Albertina Kerr Louise Building

Details

The historic Louise Building in Gresham was designed by Architect Carl H. Wallwork in 1925 as a home for unwed mothers and is a beautiful example of Georgian style architecture. The building and the fir grove behind it were placed on the National Historic Registry in 1987. The new addition is designed to not be seen from the street and keeps the existing exterior intact. The two-story addition infills the area between the two wings on the East side of the building. By infilling the area between the wings, the addition is encompassed by the old building on three sides and separated on the interior by a light well. The placement of the addition preserves the historic east exterior wall by making it an interior wall, allowing building occupants to interact with the old building. The light well creates a separation between old and new (allowing for natural light to shine through and provide a visual transition between elements). The exterior shape of the new addition is designed to mirror the existing historic fir grove, juxtaposing the rigidness of the formal brick structure. The façade consists of glazing with vertical wood siding panels to further tie the building and fir grove together. The horizontal windows datum is carried from the historic building to the new addition, continuing the lines of the existing building. By making the addition only two stories, the sunroom is allowed to remain untouched, preserving the view to the fir grove. The green roof further ties the building to the grove and enhance the views from the second floor.