Summary Description
Jackson Middle School is located at 10625 SW 35th Avenue in the West Portland Park neighborhood of southwest Portland. The sprawling, interconnected 32 acre campus encompasses the main school building (1966, 174), which consists of an office, auditorium wing, cafeteria, gymnasium, library, two two-story “resource centers” (classrooms that encircle an open middle space), and a detached 1970 autoshop. Originally constructed as a high school, this “unit” plan school is indicative of trends in modernist architectural movements of the mid-1960s. Constructed of precast concrete slabs with polished gravel exterior surfaces, the building’s various functions are communicated by the different heights, massing, and fenestration patterns for each section of the building. The building also reflects the influences of the more suburban context as it is situated off the main road, approached via a U-shaped drive, and set within an expansive 32 acre property.
Architectural Description
Jackson Middle School is situated in the southwest neighborhood of West Portland Park. The campus occupies a 32 acre roughly square shaped parcel that is bounded to the north by SW Alfred St., to the east by SW 35th Ave., to the west by SW 40th Ave. and to the south by residential development. The school building is approached via a U-shaped driveway that extends west of 35th Ave. to allow for easy drop off to a concrete column lined shelter on the front (east) side of the school. Development in the surrounding area consists primarily of single family residences built between 1930 and 2000 (www.portlandmaps.com).
The school is an expansive, precast concrete slab building that varies in height from one to two stories. It features a flat roof over all of the building’s various components and large brick slab chimney rises from near the center of the building. Most windows consist of vertical oriented glass windows with a hopper window and insulated panel below. Unlike many of the earlier International style buildings constructed by PPS in the late 1940s and 1950s, however, the windows do not run continuously along exterior walls but usually appear in groups of two to six separated by precast concrete slabs and/or large concrete columns.
The entry drive to the Jackson school building is lined by a shelter supported by a series of concrete columns. Entry into the school is through two different sets of four glass and metal doors. While the north set of doors leads to the auditorium, cafeteria, gymnasium, and other common spaces, the south door leads to the main office and the two “units”.
The overall organization of the building’s plan is conveyed by the structure’s varying heights, overall massing, and fenestration. Designed to be an extensible school, the Jackson School was originally to have a square-shaped corridor plan, but due to unexpected shifts in demographics two additional units were never constructed and hence only a rough L-shaped corridor plan was realized. Most of the school’s most significant spaces are accessed via the corridors. The two existing units, located on the south end of the building, are nearly identical in terms of exterior appearance and interior plan. The exterior of each unit features a box-like massing with the building’s concrete columns left exposed and the precast concrete slabs recessed into the building. The auditorium is communicated by its double height, windowless, and asymmetrical form that mirrors the space inside. The three court-long gymnasium is also unfenestrated and accessed via courtyard located on the north side of the building through four sets of double doors.
A majority of the classrooms are located in the two units. On each floor an outer ring of classrooms surround a central “resource room” or open space. Both floors, approached via sets of stairs, feature similar arrangements. The classrooms themselves are rectangular in shape and largely lack cabinets with the exception of science rooms that are outfitted with laboratory counters and wood cabinets. Only about four classrooms within the two units contain doors that lead directly into an adjoining courtyard. Tubular fluorescent light are housed in boxed lighting fixtures attached to the classroom ceilings.
The double height auditorium, located on the north side of the building and away from most classrooms, features a main seating area, but lacks a balcony. An interesting design feature found on the stage is a set of folding doors that allows the stage to be closed off from a rehearsal and dressing area. The one story cafeteria, situated just west of the auditorium, can also be subdivided into three different spaces. On the west part of the building, the gymnasium, the largest interior space in the entire PPS system, accommodates three full size basketball courts as well as bleacher seating. The roof is supported by large transverse I-beams that extend across the building. The floor below the gymnasium features weight rooms, locker rooms, a wrestling room, and other storage spaces.
Alterations/Integrity
There have been minimal alterations to the school building and grounds since its construction in 1966. In 1970, a detached, one story autoshop was constructed near the west side of the campus, but no major additions or other work beyond maintenance projects have been performed at the school. The Jackson School retains its historical integrity through the preservation of its overall plan, precast concrete construction, and interior finishes. |