Hamburger

West Linn Police

LOCATIONWest Linn, OR
CLIENTCity of West Linn
SIZE18,900 SF
PROJECT LEADJeff Humphreys

Police headquarters provides modern law enforcement needs and community space for the adjacent historic neighborhood.

SERVICES PROVIDED:
Architecture
Interiors
Structural Engineering
Land Use Planning
Transportation Planning
Landscape Architecture

The City of West Linn invested in a thorough needs analysis and site selection process to comb through available sites in the community for the highest and best use location for their new police station. This effort included over a dozen possible sites, including consideration of renovation of a Class B office building adjacent to the existing City Hall. Mackenzie provided an evaluation of each individual site and structural exploration of the existing building as a series of studies and reports to aid the City Council in making site selection and successfully funding the project through a general obligation bond. The final site selection located the new building within the historic Willamette District, adjacent to the Tualatin Valley and Rescue Fire Station 59. The new facility proudly supports West Linn Police Department's growing needs and the community it serves.

DESIGN DRIVERS

West Linn's existing facility was significantly outgrown and did not meet current seismic standards. The new facility provides room for growth, a tailored program and layout specific to the Department's culture, and the structural design necessary for an essential facility.
As a community policing facility, the John Satter community room was carefully placed and oriented as a beacon to the neighborhood both during the day and when in use after dark.
Site topography, context, and an existing significant black walnut tree drove much of the site design seen today. The significant topography was utilized to maximize site utilization through a daylight basement, while the stepping of the building from the street provided privacy to the exterior offices and preserved space for the preservation of the black oak positioned adjacent to the entry.
As a key sustainability cornerstone for the City, the project was thoughtfully designed with features contributing to it successfully achieving LEED Gold certification.

Sustainable Strategies

Energy reduction

Building orientation for maximum natural lighting of occupied space was coupled with renewable energy strategies such as a photovoltaic system to reduce the building's need for electrical energy.

Preserving a significant tree

The building placement allows for the preservation of the existing black oak, which offers natural shade for the Records area during the summer months.

Community demonstration of stormwater management

Providing building relief by setting the building back from the street, allowing for the introduction of stormwater management and native vegetation that treats the water as it is transported along the frontage.