Woodlark — Portland, USA
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

A large part of the charm of Portland, Oregon lies in its architecture, an intriguing cross-section of styles that span the city’s colourful history. That coupled with a willingness by its developers and entrepreneurs to integrate building and business has meant that this bijou north-west nook practically bristles with interesting set-pieces for boutiques, restaurants and especially hotels.
The new Woodlark hotel in downtown Portland is an architectural mix of two adjoining National Historic Register buildings – the 1912 Woodlark Building and the 1908 Cornelius Hotel – which LA-based R&A Architecture & Design, local studio Oculus Inc (formerly Staicoff Design), and Atlanta-based Smith Hanes have artfully fused into a slick 150-room hotel.
The handsome bones of both buildings have been repointed and reinforced, right up to the metal mansard roofs, while the interiors shine with brass inlays, black lacquer and hand-blown glass lights, alongside grey timber floors, 10ft-long leather sofas, and steel and wood spiral staircases in the 20ft-high loft suites on the third storey.
This being Portland – a gastronomic hotbed par excellence – it’s no surprise that the kitchen, headed by Doug Adams, is in top form, sending out dishes like a smoked chicken paired with stacks of home-made tortillas, guacamole and green salsa, and dry-aged beef burgers cocooned in twice-cooked onions, butter pickles and mustard mayonnaise.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
813 SW Alder Street
Portland
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Hublot and Takashi Murakami unite on a colourful new collaboration
Hublot’s Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow watch rethinks the artist’s smiling flower motif
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Designer Tokujin Yoshioka on his new light-filled store for Issey Miyake in Ginza, Tokyo
Titled ‘Issey Miyake Ginza / 442’ the new store is summed up by ‘light, future and sustainability’, says designer Tokujin Yoshioka. Here, he takes Wallpaper* inside the new four-storey Ginza outpost
By Danielle Demetriou • Published
-
‘A crossover of ideas and emotion’: Simone Rocha on introducing menswear to her label
As the collection arrives at London’s Dover Street Market with a special installation and zine, Simone Rocha speaks about the roots of the menswear offering, the art of collaboration, and a campaign which subverts ‘the archetypes of masculinity’
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Vladislav Doronin on Aman New York, and the brand’s future
Aman New York opens in Manhattan, offering hospitality and branded apartments designed by architecture studio Denniston. Owner Vladislav Doronin talks about his ‘hardest and most expensive project’ yet, Aman’s new urban roll-out, and how he’s diversifying the world’s most coveted hotel brand
By Wallpaper* • Last updated
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
By Chadner Navarro • Published
-
Frank Gehry and Tara Bernerd’s Conrad Los Angeles hotel opens it doors
The Conrad Los Angeles hotel is now open, occupying a sculptural building by Frank Gehry with interiors by Tara Bernerd
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated
-
Alsace LA hotel interiors by Home Studios encapsulate SoCal energy
Alsace LA hotel, in Los Angeles’ West Adams, features interiors and furniture designs by Home Studios, inspired by the Bauhaus and Mediterranean architecture
By Pei-Ru Keh • Last updated
-
Chicago's The Robey is an artfully designed offering by Grupo Habita
Mexico-based Grupo Habita's The Robey, a buzzing hotel in Chicago's Wicker Park neighbourhood is all the rage
By Ella Marshall • Last updated
-
Piaule opens as a new minimalist escape in the Catskills
Boutique homeware label Piaule has opened a Catskills hotel featuring 24 minimal wooden cabins, an all-day dining restaurant, and a spa, set on an immersive nature reserve
By Pei-Ru Keh • Last updated
-
Historic piece of Dallas architecture transformed into hotel
By Lauren Ho • Last updated
-
Upstate escape: the Lake House on Canandaigua is a hidden gem
By Pei-Ru Keh • Last updated