Patricia Reser Center for the Arts

Great art requires talent and determination. Building a showcase for the arts is equally ambitious. Knot designers recognize and embrace the impact the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts will have on its community. The Center for the Arts is a watershed development in Beaverton’s history — a city only seven miles west of downtown Portland but takes pride in its independence and unique identity. A magnet for high-tech companies and large corporations such as Nike, Beaverton is balancing high livability standards with the need for rapid growth.

The Center for the Arts illustrates that the arts, along with commerce, play a vital role in a city’s growth and success. Knot designed this center’s environmental graphics to bring the community together while bridging its surrounding urban and natural environments. Knot’s design weaves the unique elements of the building’s design with its environment, creating ties between the urban hardscape and the beauty of an adjacent stream.

As Beaverton’s cultural jewel, the new theater, art gallery, exhibit space, and classrooms will be a unifying force in the city’s diverse culture. Knot’s design reinforces the values and ambitions of this growing city with a big heart.

A complex blend of public and private funding for the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts required Knot to work closely with the City of Beaverton, its mayor, and the building’s architect. A firm understanding of the architectural narrative drove Knot’s design process, which included exercises using visioning cards to create a theme for the environmental graphics design. Research into the rich natural history of this Washington County city revealed the vital role of an adjacent stream to the area’s overall ecosystem. With this deep understanding gained from iterative experimentation, Knot designed a program that celebrates the site’s subtle natural beauties while communicating the center’s architectural language.