Twelve|West is located in Portland's emerging West End neighborhood with the vibrant mixed-use Pearl District directly to the north, the downtown business district to the east, and the city's arts and University districts to south. The site was chosen because of the central, transit-rich location and because of the potential to help connect these different districts and inspire further dense development in Portland's urban core.

Environmental Aspects
Twelve|West was designed to achieve the highest levels of urban sustainability, and is expected to earn a Platinum rating under both LEED for New Construction and LEED for Commercial Interiors rating systems.

Siting the building on a surface parking lot in Portland's dense urban core facilitates a pedestrian oriented, car-free lifestyle for the occupants, which minimizes required parking while increasing density, reduces stormwater runoff, and improves stormwater quality.

The design team selected low-impact materials, including salvaged, reclaimed, and FSC-certified wood. Much of the concrete building structure is exposed on the interior, minimizing the use of finish materials and providing ample thermal mass.