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A Conversation With Brad Cloepfil

4 Comments

Posted By Mike Thelin on 05/12/2008

Since completing the instantly celebrated headquarters of Wieden + Kennedy, architect Brad Cloepfil and his firm Allied Works have enjoyed a stream of commissions most architects only dream of—from a museum on one of New York City’s most prominent sites to homes for some of the country’s leading art collectors. For the May 12 installment of the Bright Lights discussion series sponsored by City Club and Portland Spaces, Cloepfil will talk about his most recent work, his ideas about architecture and urban design, and his thoughts about Portland architecture, past and future.

It’s an auspicious moment for Cloepfil and Allied Works. After a period of quiet while designing several high-profile projects, they will unveil a series of completed buildings in the coming months: the Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, which shares a neighborhood with new buildings by Sir Norman Foster and Rem Koolhaas; the University of Michigan Museum of Art; and the Museum of Arts and Design, a radical and controversial remodel of 2 Columbus Circle on the corner of Central Park in Manhattan. Cloepfil also has recently secured his first major Portland commission since the Wieden + Kennedy building: the historic renovation of the 511 Building, which will house the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

For Bright Lights, Cloepfil will present a sampling of recent work. But in a discussion with Portland Spaces editor Randy Gragg and the audience, the evening will broaden into conversation of ideas about architecture, urbanism, landscape, and historic preservation.

Bright Lights starts at 6 p.m. the second Monday of every month at Jimmy Mak’s, 221 NW 10th Ave. Doors open at 5:30. Admission is free. The restaurant offers a full menu of drinks and food.

June’s Bright Lights will feature John Fregonese, the nationally renowned regional planner currently at work on Oregon’s “Big Look” task force, which is considering making changes to the state’s legendary land-use laws.

Visit us on the Web at www.portlandspaces.net for the latest do-it-yourself projects, discussions on new development and architecture in Portland, and to learn about the hot trends and beautiful things in town for your home.

4 Comments

By Fredrick Zal on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 10:34AM PDT

Randy; Thank you for taking the initative to make this monthly event happen! Ciao, Fredrick H. Zal Architect | Sculptor | Advocate fzal@fhzal.com Atelier Z an.architecture and industrial design studio advocating dialogue in the fine + applied arts http://www.fhzal.com/works

By Olga Gomez on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 10:53AM PDT

I’m happy to see this event as well. Maybe this Q and A will help squelch the word on Portland’s streets that Brad C doesn’t care much about his hometown. As great as Allied’s work tends to be, I wonder if he’s the best subject to ask about the future of Portland. When was the last Allied project in PDX? It seems that a Q and A with Jeff Kovell, John Holmes or Thomas Hacker would be more relevant.

By Mike Thelin on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:07AM PDT

Thanks for comments Olga, though I’m not sure I agree with you. With Mr. Cloepfil about to embark on the renovation of the 511 Broadway Building into the new world-class home of the Pacific Northwest College of Art, I can think of no better subject for a question and answer. I’ve never met Brad, but I for one am quite proud that a Portlander is taking his place among the world’s top-tier architects.

By Jeff Jahn on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 12:14PM PDT

I was with BC on his first walkthrough of the upper parts of the 511 building… and he seemed pretty dern excited about the project…. especially all of the concrete.