Northwest. The new hotel project combines the nationally registered Woodlark Building and the adjacent Cornelius Hotel into a single design destination. Located in the heart of downtown, the two buildings have stood for more than 100 years as a testament to Portland’s growing aspirations and unique culture. As a nod to the city’s past, The Woodlark Hotel brings the adjoining structures together to create a new hospitality standard for Portland.

Giving new life to one of Portland's earliest commercial skyscrapers OFFICEUNTITLED honored the site’s historic structures through a contemporary lens. Embracing the original motto of the Cornelius as a ‘House of Welcome,’ The Woodlark has been designed as a place for visitors and locals to connect with the city’s offerings in the “New NorthWest.”

OFFICEUNTITLED historically restored the structures’ exteriors with respect to each building’s individual historic character. The Woodlark Building, built in 1912 and home of Woodard, Clark & Co., Portland's first pharmacy, was one of the City’s earliest examples of the reinforced concrete construction type, while the adjacent former Cornelius Hotel, built in 1908, only four years prior, was built in wood and steel. The two adjacent buildings are internally connected via new stairs on each floor. The new and existing structure allowed R&A to create a number of unique room types to choose from. On the third floor the twenty-foot clear ceiling height allowed for two story loft suites with steel and wood spiral staircases leading to the elevated sleeping loft with breath taking views of the surrounding streetscape

Since both buildings are listed on National Register of Historic Places and given incredible historic value, OFFICEUNTITLED followed strict federal, state and local historical guidelines in restoring the structures. The original wood frame windows were removed, restored, and reinstalled with new insulated glazing units, the exterior brick was cleaned and repointed, and the damaged metal mansard roofs and intricate ornamental metal detailing had to be substantially reconstructed.

The interiors were adaptively reused into a 150-key boutique hotel that represents the “New Northwest” as expressed through subtle, soft, and elegant detailing. From an eclectic mix of luxe textiles, raw wood and blue leather to plant life, black lacquer and brass, the guest rooms materials and treatments hint at Portland’s surroundings in an elevated way. Custom pieces give the hotel room a residential feel - from the marble-topped amenity table, to the bathroom sconces, ceiling fixture and teal tiles, to the luxe gold finishes throughout the space. Layering like float dipped walls with blue base boards, two toned blue velvet chairs, and custom Christiane Millinger handmade wool rugs create a simplistic richness. Lively and bright, the hotel’s interiors take cues from nature exemplified by the custom designed wallpaper by OMFG Co., inspired by plants native to the Pacific Northwest, that flips from blue and green to blue and white depending on your room location. Reinterpreting its surroundings in a fresh way, the design creates spaces that are dramatic and surprising.

The lifestyle hotel combines accommodation with 2,500 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, and a lounge bar designed in collaboration with Smith Hanes. Opening up to the neighborhood on the ground floor, the restaurant and lounge marry the spirit of Portland with a unique culinary heritage. On top, a new elevator penthouse and stair tower rise above the roof of the Cornelius.

Portland is growing and evolving, and The Woodlark embodies what the city can become. Reviving two iconic structures, the design balances an urban and natural aesthetic in the core of downtown. Encouraging connection and shared experience, the hotel invites exchange between visitors and the city. Setting a new standard for the Northwest, The Woodlark reimagines contemporary elegance and hospitality.