The city of Portland, Oregon’s new 10-story, mixed use, transit-oriented development known as Slate earned LEED Gold. Formerly Block 75, the high-efficiency building features window, entrance and unitized curtainwall systems. A cornerstone in the city’s efforts to revitalize the Burnside Bridgehead area, Slate rises on a previously vacant lot. Opened in Sept. 2016, the project spans 147,000 sq. ft. and offers 75 market-rate apartment units on the upper six floors; 35,000 sq. ft. of creative co-working office workspace on the second and fourth floors; and 7800 sq. ft. of retail space at street level.Designed by Works Progress Architecture for co-developers Urban Development Partne

One of the latest additions to the downtown Los Angeles skyline is Metropolis—an expansive mixed-use development aimed at redefining luxury urban living. Developed by Greenland USA and designed by Gensler, Metropolis encompasses 6.3 acres of real estate, and features three residential towers, a hotel, a 60,000-sq.-ft. retail pavilion and high-end restaurants. A wide variety of architectural glazing systems were needed to help improve the function, safety and aesthetics of the new, ultramodern complex.

SoFA is the site of several city festivals and events. The Pierce, a mixed-use housing/retail development, is situated on almost two acres and fronts three different streets in downtown San Jose, Calif. General contractor Clark Builders Group completed construction in 2016—part of that construction included installing 9000-sq.-ft. composite panels. With its urban feel and futuristic characteristics, The Pierce features many cutting-edge conveniences. The exterior needed to match that urban vibe.

San Francisco’s MB360 apartments encourage a sense of community in its courtyard space while also creating intimate niches for its residents. Set in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, MB360 is a trendy mixed-use apartment community with resort-style amenities, including pool, spa, outdoor fireplace and dining areas. Designing the outdoor living areas, however, presented certain challenges. “Our firm had a dual challenge: to encourage a community atmosphere in the courtyard while also creating intimate niches for residents,” said Cathy Garrett, president of PGAdesign, a landscape architectural firm in Oakland, Calif. MB360 and the larger Mission Bay development have create