Design Advice has been requested for Carbon12, an 8 story building proposed on N Williams Ave. The project will be the tallest wood building in Portland, with a structural system comprised of glulam columns and beams, with Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor decking and shear walls. The project is being designed by PATH Architecture and developed by Kaiser Group, both owned by Ben Kaiser.

The site at N Williams Ave & Fremont St is currently vacant land owned by Ben Kaiser. In 2013 the site was rezoned at the request of Kaiser from Multi-Dwelling Residential 1,000 (R1) to Central Residential (RX). The rezoning was initiated so that a project could be developed with ground floor commercial uses, which are prohibited in the R1 zone. As a condition of approval the City Council set a maximum height of 85′ for the corner of the site, stepping down to 65′  for most of the site and to 45′ adjacent to the R2 zoned properties. This is less than the 100′ height normally allowed in an RX zone, but more than the 65′ height allowed in the EX zone applied along most of N Williams Ave.

The 85′ tall building will have two retail spaces at the ground floor, with 14 residential units above. Each floor will have only two units: one facing west; and one facing east. A roof deck is proposed at the top of the building. 22 car parking spaces will be provided using a below grade mechanical parking system.

The primary exterior material proposed for Carbon12 is an aluminum clad wood storefront window system. A wood rain screen cladding would be used at the recessed balconies, located on the north and south sides of the building. An irrigated green wall system is proposed for a vertical reveal that runs the full height of the building on the east and west sides.

The Carbon12 is intended to be the first phase in developing the entire block face front N Williams Ave. Prior to the issuance of any building permits the project will be required to go through a Type II Design Review with an initial decision by the Bureau of Development Services.

Plans, Elevations and Sections