Franklin High School Portland Public Schools | Portland, OR

The modernization of Portland’s historic Franklin High School is a significant step in the re-imagining of Portland Public Schools’ facilities into next generation learning environments, with state-of-the-art career and technical education and athletic facilities. The project completely reconfigured and updated the existing learning spaces with a focus on balancing modern learning environments and historic preservation.

Arcadis kicked off the work at Franklin with a Due Diligence and Master Plan Report involving extensive community participation including bi-weekly meetings with a representative Design Advisory Group (students, teachers, board representatives, staff, community, and parents); a series of open community design workshops; and meetings with the student body, teachers, and staff.

Significant Additions
Franklin’s historic auditorium was preserved, and converted to a two-story Media Center; the entrance to the original main building was transformed to a two-story entry and lobby space. The school’s track and field was realigned 90 degrees to make room for a new gymnasium and educational facility, and new classroom spaces will be created for science, technology, engineering and math education, as well as Career Pathways programs that include culinary arts, the law and the Constitution, health science and biomedical, and industrial arts.

Modernization with Historic Preservation
The newly enhanced, expanded, 21st century version of Franklin opened in Fall 2017. While the general façade and feel of the gracious, colonial-style building has been renewed and preserved, its interior has been gutted and repurposed. New buildings added to the extensive campus include athletic facilities and a Center for the Arts. Updates of learning spaces focus on indoor environmental quality, sustainability, and preservation of the historic character.