Portland Building, Portland

Portland Building, Portland

The Portland Building, completed in 1982, was the first major postmodern structure in the United States – a rejection of the modernist style that dominated the architectural shape of the city's office buildings. This whimsical office tower was designed to represent the Northwest with an American Indian motif, making extensive use of turquoise and earth tones. It is, in fact, a good example of a government building that in no way looks as such.

Above the front entrance to the building kneels Raymond Kaskey's 'Portlandia', the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the world after the Statue of Liberty. Based on the city seal, the 34-ft-high lady's entrance into the city (1985) was a popular and grand affair, with residents cheering her on along the route.

Tip:
For a nearly eye-level view of the sculpture, take the escalator at the front of the Standard Plaza Building up to the landing.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Portland. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Portland Building on Map

Sight Name: Portland Building
Sight Location: Portland, USA (See walking tours in Portland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Portland, Oregon

Create Your Own Walk in Portland

Create Your Own Walk in Portland

Creating your own self-guided walk in Portland is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Portland Food Tour

Portland Food Tour

While Portland's "foodie scene" is still in its relative infancy, it has rightfully earned the No. 1 spot on not one but several lists ranking the "Best Foodie Cities in America." Albeit rather small in size, the city is blessed with easy access to quality natural bounty, be it fresh seafood, fresh vegetables, fresh fungi, or delicious local wines. Adding to this the...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Portland Introduction Walking Tour

Portland Introduction Walking Tour

The largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, Portland was founded on a river bank in a virgin forest less than two centuries ago. It actually sits on the banks of two rivers (Columbia and Willamette) and is built more on a European model, with streets that feature statues, fountains, and half-size city blocks.

Did you know that Portland was selected by Walking Magazine as among America's...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles