On the occasion of his 125th birthday, The Oregonian proclaimed Pietro Belluschi the only Oregon resident to receive both the National Medal of Arts for his lifetime achievements, and the American Institute of Architects’ highest honor, the Gold Medal.
Belluschi designed at least two remarkable but vastly different works in North Portland: the former Waddle’s Drive-In sign on Hayden Island (1945) and the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on the University of Portland campus (1986). They were designed on opposite ends of his long career. In the next edition we will focus on the chapel.
The sign, structurally connected to a building, is impossible to miss as you drive into or out of Oregon on I-5. It was designed by Belluschi at a time when he was establishing his own business and before he became famous. For lovers of modernist architecture and roadside Americana, this sign blends both. The original “Waddle’s” type style exhibits the modernist qualities of streamlining and muted curves.
Despite all the changes that have occurred on Hayden Island, the building and sign have managed to survive. Unfortunately, Waddle’s Drive-In closed in 2004 after nearly 50 years in business. But luckily, the subsequent owners have kept the sign.
The Italian-born Belluschi came to United States to attend Cornell University. After graduating, he moved to Portland in 1925 to work for A.E. Doyle, Portland’s premier architect at the time. During his years in Portland, Belluschi became widely acclaimed as a leader of the Modern movement in architecture. It’s a style characterized by clean lines, muted curves, and a lack of ornamentation.
(Vintage Waddle’s images and memorabilia below are from PDX History)
