For the 5th year in a row, dazzling, illuminated installations and performances delighted festival-goers during the Portland Winter Light Festival held February 6-8th.
As darkness approached on opening night, a crew from Mayer/Reed walked from our downtown studio to partake in the festivities flanking the riverfront. Such amazing displays! Our first stop, of course, was the installation we designed – Kinetic DeLight. We had so much fun watching the night light up as people found their own, unique ways of interacting with the hundreds of human-powered LED skateboard wheels. Mayer/Reed is proud to have supported this community-building event since the beginning – as sponsors, designers and volunteers – and we look forward to next year’s bright ideas.
Renovated Oregon Convention Center Reveals New Public Open Space, Enhanced Wayfinding
Designers, contractors and community leaders recently celebrated the completed renovation of the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. The major upgrade elevates the visitor experience – indoors and out – at the largest event venue in the Pacific Northwest.
PSU’s Student Center Reopens with a New Name and New Attitude
After years of design and construction, Portland State University’s former Neuberger Hall reopened this week with a new name, Fariborz Maseeh Hall. As students return to campus for the fall term, one of the first things they’ll notice about the remodeled academic and student services building is the new main entry plaza on the South Park Blocks with its unique site amenity we call the Social Jetty. 
The Mayer/Reed designed jetty is a 77 ft. long steel and wood structure that invites people to dock out of the flow for a period of time. It provides places to sit, dine, study, converse, create, relax, people-watch or simply be. We’ll be watching to see how it gets used in the days ahead.
Madison High School Modernization Breaks Ground
The May 18th groundbreaking for Madison High School – Portland Public Schools’ fourth high school modernization project – celebrated the school’s redesign to accommodate an ultimate attendance of 1700 students in 9-12th grades. Built in 1957, the modernized school will re-open in September 2021.
Madison’s curriculum is unique in that it houses sustainable agriculture and environmental studies programs. The landscape architecture work at Madison encompasses site circulation, school and stadium entry plazas, internal courtyards, an agricultural area, a childcare playground and athletic facilities. The challenging forty-acre site that straddles the Alameda Ridge has over fifty feet of grade change. Mayer/Reed is working with the project team that includes Opsis Architecture, DAO Architecture and Fortis Construction.