Portland Community College Portland Metropolitan Workforce Training Center

The Portland Metropolitan Workforce Training Center at Portland Community College in Northeast Portland, Oregon, is a 4,645-square-meter facility. Completed in 2022, this two-story building houses classrooms, meeting rooms, event spaces, and offices, all designed to support workforce development programs. The center offers a variety of services, including workshops, one-on-one assistance, weekly job fairs, and other hiring events, aimed at helping clients develop skills for educational and employment success. The trauma-informed design emphasizes a welcoming and inclusive environment, incorporating natural light and biophilic elements to enhance the well-being of its users.

The project was constructed using mass timber, specifically cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam beams, supplied by Kalesnikoff. Mass timber was chosen for its environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration, as well as its strength, efficiency, and speed of construction, aligning with the college’s goals for a sustainable, high-performance building. As the first mass timber building for PCC, the wooden structure will significantly reduce embodied carbon, maximizing flexibility and adaptability. An optimized one-way frame with spans of 3-ply CLT topped with concrete. Chases designed between the CLT panels allow for small electrical element distribution perpendicular to the beams.

Harnessing the established benefits of wood—such as stress reduction, lower pulse rates, decreased blood pressure and moderate humidity—the interior fosters a serene atmosphere tailored to support a community striving for enhanced quality of life and economic stability. The new facility aligns with the long-term equity and sustainability vision of the College, to meet the evolving needs of the community.