Keller Auditorium Roof Replacement

OBJECTIVE / BACKGROUND

The Keller Auditorium building, located in downtown Portland, is situated across SW 3rd Avenue from Keller Fountain Park. The building was originally constructed in 1917 and underwent a near total reconstruction in the late 1960’s. The prominent public entry is dominated by large lobby spaces enclosed by a glassy façade behind a modern colonnade that faces the cascading concrete water-fall fountains in the park to the west, resulting in a unique urban experience. Metro planned this roof replacement project to address expired existing low-slope roof systems that covered the majority of the building. Fall-protection and access improvements, as well as seismic bracing of the unreinforced masonry wall parapets - remnants of the original 1917 structure, were also included in the project.

STRATEGIES & SERVICES

PRC, under the leadership of Carlton Hart Architecture, designed and detailed the systems to be used for roof replacement. Services included assisting CHA in preparation of construction document drawings and technical specifications during design, reviewing bids and assisting in preparation of addenda during bidding, and performed construction administration duties, including review of project submittals, assistance in responding to contractor RFI’s, and quality assurance inspections during installation.

OUTCOMES

In response to the various economic and performance criteria, PRC designed a conventional fully adhered single-ply thermoplastic membrane roof system with insulation on top of the structural deck, to cover all roof areas included in the project. PRC was integral in the development of solutions to challenging conditions created by existing construction at the stage ventilators on the fly loft roof.