Following last week’s visit to Los Angeles-based LAUN, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to Portland, OR this week to meet self-described “band of makers” Skylab Architecture.

Since its founding two decades ago, the firm has grown into a 30-strong team of architects and designers working on a mixed-use portfolio including residential, retail, and workplaces. Most recently, our editorial featured the firm’s Serena Williams-themed office building located at Nike’s World Headquarters in Oregon.

From their office in Portland, the firm is currently hiring for several positions on Archinect Jobs. For candidates interested in applying for a position, or anybody interested in learning more about life at an architecture studio, we spoke with Skylab principal Robin Wilcox for a behind-the-scenes look at the firm.

How did Skylab get started?

Skylab began with a spec house, 1680 Montgomery, before rolling the profits into the next design-build development project. Over and over, we’ve practiced urban speculation by developing, designing, and building for the city’s rising neighborhoods: Doug Fir on East Burnside, 12th & Alder in the West End, Yard and Sideyard in the Central Eastside, and our future headquarters in the Northwest Industrial Area.

Is there a particular meaning behind the name “Skylab”?

The name came from the place where it all started in 1999, a rental house shared with roommates in the lower southwest hills of Portland with funky charm, ribbon windows, and a great roof deck for hosting parties. At this house, the sky was always present; we watched the storms arrive from the west, float across the Willamette River that bisects the city, then continue on to the east. That sky matched our attitude at the time: poetic, boundless, optimistic. The lab hinted at a foundation in research, a search for purpose, a refusal of satisfaction. Sky is art; lab is science.

How big is your team?

We are an office of 30. We are made up of architects, designers, creators, and entrepreneurs, making today what we believe will inspire and connect people tomorrow.

Describe the area of Portland your office is located in.

We are currently located in Portland’s west end. In early 2023 we will be moving to a new home in Northwest Portland. We bought, and are renovating, a quonset hut and adjacent building in an up-and-coming area of artists and makers. We are excited about the possibilities the new space offers, including a larger studio and shop, as well as a full kitchen and dining area, and a direct connection to an incredible outdoor space right off the studio.

What is your favorite thing about working in Portland?

Portland is just a great place to be. The city is made up of a series of interesting neighborhoods to explore, it is still pretty easy to get around, and there is great food and drink wherever you go. There is a thriving creative community here, and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the west are right out your front door.

If you could collaborate with one famous architect or artist from another era, who would it be and why?

Gordon Matta-Clark’s work has become important to us in the last five or ten years because of the use of negative space, or the removal as an act that is as strong as the addition. The idea that the spaces in between the notes are as important as the notes themselves.

If you organized an office trip to one U.S. building, which one would it be and why?

The Sheats-Goldstein Residence in Los Angeles designed by John Lautner because of its integration of architecture and landscape - blurring the boundaries between inside and out - and its sheer inventiveness in amplifying the experience of occupying this space.

Is your office one open-plan space, or subdivided?

We have an open studio with everyone working and collaborating in the same space.

What does your office ‘sound’ like? Do you listen to music or radio at work, can you hear the city life outside, or is it a place of quiet work?

Music is a big part of our office culture. The Sonos is always on and anyone can control it from their desk. It helps to set the vibe in the studio and keeps the place energized. We listen to a pretty eclectic mix of artists and genres.

Where is the most popular lunch spot in or around the office?

One of the best lunch spots in Portland is right below us, Nong’s Khao Man Gai. They have a Thai chicken and rice dish that is life-changing.

What is the most popular design tool in the office?

Enscape has been a revelation and has become valuable in our design process, helping us quickly visualize and study design iterations.

Tell us about a completed project you are proud of.

We recently completed the Serena Williams Building for Nike in Beaverton, OR. At 1,000,000 square feet it’s the biggest building on campus. The building is inspired by its namesake and Nike’s heritage, providing innovative workspaces encouraging designers to imagine and deliver the future of sport. Skylab led all aspects of this project, architecture, interiors, FF&E, and brand.

What position(s) are you currently hiring for?

We’re currently looking for a Senior Design Architect and a Project Designer/Architect.

What project(s) are the new team members likely to be working on?

We have mountain, commercial, multi-family housing, hospitality, and single-family residences that new team members will be working on.

In three words, how would you describe Skylab’s design ethos?

Strategy, narrative, regeneration.

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.