Clean Water Services RIPL

Lab and office rehabilitation has positive ripple effects

Scott Edwards Architecture is partnering with Research Facilities Design to design a new campus for Clean Water Service’s research labs and administrative office. The project entails rehabilitating a 1990s office building in Forest Grove, Oregon, to not only meet but exceed modern expectations for a regulatory lab facility. Our design prioritizes function while shaping staff and communal spaces to be comfortable and engaging. Once complete, the building will be transformed, prioritizing daylighting, creating a defined entry sequence, and identifying impactful moments to reference the organization’s focus on safe water and thoughtful resource management.

Client
Clean Water Services

Location
Forest Grove, OR

Size
73,680 sf

Year
In Progress

The new building elements intentionally contrast with the existing building’s brick façade using a contemporary material pallet of aluminum cladding, glass curtainwalls, and powder coated steel window trim. Large cantilevers at the entry and roof deck play off the strong horizontal lines of the existing building, while the deep metal portal framing the lobby’s curtainwall provides a strong vertical element that balances the building’s massing and provides shading for the expansive glass.

We use materials, colors, and textures to enhance the experience of the lobby space. Visual connections to the adjacent wetlands to the south and a clear delineation between staff, vendor, and water sample drop-off areas create intuitive function and flow.

First Floor

Second Floor

The interior has a mix of workspace types, including private offices, open pods, conference rooms, and collaboration areas. Wayfinding is inspired by the work performed by Clean Water Services, with names like “Reservoir” for a waterway-like path through the lobby and “Tributaries” for a conference room where people all come together to share ideas.

The interiors clearly define spaces for specific functions, a priority as RIPL serves several distinct capacities. Recurring design elements like vertical wood slats and a unifying color palette ensure the entire building is cohesive.

The main entry’s form and cantilever repeat on the building’s west facade to shape new staff break areas. The first level’s glassy alcove serves the lab area, offering views, seating, and access to the outdoor walking paths. Directly above, a covered outdoor patio connects to the second level’s staff breakroom. The patio’s cantilevered canopy has no columns, creating unobstructed views of the neighboring wetlands. The wetlands are home to over 200 species of birds and all the windows in the building are high-efficiency and have bird-safe glazing.