Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. Offices
Portland, Oregon | 2010
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., is a nonprofit that trains and advocates for women in the construction trades. Kina has a long working relationship with Oregon Tradeswomen as a freelance carpentry instructor, teaching future tradeswomen the basics of working on a job site. She was also the architect for a tenant improvement project for their administrative offices.
The project, located in a new space alongside a major commercial in northeast Portland, allowed for an increase in staff work spaces at both the ADA-accessible ground level and in a new mezzanine, and includes a generous entry and job resource area, as well as meeting, counseling, and other staff amenities.
The design goals were to bring daylight deep into the space and create a sense of connectedness, visibility, and openness throughout, while providing acoustic and privacy separation in some of the smaller-scaled breakout rooms. Volunteer labor and donated time and materials from skilled tradespeople, students, and vendors helped minimize costs. To accommodate this approach to project delivery, Kina designed simple and direct detailing to accommodate the volunteers’ range of skill levels. Finishes were also selected for a healthy working environment.