PROJECTS Archives - Page 17 of 29

Portland City Hall’s Roof is Going Green (and Red!)

The City of Portland is walking its talk. The historic City Hall will receive an eco-roof to underscore the city’s Green Building Policy and its commitment to sustainability.

Approved last week by the Historic Landmarks Commission, the eco-roof design must be compatible with the 1895 building’s historic character, including views from the surrounding towers above. Mayer/Reed’s formal layout creates panels of framed sedum plantings over areas of roof that can withstand the extra saturated weight.

As part of a roof replacement and exterior surfaces renovation led by Architectural Resources Group, Mayer/Reed designed the eco-roof to be economical and low maintenance, while maximizing ecological and aesthetic benefits. Initially, the team wasn’t sure that an eco-roof would work due to weight, but then determined that a thin profile cinder system would meet requirements.

The eco-roof will feature a mix of 12 drought-tolerant plant species including sedum and flowering bulbs to create seasonal interest. At certain times of the year, the vegetation will be take on a red hue, rather than green.

Demolition at Grant High School Reveals Future Open Spaces

Grant High School in northeast Portland is the third Portland Public Schools high school to be modernized with recent bond funds. Upon completion, it will accommodate over two thousand students and will join recently updated Roosevelt and Franklin High Schools as a state-of-the-art learning environment.After over two years of design, demolition is well under way at the Grant campus. The removal of select, outdated building additions has begun to allow visual and physical connections between the campus and adjacent Grant Park. New vistas of handsome historic facades and mature trees are revealed after decades of obstruction. The site framework we’ve envisioned is beginning to materialize.We look forward to seeing new outdoor spaces for the school and community take shape out of the current landscape of mud and rubble.

Site Renovations at the Oregon Convention Center Offer a New Welcome for Visitors

A new visitor experience, entertainment venue and entry sequence for the Oregon Convention Center are unanimously approved through the Portland Design Commission.Mayer/Reed’s design for the main entrance and northeast plaza will provide more active destinations within the public realm. The two plazas, along with an improved streetscape along MLK Blvd., invite visitors to enjoy a casual style of hospitality and a taste of the rich Oregon landscape typologies.Designed to accommodate new patterns of use in response to the new 600-room hotel across Holladay Street, the spaces feature a new digital information pylon, an outdoor event terrace, an amphitheater and programmable use space that’s open to the public. The contemporary design utilizes basalt stone, weathering steel, wood, a variety of informal plantings and incorporation of public art.

The new design is part of a $27 million project to update the interior and exterior of convention center led by LMN Architects for Metro. Mayer/Reed’s previous work at the Oregon Convention Center includes the award-winning Rain Garden.

Mayer/Reed Receives Two Honor Awards from ASLA Oregon

Two Mayer/Reed projects received awards during the November 3rd ASLA Oregon Annual Awards Soiree. Jurors recognized the Willamette Falls Riverwalk Concept Design with an Honor Award in the Planning and Analysis category. The concept design, developed by Snøhetta, Mayer/Reed and DIALOG, was celebrated for its sensitivity to environment, history and potential to initiate an urban recovery story that’s equally remarkable as the falls themselves. The client group is comprised of Metro, Oregon City, Clackamas County and the State of Oregon.

In the Communications category, Mayer/Reed and Portland Parks and Recreation received an Honor Award for the SE 150th & Division Park Master Plan. The jury appreciated how the creative, multi-cultural outreach and engagement efforts in one of Portland’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods led to a well-supported park design.

The ASLA Oregon Design Awards honor firms, individuals, and agencies responsible for outstanding works of landscape architecture that promote an enhanced quality of life in Oregon and beyond.