Portman’s imperium als benchmark


The architecture branch in the Netherlands has fallen on hard times. New commissions are difficult to obtain, clients expect to pay less for more work, architecture firms are having to fire people, close, or go bankrupt. Unemployment among architects is steadily growing and, out of necessity, many architects are starting on their own. In order to turn the tide architects must become more enterprising. But are architects capable of that?

Because, in the past, architects thought they were being clever when they relinquished many responsibilities without any further thought. For any random building project there is a whole army of engineers responsible for the construction, building physics and installation. The drawings, and also the specifications and presentations are now the domain of experts. And the supervision of all these parties has become an art in itself: this work is quickly passed on to a process manager. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing work, but if no substantially new activities and responsibilities are created for the architect, then the role of the architect is eroded. And this is the case in many firms at the present moment. It need not be like this. Take the case of entrepreneur-architect John Portman .

The brand-new documentary John Portman, a life of building by Ben Loeterman Portman, (1924, Walhalla, South Carolina) explains how entrepreneurship and architecture can go hand in hand. Since the fifties Portman has run a unique practice in which he approaches architecture based on social factors, economic circumstances and healthy financing. His business empire comprises four leading companies. In addition to the architectural firm John Portman & Associates, he is the founder, owner and manager of the real estate company Portman Holdings, the interior design centre Atlanta Decorative Arts Center and the exchange and convention complex AmericasMart.

The benchmark for his enterprising approach is the Peachtree Center in Atlanta on– believe me –John Portman Boulevard. In addition to the design of all the buildings, infrastructure and public space the project was partly developed thanks to Portman taking the initiative and, together with investors, purchasing land and financing the building. In a dynamic design and development process, since the mid fifties the project has been expanded and adapted. A network of internal walkways links most of the buildings with each other. The Peachtree Center now comprises some sixteen city blocks with hotels, office blocks, shopping centres, exchanges and parking garages that determine the skyline of Atlanta. The success of the project is partly due to the fact that Portman committed himself over the long term to public organisations and commercial parties. At the same time the project demonstrates that architecture is an import factor in long-term development. The Peachtree Center has led to new programmed and architectural building typologies and has set a new standard for, most notably, hotels and multi-functional buildings. The pro-active approach in Atlanta served as the first model for developments in other American cities and, since the early nineties, also for the urban growth of cities in the Middle East and China.

The internal traffic structure of linked atria caused a great deal of controversy in professional circles. Supporters claimed that these kinds of acclimatised spaces created the only safe spaces in the deserted downtowns so that in the seventies, in any event, something still remained of the economic strength and urban meeting places. Opponents believed on the contrary that the atria drained the classic public spaces in streets and squares, leaving them behind in a deplorable state. The discussion finally stopped by the nineties, when both the atria and the new public spaces, complete with public transport systems, attracted new inhabitants and regenerated downtown Atlanta, and when the same happened in other cities. Meanwhile this discussion can be held yet again today in the city of Rotterdam. No one less than Portman fan Koolhaas himself is going to build two inwardly-orientated projects (the ABN Amro and the City Hall) and one city-in-a-city building is already being built (the Rotterdam). MVRDV realises its covered Market Hall and UN Studio rebuilds the post office. All these buildings are multi-use and add separated internal public space to the city. But the question that few people ask is where are the stores and the shopping public supposed to come from and what will happen to the Lijnbaan? What would Portman do?

As an architect Portman has never confined himself to designing buildings. He also initiates, finances, builds and manages part of his impressive portfolio. And that is a vast difference compared with the hit-and-run mentality of most of today’s architects. Portman develops new spatial concepts, realises sensational designs, but also goes for profit in the long term. And this last point is Portman’s interesting deviating business model. It cannot be a coincidence that Portman has scarcely built anything in Europe and has never built in the Netherlands. The opportunities and the resources are probably too restrictive here and, as an architect, you are too dependent on the web of developers and contractors. An architect is perhaps good at solving problems, but to be a good entrepreneur an architect should be acquainted with, and knowledgeable about, the preliminary processes leading to the solution and the subsequent phases. Portman demonstrates that, by becoming owner of a problem and taking responsibility for the solution, you can in a pro-active way create space to do business as an architect. Get your hands dirty!

John Portman, a life of building is screened at AFFR 2011 .
This article was published in the magazine and on the site of AFFR 2011 .