living | trA vel
the refurbished woodlArk hotel is
20th-century Baroque Revival architecture on the exterior,
with a modern Pacific Northwest aesthetic on the inte-
rior, and opened in December 2018 as a new Provenance
Hotels property.
The design direction for the hotel was led by Christian
Robert and Brooks Atwood of California-based R&A
Architecture. The new Woodlark tells the stories, through
its design, of the city’s past and its people, says Brooks
Atwood, Design Director at the architect-of-record firm.
The Woodlark’s two buildings are from 1908 and 1912 –
one was built with concrete, the other with wood.
“Putting them together was complex, how the floors
line-up. Historical landmarks add a whole new level of criti-
cal thinking in a way,” Atwood remembers.
On the project, Atwood thought of himself and as an
archeologist and wondered, “We have these amazing build-
ings, so what are we going to do with them?”
A project six years on the board, Atwood was focused
on archeology – digging up the history of the hotel’sbuildings through old brochures – and as a result, stories of
the city’s history permeate the design of the hotel.
Some of the original baroque details, like beams in
the ceiling and concrete bolts in the walls were left intact
because he saw them as moments in time to be captured
as part of the character and history of the buildings.
“The originality and authenticity of Portland and its
architecture is really captivating,” Atwood muses, noting
the city’s architecture, to him, combines the innovation of
Chicago with the history of Paris.
“You’re getting a strange, amazing history. Factories,
old warehouses and an ode to manufacturing, with a
cosmopolitan feel,” says Atwood.
The bright green trees on the hotel’s wallpaper tell the
stories of the lush Oregon forest in what appear like modern
hieroglyphics.
Aiming to design beyond the proverbial Instagram
moment, Atwood incorporated details that are a nod to the
past, like the analog alarm clocks in every guestroom, for
those who want to take a break from the digital wake-up call.WHERE TO EAT
AND DRINK IN
DOWNTOWN
PORTLAND
Warm up with a
cocktail at the coveted
Multnomah Whiskey
Library, with bottles
shelved so high and
deep, staff need ladders
to extract connoisseurs’
requests from the
archives.
Woodlark’s dining
lounge, the Bullard
Room, is where Texas
meets Oregon. Tex
Mex- West Coast-
inspired cuisine is
served in a private
wood-themed setting
with an extensive wine
list. Rainbow trout and
San Antonio chicken are
highly recommended.
Bistro Agnes is a
room reminiscent of
old Parisian bistros, and
a prime dinner spot.
The Foie Gras Torchon
with toasted brioche
and sauternes gelée is
second to none.
A meal at Jake’s
Grill at the Sentinel
Hotel is a must. The
dining room was a
watering hole to turn-
of-the-century gold rush
fortune seekers, and the
Oregon dungeness crab
and bay shrimp cake
gets a gold star.
ABOVE: WOODLARK’S ABIGAIL
HALL LOUNGE