGBS) certification will be applied for due to these green building strategies.

“Our goal is to design high-quality, affordable housing that can withstand the climate and the high desert, and we always put resident comfort first,” said Matt Dreska, Senior Associate. “These projects can have a huge impact on the livability of La Pine, Sisters, and Bend.”

Check out the article in Cascade Business News at this link and in Building Enclosure Magazine here.

LRS designs exterior refresh for Central Oregon’s first Burgerville restaurant

Last month, LRS was thrilled to join our clients, collaborators, and neighbors in Bend to celebrate the grand opening of Central Oregon’s very first Burgerville restaurant! Our team provided design and permitting services to refresh the exterior of a 2,268 SF former taco restaurant, breathing new life into a dated building and gently transforming it to match Burgerville’s bright, distinctive branding. With an expedited construction timeline, this project required broad trust across the team to make decisive decisions and keep the schedule on pace for a summer grand opening.

: Before

: After

Congratulations to our clients at Burgerville, and a big thanks to our partners at Compass Commercial Construction. This project has already sparked a flurry of activity at the prominent corner of SE 3^rd and Wilson, drawing in major pedestrian, bicycle, and drive-through foot traffic.

“People have been asking for Burgerville to come to Bend for years, and we’re excited to be joining the community. While many in Bend may already know the brand, we’re thrilled to bring the Burgerville experience to them firsthand—with high-quality and seasonal menu options, a welcoming atmosphere, and a deep connection to local suppliers and sustainability.” – Ed Casey, CEO, Burgerville

Happy eating, Bend! Check out the local news coverage at Central Oregon Daily News, the Bend Bulletin, and KTVZ.

LRS President Trish Nixon talks multifamily housing development in new DJC Oregon interview

This month, LRS President and Managing Principal Trish Nixon spoke with the DJC Oregon about multifamily housing development in the Portland Metro area. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and interest rate hikes, and local inclusionary zoning requirements, LRS has seen some big shifts in the Portland multifamily housing marketing in recent years. We’re seeing lots of exploratory activity in the market-rate housing world, and a real focus on affordable work within the city.

Subscribers can check out the interview at this link, and you can learn more about LRS’ affordable and market-rate projects – recent and upcoming – on our website here.

Washington Co. Press Release: New Tigard housing development answers families’ calls for space and affordability

This week, LRS joined Washington County, Metro, and our clients at CPAH to celebrate the groundbreaking of Woodland Hearth, a new affordable housing project in Tigard. In a neighborhood that is growing fast and has experienced significant rent increases, Woodland Hearth aims to serve families and households with dedicated units for those earning at the 30%, 50%, and 60% AMI thresholds.

“Positive change requires dedication, collaboration, and consistency, and that is exactly what we’re seeing yet again with another affordable housing property breaking ground in our community,” said Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington. “The Metro Affordable Housing Bond has been a powerful tool in housing residents in need, and with homeownership out of reach for so many, affordable rent is vital. Places like Woodland Hearth, will provide opportunities for our families to prosper.”

Read the full press release from Washington County at this link, and stay tuned for news as this exciting project takes shape.

Statesman Journal highlights historic renovations at the Oregon State Fairgrounds

Two historic structures at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem have a new lease on life after receiving much-needed preservation and exterior renovation work. This week, the Statesman Journal highlighted LRS’ work on The Horse Stadium and Poultry Buildings, both over 100 years old and listed together on the National Register of Historic Places. To restore the beauty and integrity of these well-loved buildings, LRS collaborated closely with the client and a team of historic experts to address and replace the most critical systems while honoring their history.

“The outcome is beautiful. We’ve begun to preserve the character of these beautiful historic buildings, and we hope to be able to finish.”

-Kim Grewe-Powell, chief executive officer of the Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center

Check out the full article in Statesman Journal at this link (non-subscribers offered 1 free article viewing).

Passive House Accelerator publishes new case study on Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza

Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza is now featured in a case study on Passive House Accelerator! This project became the largest Passive House structure of any kind on the West Coast when it was completed in 2024, and this new case study digs into our project team’s journey to certification. From our earliest conversations with this long-time LRS client, through design and construction, Parkview offers great lessons learned and for major projects with sustainable design ambitions and a deep interest in creating a building that is comfortable and meaningful for its occupants.

“This was an opportunity to create something not just comfortable for themselves, but also an exemplary building for posterity.”

Find the full case study with interviews from major project collaborators on Passive House Accelerator at this link.

OLCC breaks ground on a new distribution center in Canby

One of our largest civic projects of the year has broken ground in Canby! Last week, our clients at the State of Oregon’s OLCC broke ground on a new 347,000 SF distribution center, which will bring their shipping and receiving functions together in a new, state-of-the-art facility. This facility will oversee the distribution of all distilled spirits in the state aside from beer and wine, with a design that balances efficiency and streamlined operations with safety and comfort for staff.

“It was very important to us to bring a human-focus to our design for the interiors of the warehouse and office space. We studied how employees would experience and move around the space to perform their work, considering how to help people in demanding jobs be productive and happy at work,” said Amalia Mohr, Principal and Senior Interior Designer at LRS Architects. “We also considered how the product gets tracked and journeys through the facility, from the intricate material handling system, to the trucks, and eventually to businesses across the state.”

The new OLCC Distribution Center is featured in the DJC Oregon (for subscribers), in addition to KOIN News and the Canby Herald.

Additional Publications

Building Enclosure Magazine

Portland Business Journal: No. 1 Oregon credit union commits to downtown Portland with 17,000-SF lease

LRS is always thrilled to welcome more businesses as our neighbors in downtown Portland! This week, our clients at OnPoint Community Credit Union announced their expansion in the heart of the city, just blocks away from Pioneer Courthouse Square. We are very excited to be working with OnPoint on the tenant improvement for their new space, which will feature a 2^nd-floor office space dedicated to commercial, nonprofit, and small business banking teams over a welcoming ground floor retail banking space inspired by the iconic architecture of the Union Bank Building.

“Downtown Portland is the hub of our culture and our community, and we really feel that our members and the community want more downtown presence. We’re just really pleased to be part of the success to revitalize what is such an important cultural hub of our community in Oregon and southwest Washington.” – OnPoint Chief Commercial Officer Bob Harding

As long-time occupants of downtown Portland ourselves, the LRS team truly values the opportunity to contribute to the revitalization of the city. We look forward to being able to share more about this project as it progresses! Subscribers to the Portland Business Journal can check out the article and press release from OnPoint at this link.

Foundation for Affordable Housing announces new project in La Pine serving families and veterans

LRS is very excited to share a first look at Wickiup Station, one of our newest affordable housing projects in Central Oregon! Located in La Pine, this project will provide 39 affordable homes with a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units to support a variety of families and individuals in the 30-60% AMI range. Of these units, 10 will be reserved specifically for veterans. The design aims to cultivate a sense of community for residents, with amenities including a playground, raised bed gardens, shared outdoor deck space, and a community and game room.

Resilience and sustainability in the high desert climate are top priorities in the design. La Pine experiences an annual snowfall between 70-90 inches and temperatures between 24-35 degrees in the winter, and 40-90+ degrees in the summer. The building is designed with a super insulated and ventilated cold attic roof to reduce ice damming in the winter. The design also reduces heat buildup in the attic during the summer and reduces the energy required for cooling during the summer months. Wickiup Station is on track to earn Earth Advantage certification.

“We’re excited to embark on this important endeavor to provide affordable housing for the residents of La Pine,” said Darrin Willard, CEO of Foundation for Affordable Housing. “This development brings to life our vision of addressing the housing needs of the community, while providing supportive services that will enhance the lives of our residents.”

We are thrilled to be working on this incredibly meaningful project with the Foundation for Affordable Housing and SunWest Builders. Check out Foundation for Affordable Housing’s full press release in Cascade Business News at this link.

New Seasons at Tanasbourne Town Center set for April grand opening

We are thrilled to share that our longtime clients at New Seasons Market have announced a grand opening celebration for their newest location at Tanasbourne Town Center in Hillsboro! The new, 27,000 SF grocery store incorporates New Seasons’ strong branding and beautiful custom murals by local artist Lisa Congdon. The grand opening will take place on April 9 with a bread-breaking ceremony, live art and music, and local vendor samplings. We’ll see you there!

“Our team has worked tirelessly to create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience that embodies our commitment to local, quality and sustainability. We look forward to welcoming our Washington County neighbors and serving as a trusted resource where everyone can find the freshest, most delicious local products!” – Store Manager Travis Bertsch

Check out the full article on Progressive Grocer at this link for location and grand opening celebration information. LRS has designed numerous new and renovated grocery stores for New Seasons, including the Palisades, University Park, Mercer Island, and Woodstock locations.

Media Mentions

KATU

Check out Slabtown Square in the IIDA Oregon 2024 Design Excellence Awards Winner’s Gallery

Last fall, LRS was delighted to learn that Slabtown Square was the recipient of two recognitions at the IIDA Oregon’s 2024 Design Excellence Awards! This 220,000 SF mixed-use apartment project includes a mix of market-rate and affordable units in Portland’s Slabtown neighborhood, with a prominent public plaza and beautifully-realized amenity spaces. This project earned an Honorable Mention in the Multi-Family Living category and a People’s Choice Award for 2024.

Congratulations again to our collaborators at Tello Interiors, the women-owned firm who guided the vision for Slabtown’s award-winning interior design!

Check out Slabtown and the full gallery of award winners for 2024 here.

Lone Wolf Watering Hole taproom celebrates grand opening in Portland’s South Waterfront

LRS is thrilled to share that our newest retail and hospitality project is now open in Portland! This month, cider and beer taphouse Lone Wolf Watering Hole wrapped up construction and celebrated a grand opening in Portland’s South Waterfront.

: Mural by Skye Walker

This tenant improvement features tall, exposed ceilings and ample daylight, with interiors that strive to create a cozy, colorful, home-like environment. The design features bar and lounge seating, lush ferns and indoor plants, and an expansive, hand-painted mural by artist Skye Walker.

Lone Wolf was featured in Brewpublic – check out their article at this link to learn more and plan your visit!

Cascade Business News: Downtown Bend Courthouse Expansion on Track

Construction on the new LRS-designed Deschutes County Courthouse expansion is progressing steadily in downtown Bend! This major civic project has been several decades in the making and is now one-third of the way through construction. We are pleased to share that it was featured in Cascade Business News this week.

“Despite tight schedules and budget constraints, the construction team is working closely with county authorities to ensure timely project completion. The expansion is set to revitalize the Courthouse’s civic presence in downtown, creating a new main entry point and lobby space that will be the new public face of the building.”

We’re excited to be able to share more updates on this project as the building takes shape. Check out the full article on CBN at this link.

Blueprint for Inclusivity Pt. 3: Responsive Design Framework Case Study

By Jenny Baines and Britney Hale | Adapted from their presentation “A Blueprint for Inclusivity – A Human Centered Design Process” delivered for the IFMA Oregon & SW Washington Chapter in Ridgefield, Washington. This piece is the third in our series discussing inclusivity, human needs, and Trauma-Informed Design (TID) in office and workplace design. Check out Part 1: Applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs As A Design Lens and Part 2: Trauma-Informed Design Applications for the Workplace to learn more.

In our previous installments of this series (linked above), we’ve explored topics related to inclusivity, human needs, and Trauma-Informed Design (TID). But how, as architects and designers, do we integrate all these ideas into our work? How do we design to exemplify these values and bring them to life in the real, built world? That’s where a responsive design framework structured around human needs and experiences comes in.

As designers, we work with a variety of organizations with vastly different purposes, missions, and work cultures. At LRS, we work with engineering firms, product design firms, law firms, global tech firms, government agencies, and non-profits. We’ve designed everything from corporate headquarters to regional satellite offices and local tenant improvements. Each project and client is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

In workplace design, we see employees as the secret ingredient. When it comes to company culture, mission, and values, employees are invaluable subject matter experts. As workplace designers, it is our job to leverage the knowledge of our clients and their staff, asking the right questions to spark new ideas and applying what we learn.

We start with the big questions: What are your must-haves in a new office space? Are you all about collaboration, need your personal bubble, or crave some lounge spaces that simulate you’re at home environment? If you have the choice to work at home or at the office, which type of space encourages you to make the drive into work?

For a recent project, LRS surveyed 300 of a client’s employees about their top priorities in the design of their new offices. The results shown in the pie chart above offer a representative breakdown of the responses we typically see. At a glance, this suggested some conflicting priorities would come into play. As with many of our clients, this survey identified a strong split in employee’s desire for collaboration space and individual workspace. This client has perhaps an even split of staff who see the office as a collaboration destination, who come in-person to work with their colleagues, and feel strongly that it is important to their success. They also have staff who crave their focus space for individual work. Using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a design lens, we understand as designers that we need to include both types of spaces for this workforce to thrive as a whole.

We also ask open-ended questions, like: What are you looking forward to the most? (And yes, even with over 300 responses, we read through each answer!) Each response is like a little nugget of insight into the soul of the workplace.

Case Study: Inclusive Space Planning at KinderCare Headquarters

Working Neighborhoods: In many of our workplace projects, we promote the idea of “neighborhoods,” as shown in the floor plan below, that LRS developed for our clients at KinderCare, to reimagine their post-pandemic hybrid office. Various working neighborhoods are located around the perimeter, prioritizing views to the trees. Each neighborhood has a very different vibe: one provides workstations focused on collaboration and celebrates the client’s bold brand colors; the quiet neighborhood features desks with tall plants dividing each workstation to reduce chatter and create a sense of seclusion; a social garden is located near reception, offering a venue for quick, informal meetings or gatherings without the need to book a conference room; and the social garden, which provides a lively, flexible space for collaborative work, informal meetings, and social gatherings.

Amenities & Wellness: KinderCare has employees who come into the office every day, and they have their preferred workstations available. They also have employees who prefer to choose where they sit based on their tasks that day, whether it be a hoteling office, an open collaboration space, or a workstation in the quiet neighborhood that fits their workload and activities for the day.

Collaboration & Gathering: The amenities at KinderCare are centrally located with ease of access for employees as well as visitors. Amenities are located down a hallway to provide privacy from the workstation neighborhoods, including two wellness rooms and four unisex restrooms in addition to the gendered restrooms. Other design moments like the phone rooms and restful nooks throughout the office provide many opportunities for rest and recovery throughout the day.

This concludes LRS Architects’ three-part series Blueprint for Inclusivity, exploring real-world examples of office and workplace design that successfully incorporates principles from Trauma-Informed Design, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and human-responsive design to create more inclusive, accessible workplace environments.

Curious about integrating inclusive design principles into your project, or interested in speaking events with Jenny Baines and Britney Hale? Directly connect with our team by clicking on this link!

Architects Embrace Placemaking: Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza featured in Seniors Housing Business Oct-Nov 2024 issue

“As the seniors housing industry matures and evolves to meet the needs of a changing customer, so too does the design of the communities.”

For their October-November 2024 issue, Seniors Housing Business interviews leading architects from across the country about the evolution of senior living design and the changes on the horizon. LRS Principal Chuck Archer shares his projections for the coming years and explores some of the shifts we’ve already seen as our senior living clients begin to welcome the baby boomer generation, exemplified in the design of Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza.

Read “Architects Embrace Placemaking” in Seniors Housing Business magazine online at this link.

Projects

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