GREC ARCHITECTS ON DESIGNING A MIXED-USE URBAN LANDFORM

[The terraces represent] what GREC calls urban landform—when design elements take clues from the natural environment around them, like waterfalls and, in this case, rock formations emerging from vegetated riverbanks. “The Columbia River Gorge (15 miles outside the city center) has these beautiful cliffsides made from volcanic basalt that we wanted to try to reference in our facade treatment here.” GREC built up from the terraced, vegetated patios and glazed porcelain panels into the window wall to resemble basalt.