News - Page 33 of 57

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.

Red

Our latest studio artwall installation is on display at Mayer/Reed. In its ninth year, the artwall is a rotating display of staff submissions focused on a theme. This time, all things red.

Portland Winter Light Festival Becomes a City-Wide Celebration

The Portland Winter Light Festival is on! In its third year, the illuminated displays and performances have expanded to infuse light, color, and imagination into several locations around the city. As a “Dazzling Sponsor,” Mayer/Reed helped the festival strategize how to communicate that events reach from Cathedral Park to OMSI and created festival maps to show locations of the activity hubs. The Portland Winter Light Festival is free and open to everyone February 1-3, so get out and add some sparkle to your night.

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 The removal of select, outdated building additions has begun to allow visual and physical connections between the campus and adjacent Grant Park.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.