The Beacon building is a mixed-use building that redefines part of Lake Oswego’s downtown fabric, offering pedestrian-oriented retail spaces at the street level, two levels of co-working office space above, and a world-class event space with expansive terraces at the top level with views of Mt. Hood.

During the pre-design and vision-setting phase of the project, the client gravitated towards the idea of the building serving as a “lantern” and key local landmark. The idea of a lantern or beacon became central to the project’s identity, and is manifested through the character of the transparent and illuminated corner glazing above the building’s main entrance at the southwest corner.

The property is situated on a challenging site: it is uniquely constrained in shape, with a significant grade change that complicates allowable building heights. Navigating these issues required thoughtful engagement with the City and creative collaboration between the design team’s architects and structural and civil engineers. The grade change also posed an obstacle for access, both vehicular and pedestrian. The approach to the building’s design created a solution that dedicated the public right-of-way to pedestrian access and facilitated structured parking access from the public alleyway. The project has resulted in a vibrant and multifaceted addition to the downtown. It is one of the only new suburban office spaces in the Portland metro area, and will provide lasting value to the community in its unique blend of amenities.