The Fairmount were built in 1905 as part of a “European Style” hotel for the centennial fair celebration of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Located at the original gates to the Fair in NW Portland, the project entailed renovating the structure into 80 apartment units. As one of the only remaining buildings of the era, and holding a place on the National Historic Registry of Buildings, care was taken to maintain the original character of the building, while performing necessary updates. The street-facing facade was required to be replicated in its original form which required the restoration of windows. Much of the original wood flooring was also restored, after uncovering decades of laminate and carpet. The wood studs that had to be removed were reconstructed into cabinets. 

Instead of shared bathrooms at the end of the corridor, each unit now has its own private bathroom. The project also contains a mix of studios, 1 and 2 bedroom units. Several common areas were designated both within the building and as courtyard spaces. I was tasked with re-imagining the North courtyard space for the residents which entailed building a deck and attention to landscaping, as well as the transition from interior to exterior space.