Located on the expanding edge of Portland’s Pearl District, the Modera Pearl is a high-rise housing development—the first of its type to be approved and built within the city since 2007. The nine-story, 340,000-gross-square-foot building features 290 market-rate apartments, 219 parking stalls arranged on two underground levels, and over 400 bicycle parking spaces. The goal was to create a responsible and engaging urban building that is also an exceptional place to live.
The building’s design—featuring brick exteriors, and elevated walkways—recalls the neighborhood’s industrial past, when it served as the warehouse district for the nearby rail yard. Occupying a full block, the U-shaped building creates a private, protected exterior courtyard nestled between the two wings, which provides a landscaped amenity space for residents. The building wings, one clad in light brick and one in dark brick, serve to break down the overall massing of the building. Though new construction, the Modera’s raised walkway helps create separation from traffic and car fumes, and provides a comfortable extension for the building.
Photo credit: Christopher Columbres
Modera Pearl provides an extensive amenity package. A two-story, double-height Skylounge—a penthouse amenity suite—is located at the 8th and 9th floors, taking advantage of 270-degree views of the city. Other building amenities include a demonstration kitchen, dining and lounge room, game room, a small pool, and exercise and yoga studios. A wine storage and tasting room and media/theater room offer quiet, more intimate areas for residents to gather. Amenity space is expansive, totaling roughly four times as much as a comparable multi-family project of this size.
Interiors are designed to serve as a sophisticated backdrop for a gallery-worthy collection of original, locally-sourced artwork and high end furnishings—an art gallery you can live in. Each space is tailored and refined, but still offers comfort and warmth, with extensive backdrops of wood and accents of natural stone and custom tile.
Photo credit: Christopher Columbres
The project is targeting LEED Silver certification through a combination of energy savings and integrated sustainable design elements. A 28,000-square-foot green roof tops the building. For the small percentage of roof area dedicated to mechanical and amenity space, the stormwater will be captured and channeled to the central courtyard’s stormwater garden, showcased through exposed splash blocks and touch pools.
Project team
SERA (architecture, interior design)
MCRT PNW Construction, LLC (general contractor)
Mill Creek Residential Trust (client)
Shapiro Didway (landscape architecture)
Froelich Engineers (structural)
Photography
Christopher Columbres
