Bora Architecture & Interiors

We’re excited to partner with Portland State University to lead conceptual design for a new performing arts + cultural center! Our design is one of three options being considered by the City of Portland. “There is nothing more inspiring than working with a great partner to envision a project that will be truly transformational for downtown Portland. This is a chance to create a visionary artistic and community resource to serve our city for the next 100 years,” said Bora Principal Michael Tingley. The proposed mass timber multi-use arts and culture complex on PSU’s University Place Hotel site will feature a 3,000-seat auditorium, a second 1,200-seat performance venue, a hotel, and community and educational space—a bold effort elevating the arts and catalyzing development within the downtown core.  For more information on the project click on the link here: https://lnkd.in/gu9kw_98 #BoraArchitects #MoveTheNeedle PC: Nephew Studio

We are thrilled Multnomah County Library's Holgate Library is opening this Saturday, July 13! Check out the link below to find fun-filled community events happening all weekend long. From traditional Vietnamese music to Hawaiian hula dancing, this opening weekend will celebrate the new library's impacts on the community for years to come.

Self Enhancement, Inc. is a well-established non-profit organization in Portland that does incredible work for underserved youth.   We are excited to see Trent Aldridge promoted to the position of CEO and look forward to continuing our support for SEI in the future.

How do BIPOC voices transform a design process? Bora Associate Principal Amy Running and Associate Leina Naversen will participate on a panel discussing the positive impact of BIPOC student engagement on the design of the reimagined Portland State University Vernier Science Center. Sign up here: https://lu.ma/bipoc-voices

In celebration of Pride, our team wore colorful clothes to honor and embrace diversity. We're proud to support and celebrate each other and our unique differences. Check out the Portland Pride Guide through the link below for a host of fun events happening this month. https://bit.ly/3L6pg4P #happypride

We are so excited for the grand opening of Multnomah County Library's new Holgate Library. Celebrations begin July 13!

The Bora family has lost an architectural great. Stan Boles, FAIA, was a singular force for four decades in our firm. His 1974 design proposal for the SW Portland YMCA, which went on to become Bora’s first AIA Honor Award-winning project, was an impressive start for an architect at age 27. Stan grew into a respected principal and leader in the Portland arts community, with his influence shaping Bora’s trajectory locally and nationally.  Stan's design talent was evident in his many projects, including the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis Mondavi Center for the Arts, UT Austin Bass Hall renovation, and Stanford Knight Management Center. Stan also designed our Bora Beach House, followed by nearly a dozen private residences--a special design niche for us that continues to this day. Fiercely dedicated to architecture and design, Stan was an architect’s architect—design was always on his mind, whether envisioning a complex master plan or finessing project details. He cared about architecture’s impact on the community, the special qualities of a site, even the sensation of touching a surface. His gravitas inspired young architects, cultivating a respect for the profession within and beyond Bora. Raised in Houston with a Texas-sized personality to match, Stan was hip on trends, art, music, movies, food and wine. He was well-spoken, with an infectious laugh and a dry wit. His legendary Texas aphorisms are still oft repeated, but never in the same sly way he used them. If it says anything, he mounted a massive boar head on his office wall. Bold, confident, and a Bora champion to the core, Stan embraced life as he did design—always seeking to elevate the human experience. “Stan had this way of pulling you into his orbit while taking genuine interest in you,” recalls Principal John O'Toole. “Bora would have been a very different firm without Stan, and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. We will miss him greatly.”    1: Stan, circa 1975  2: Designing the Bora Beach House  3: Portland YMCA  4: PCPA/Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall  5: UC Davis Mondavi Center  6: Stanford Shriram Center  7: UCSC McHenry Library  8: Finley Beach House  9: Oregon Coast House  10: Stan, 2013

From throwing baby showers to bringing in baby goats, our Fun Committee never ceases to come up with creative ways to infuse delight and joy into our office. At the end of the day, we’re all better humans when we take time to unwind, laugh, and find balance in the workplace. With: Keevin Collier, Amber Turner, Jamal Carnahan, Mara Weeks, Sophie Harrington, Daniela Fowler, Jasmine (Reese) Riihimaki, Kate Krchma, Abigail Strong, Aisha Marcos #TeamBora #FunCommittee #FindYourJoy #WorkLifeBalance

We are thrilled to announce the hire of Architect Natalie Mutchler, AIA! Natalie comes to us from Washington D.C., where she spent thirteen years building a portfolio of award-winning K-12 education and community-based projects. As a project manager, Natalie is adept at guiding the lifecycle of a project from concept through realization, motivated by a love to see design embody the values of the community it serves. An effective communicator and collaborator with the ability to manage multiple complex responsibilities at once, Natalie earned her B.Arch from Virginia Tech and loves to travel, bike, and explore new places. Welcome to #TeamBora!

The Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon recently recognized two of our projects, Art Rutkin Elementary School and PCC Opportunity Center @ 42nd Ave, as ‘Top Projects’ of 2024. They both made this year’s list of honorees and were awarded as Top Projects built and constructed in the Pacific Northwest. Images by Josh Partee #MoveTheNeedle #boraarchitects #design