Rothko Pavilion at the Portland Art Museum

With overarching goals of connecting people to art, Rothko Pavilion is a modern glass plaza that knits together the Portland Art Museum’s two historic buildings – the main building (built in 1932), and the Mark building (built in 1979 and renovated in 2005). The project encompassed 100,000 sf of new and upgraded public and gallery space, in addition to the 24,000-sf pavilion.

KPFF provided structural and civil engineering and surveying services from planning through construction for the new entrances, sidewalks, utilities, and stormwater management facilities, as well as seismic engineering and structural engineering for the glass facade and connecting ramps inside.

Located on Portland’s Park Blocks, passersby are able to see the museum’s sculpture installation and outdoor terrace from outside. A new tunnel, named the Pat and Trudy Ritz Passageway allows walkers, rollers, and cyclists to move freely between SW Park Avenue and SW 10th Avenue.