Claussen and Claussen
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Founded | 1908 in Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Founder | William Emil Claussen, Hans Fred Claussen |
| Defunct | 1953 |
| Fate | Ceased operations after the death of William Emil Claussen |
| Headquarters | Portland , United States |
Area served | Portland, Oregon and surrounding areas |
Claussen and Claussen was an architectural firm based in Portland, Oregon, recognized for designing numerous notable buildings in the early 1900s. Several of their projects have earned listings on the National Register of Historic Places, including landmarks such as the Roosevelt Hotel, Park Heathman Hotel, Loyalty Building, Ira Powers Warehouse, and Portland Van and Storage.
History
In 1908, siblings William Emil Claussen (1878–1953) and Hans Fred Claussen (1880–1942) moved from Chicago to Portland to launch their architectural practice, Claussen and Claussen. Their arrival coincided with a period of rapid expansion for Portland following the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, which significantly increased demand for architectural expertise.
The firm quickly established a reputation, securing commissions such as the E.C. Fety Building at SW Second and Main Street with a contract valued at $7,500. By 1915, they had submitted plans to remodel Portland City Hall, aiming to transform balcony areas into functional office spaces.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Claussen and Claussen maintained a close working relationship with retailer Fred Meyer, designing multiple store locations including the Hollywood branch, notable for its pioneering rooftop parking design. Fred Meyer had previously resided in one of their structures before engaging them to renovate the Music Box Theater block into the Alderway Building, retaining its original steel framework.
Although some of their creations—such as the First English Evangelical Church and Turnverein building—were eventually demolished to accommodate urban development, many of their designs continue to hold architectural significance. Not all proposed endeavors came to fruition; for instance, their $600,000 Machinery Building industrial complex remained unrealized.
The practice operated uninterrupted until Hans Fred Claussen’s death in 1942 and continued under William Emil Claussen’s leadership until his passing in 1953.
Partial list of surviving buildings
- Adventist Medical Center (SE 60th and Belmont)
- Ajax Rubber Co. Building (NW 12th and Flanders)
- Alderway Building (SW Broadway and Alder)
- Buildings at Bonneville Dam
- Bretnor Apartments (931 NW 20th Avenue)
- Brown Apartments (SW 14th and Yamhill)
- Empress Apartments (NW 16th and Burnside)
- Falcon Art Studios (NE Fremont and Michigan)
- Frank Fink Warehouse (SE 3rd and Yamhill)
- Goldstein Building (8128 North Denver Avenue)
- Holsman Apartments (NW 21st and Overton)
- Ira Powers Warehouse (123 NE 3rd)
- Kent Apartments (SE 20th and Belmont)
- Knight Packing Co. Expansion (SE 8th and Alder)
- LaSalle Apartments (SE 15th and Madison)
- Laurelhurst School (840 NE 41st Avenue)
- Loyalty Building (SW 3rd and Alder)
- Northrup Apartments (2445 NW Northrup Street)
- Marshall Apartments (NW 22nd Place and Everett)
- May Apartments (SW 14th and Taylor)
- Milwaukie Elementary School (SE 27th and Washington, Milwaukie)
- Murray Apartments (SE 37th and Belmont)
- Oregon Tuberculosis Hospital (400 East Scenic Drive, The Dalles)
- Palace Court Apartments (NW 22nd and Flanders)
- Park Heathman Hotel (SW Park and Salmon)
- Portland Van and Storage (N Broadway and Benton)
- Raintree Apartments (924 SW 16th Avenue)
- Red Men Hall (SE Ninth and Hawthorne)
- Roosevelt Hotel (SW Park and Salmon)
- Stadium Fred Meyer (100 NW 20th Place)
- Stephenson Building (SW Broadway and Salmon)
- United Fruit and Produce Building (SE 3rd and Washington)
- West Linn City Hall (Willamette Dr. and Mill St.)
See also
Further reading
- Claussen and Claussen Architectural Collection
- Oregon Historic Sites Registry
- Ritz, Richard Ellison. Architects of Oregon. Lair Hill Publishing, 2002. ISBN 978-0972620024
- Vaughan, Thomas, and George A. McMath. A Century of Portland Architecture. Oregon Historical Society, 1967.
- Architecture firms based in Portland, Oregon
- Defunct architecture firms based in Oregon
- 1908 establishments in Oregon
- 1953 disestablishments in Oregon
- Design companies established in 1908
- Design companies disestablished in 1953
- American companies established in 1908
- American companies disestablished in 1953