communitecture Headquarters
1421 SE Division | Portland, OR

This 2,800 square foot building is the headquarters for Portland's most innovative small architecture and planning firm, dedicated to social and ecological sustainability. After serving as a residence since its construction in 1927, communitecture acquired the building and converted it to a commercial office space while maintaining the classic detailing and charm of the original construction. The office showcases sustainable design principles, including the use of permaculture, reuse of existing components, cool roof technology, and recycled materials & equipment.  Exterior site design includes many varieties of edible trees and plants while the interior desks and partitions were constructed almost entirely from salvaged doors, windows, and scrap wood. Vommunitecture’s indoor and outdoor spaces frequently host evening and weekend workshops for local community groups, while the office itself is a shared space to a handful of other small businesses including a job search coach, supporters of legislation against toxic chemicals, permaculture designers, freelance writers, and communitecture's sister organization, The City Repair Project.  Those of us sharing desk space together enjoy fostering our office community through activities like weekly potluck lunches and bike-commuting.  

Photos by 22 Pages Photography