John Portman
Encyclopedia
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and real estate developer widely known for popularizing hotels and office buildings with multi-storied interior atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
s.
A graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in 1950, Portman became noted for his innovative atrium hotel form used in projects including the Bonaventure Hotel
Bonaventure Hotel
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites is a , 35-story hotel in Los Angeles, California, constructed between 1974 and 1976. Designed by architect John C. Portman, Jr., it is the largest hotel in the city. The top floor has a revolving restaurant and bar...
in Los Angeles and the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
in Detroit. Portman's Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
opened as the world's tallest hotel skyscraper in 1977, and since 1986 its central tower has remained the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
as one of the most expensive Marriott hotels in the chain. It was built as a mark of Detroit's rebirth and redevelopment which later sparked upscale condo developments on the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
.
Portman is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
.
Portfolio
An asterisk (*) following a listing indicates a work done in partnership with H. Griffith Edwards.- AmericasMartAmericasMartAmericasMart Atlanta is a leading gift, home furnishings and area rug marketplace and the largest trade mart and tradeshow complex of its kind in the world. The mart was founded in 1957 by architect and developer, John C. Portman, Jr. who jointly owns and manages the mart with his son Jeffrey L...
(formerly the Atlanta Market Center), Atlanta- AmericasMart 1 (also known as the Merchandise Mart), 1961*
- AmericasMart 2 (also known as the Gift Mart), 1992
- AmericasMart 2 WEST, 2008
- AmericasMart 3 (also known as the Apparel Mart), 1979
- 230 Peachtree Building (formerly the Peachtree Center Tower), Atlanta, 1965*
- Antoine GravesAntoine Graves (building)Antoine Graves was a senior citizen highrise in Atlanta, Georgia built in 1965. Located at 126 SE Hilliard St. SE, Downtown. Demolished 2009 including annex....
, Atlanta, 1965* - Antoine Graves AnnexAntoine Graves (building)Antoine Graves was a senior citizen highrise in Atlanta, Georgia built in 1965. Located at 126 SE Hilliard St. SE, Downtown. Demolished 2009 including annex....
, Atlanta, 1966* - Peachtree CenterPeachtree CenterPeachtree Center is a multi-block neighborhood located in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Most of the buildings that make up the district were designed by Atlanta architect John C. Portman, Jr.. Many of the buildings are connected by a network of enclosed pedestrian sky bridges...
, Atlanta- Peachtree Center North (formerly the Atlanta Gas Light Tower), 1967*
- Peachtree Center South, 1969
- Peachtree Center International Tower (formerly the Peachtree Cain Building), 1972*
- Harris Tower, 1975*
- Marquis One, 1985
- Marquis Two, 1989
- Hyatt Regency AtlantaHyatt Regency AtlantaThe Hyatt Regency Atlanta, located on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, is an award winning hotel which opened in 1967. The John C. Portman, Jr. designed building was the first hotel constructed around an atrium, and has influenced hotel design since...
, 1967* - Hyatt Regency O'Hare, RosemontRosemont, IllinoisRosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
, 1969 - BlueCross BlueShield Building, ChattanoogaChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, 1971 - Embarcadero CenterEmbarcadero CenterEmbarcadero Center is a commercial complex of five office towers and two hotels on a site located off the Embarcadero in the financial district of San Francisco, California. The Trammell Crow, David Rockefeller and John Portman development was begun with Tower One in 1971, with the last...
, San Francisco- One Embarcadero CenterOne Embarcadero CenterOne Embarcadero Center is an class-A office skyscraper in the Financial District of San Francisco, California. The building is part of the Embarcadero Center complex of six interconnected buildings and one off-site extension. The skyscraper, completed in 1971, stands tall with 45 stories without...
(formerly the Security Pacific Tower), 1971 - Two Embarcadero CenterTwo Embarcadero CenterTwo Embarcadero Center is office skyscraper located off The Embarcadero in the financial district of San Francisco, California. The , 30 storey tower, completed in 1974 is part of the Embarcadero Center, a complex of seven towers, of which two are hotels. Twin-tower Three Embarcadero Center is the...
, 1974 - Three Embarcadero CenterThree Embarcadero CenterThree Embarcadero Center is an office skyscraper located in San Francisco's Financial District. The building is part of the Embarcadero Center, which is a complex of six interconnected buildings and one off-site extension. The skyscraper, completed in 1977, stands with 31 stories...
(formerly the Levi Strauss Building), 1977 - Four Embarcadero CenterFour Embarcadero CenterFour Embarcadero Center is a class-A office skyscraper in the Financial District of San Francisco, California. The building is part of the Embarcadero Center complex of six interconnected buildings and one off-site extension. The skyscraper, completed in 1982, stands with 45 stories...
, 1982 - Hyatt Regency San FranciscoHyatt Regency San FranciscoHyatt Regency San Francisco is a hotel located at the foot of Market Street and The Embarcadero in the financial district of San Francisco, California...
(also known as Five Embarcadero Center), 1973 - Embarcadero WestEmbarcadero WestEmbarcadero West is an office skyscraper located in the Financial District of San Francisco, California. The building is part of the Embarcadero Center, which is a complex of five office towers and two hotels. The skyscraper, completed in 1989, stands tall with 34 stories. Embarcadero West is not...
, 1989 - Le Méridien San FranciscoLe Méridien San FranciscoLe Méridien San Francisco is a hotel in the financial district of San Francisco, California. The property was formerly the Park Hyatt San Francisco.-External links:** at Starwood Hotels & Resorts...
(formerly the Park Hyatt San Francisco), 1988
- One Embarcadero Center
- The Mall at Peachtree Center, Atlanta, 1973
- The TowerThe Tower (Fort Worth, Texas)The Tower is a 35 floor building in Fort Worth, Texas bound by Taylor Street, Throckmorton Street, West 4th Street, and West 5th Street. At 488 feet , it is the fourth tallest building in Fort Worth. When it was completed in 1974, it was the tallest building in Fort Worth until the completion of...
(formerly the Block 82 Tower, Bank One Tower, Team Bank, Texas American Bank, and Fort Worth National Bank Building), Fort WorthFort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, 1969–1974 - Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, 1976
- Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, 1974–1976 - Renaissance CenterRenaissance CenterRenaissance Center is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Located on the International Riverfront, the Renaissance Center complex is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters...
, Detroit- Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, 1973–1977
- Renaissance Center Tower 100, 1973–1977
- Renaissance Center Tower 200, 1973–1977
- Renaissance Center Tower 300, 1973–1977
- Renaissance Center Tower 400, 1973–1977
- Renaissance Center Tower 500, 1979–1981
- Renaissance Center Tower 600, 1979–1981
- The Regent Singapore (formerly the Pavilion InterContinental Hotel), SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, 1982 - Peachtree Center Athletic Club, Atlanta, 1985
- Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 1985
- Marina Square, Singapore
- Marina Square Shopping CentreMarina SquareMarina Square is a shopping mall in Singapore which opened in the late 1980s. It is part of the first building complex built on the reclaimed land at Marina Centre, and was the largest shopping mall in the country at the time...
, 1985 - Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 1985
- Marina Mandarin SingaporeMarina Mandarin SingaporeThe Marina Mandarin Singapore is 575-room, five-star hotel located at 6 Raffles Boulevard in Marina Centre, Singapore. Built as part of the Marina Square commercial complex and opened in 1987, it was closed and underwent a major upgrading programme from 15 May 2005 to 31 August 2005 and at a cost...
, 1985 - Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, 1986
- Marina Square Shopping Centre
- Cottage 428, Sea IslandSea Island, GeorgiaSea Island is an affluent resort island located in the barrier islands just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia in the United States. The resort complex is located in an unincorporated Glynn County....
, 1985 - New York Marriott MarquisNew York Marriott MarquisNew York Marriott Marquis is a Marriott International hotel at 1535 Broadway opened in 1985 and was designed by architect John Portman. It is located in the heart of Times Square at Broadway and 45th Street. The hotel is famous for its high-tech elevators and atrium lobby rising 45 stories to The...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 1982–1985 - Northpark Town Center, Sandy SpringsSandy Springs, GeorgiaSandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
- Northpark 400, 1986
- Northpark 500, 1989
- Northpark 600, 1998
- JW Marriott San Francisco Union SquareJW Marriott San Francisco Union SquareJW Marriott San Francisco Union Square, formerly the Pan Pacific San Francisco, and Portman Hotel, is a luxury JW Marriott branded hotel in San Francisco, California. The hotel is owned by Thayer Lodging Group.-External links:*...
(formerly the Pan Pacific San Francisco and Portman Hotel), 1987 - American Cancer Society Center (formerly the Inforum Technology Center), Atlanta, 1989
- Riverwood 100 (formerly the Barnett Bank Building), ViningsVinings, GeorgiaVinings is a census-designated place and an unincorporated town in Cobb County, Georgia, just across the Chattahoochee River from Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 9,734. It is located between the affluent West Paces Ferry section of Buckhead in northwest Atlanta,...
, 1989 - Shanghai CentreShanghai CentreShanghai Centre is located on West Nanjing Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai. It is a comprehensive building complex consisting of three towers attached to an eight storey podium.The whole complex hosts 472 apartment units, 30,000 sq...
, ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, 1990- Shanghai Centre West Apartment (also known as the Exhibition Centre North Apartment 1)
- Shanghai Centre Apartments 2 (also known as the Shanghai East Apartment)
- The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai (formerly the Shanghai Centre Main Tower and Shangri-La Hotel)
- SunTrust PlazaSunTrust PlazaSunTrust Plaza is a 60-story skyscraper in downtown Atlanta. Built as part of the Peachtree Center complex, construction was finished in 1992, and has been the second-tallest building in Atlanta since then. When completed, it was the 28th tallest building in the world, and 21st tallest building...
(formerly One Peachtree Center), Atlanta, 1992 - Cap SquareCap SquareThe tenants of Cap Square are a mixture of restaurants, bars and cafes, a supermarket, a cineplex, a gymnasium, a nightclub, a bookstore, a pharmacy, several small boutiques, hair salon, an art gallery and other smaller shops such as bakeries, newsagents, and optical shops...
(short for Capital Square), Kuala LumpurKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia- Menara Multi PurposeMenara Multi PurposeMenara Multi Purpose is a skyscraper located along Jalan Munshi Abdullah in midtown in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tower is headquarters to Multi-Purpose Holdings Berhad, Alliance Bank, and Bandar Raya Developments Berhad.- History :...
(also known as the Capital Square Tower 1), 1994 - Capital Square Condominiums, 2007
- Menara Multi Purpose
- Bank of Communications, Shanghai, China, 2000
- Shi Liu Pu Building (also known as the Bank of Telecommunications), Shanghai, China, 2000
- Bund Center, Shanghai, China, 2002
- Bund Center (also known as the Shanghai Golden Beach Tower)
- The Westin Bund Center, Shanghai
- Westin Residences
- Westin Warsaw Hotel, WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, 2001–2003 - The Westin CharlotteThe Westin CharlotteThe Westin Charlotte is a tall skyscraper in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was built in 2003 and has 25 floors. It is the largest hotel in Charlotte, with 700 rooms, more than of convention space, and a ballroom.-References:* -External links:* *...
, CharlotteCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, 2003 - Tomorrow SquareTomorrow SquareTomorrow Square is the fifth tallest building in Shanghai, China. It is located in the Puxi district, close to People's Square. It is about 285 m tall and has 55 floors....
(contains the JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square), Shanghai, China, 1997–2003 - Taj Wellington Mews Luxury Residences, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 2004 - Schaumburg Hotel & Convention CenterSchaumburg Hotel & Convention CenterThe Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, located in Schaumburg, Illinois at I-90 and Meacham Rd, opened its doors in July 2006. The 500-room hotel is run by Marriott under their Renaissance brand. The property features a . exhibition hall, . of meeting room space, and a...
, SchaumburgSchaumburg, IllinoisSchaumburg is a city located in Cook County in northeastern Illinois. A common misspelling of the city name is Schaumberg, a spelling which persists on some modern maps. Schaumburg is located just under northwest of downtown Chicago and approximately northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As...
, 2006 - ICON, San Diego, 2004–2007
- Beijing Yintai CentreBeijing Yintai CentreBeijing Yintai Centre is located in the core of Beijing's Central Business District. It is a three-towered structure with the central tower rising 250m high and the two flanking towers about 186m. The central tower consists of Park Hyatt Beijing, Penthouses and Residences.The project was...
(also known as the Silvertie Center), BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China, 2002–2007- Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 1
- Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 2Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 2Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 2 is a 63-floor 250 meter tall skyscraper completed in 2007 located in Beijing Yintai Centre, Beijing, China.-External links:**...
- Beijing Yintai Centre Tower 3
- Hilton San Diego BayfrontHilton San Diego BayfrontHilton San Diego Bayfront is the 15th tallest building in San Diego, California and is a prominent fixture in San Diego's skyline. It has a height of 385 ft and contains 1,190 rooms...
(also known as the Hilton San Diego Convention Center Hotel and Campbell Shipyard Hilton), San Diego, 2006–2008 - R. Howard Dobbs University Center, Emory University, 1986
- George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center, Emory University, 1983
Awards and honors
- 1978 Medal for Innovations in Hotel Design - National American Institute of Architects
- 1980 Silver Medal Award for Innovative Design - Atlanta Chapter, American Institute of Architects
- 1984 Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence - for Embarcadero CenterEmbarcadero CenterEmbarcadero Center is a commercial complex of five office towers and two hotels on a site located off the Embarcadero in the financial district of San Francisco, California. The Trammell Crow, David Rockefeller and John Portman development was begun with Tower One in 1971, with the last...
In 2011, the Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council is the main municipal legislative body for the city of Atlanta, Georgia. It consists of 15 members elected from districts within the city. The Atlanta City Government is divided into three bodies: the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The Atlanta City Council serves...
renamed Harris Street in Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
as John Portman Boulevard at Historic Harris Street.