Pics: KOIN Center

A slideshow about downtown Portland's KOIN Center. As with the recent post on the nearby Wells Fargo Tower, most of these photos have appeared here before. There are a few new ones at the end of the slideshow, so feel free to watch the whole thing and wait for those. Or just open the photoset in Flickr if you'd rather do that. Or whatever.

I'd forgotten how controversial the building was initially. In the short period of time between the opening of the eastbound Vista Ridge Tunnel (1969) and the KOIN Center being built (1984), you had a great view of Mt. Hood right when you exited the tunnel. The KOIN Center blocked that view, and was itself topped with a blue pyramid that looks vaguely like Mt. Hood. Which depending on who you talked to was a coincidence, a respectful architectural reference, or the designers adding insult to injury. I tend to believe that if you need unimpeded views of distant mountains, being in the middle of a city may not be the right thing for you.


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