Our recent design proposal for the Loop PDX competition focused on activating an underutilized site in the Central Eastside Industrial District resulting in a top 10 submission for the Mayer/Reed & Toole Design Group team. Loop PDX asked teams to imagine the future of a proposed 6-mile pedestrian and bike “Green Loop” linking Portland’s east and west sides. Our design submission “seeds the loop” with a pop-up intervention to stimulate public and private development interest in creating a north/south green corridor intersected by activity nodes.
Entitled DIV|7, the concept creates a southern gateway and public plaza at SE 7th Ave and Division St. A typology of repurposed shipping containers provide various configurations for maker studios, galleries, food vendors and bike rental/repair, providing low cost incubator space for business start-ups that is in keeping with the district’s character. Our submission also modifies one block of the 7th Avenue right-of-way to create landscaped, segregated pedestrian and bike lanes with a vacated triangular parcel converted to a plaza with views to the river.
Our team found the competition valuable in stimulating our design thinking. Energized by the opportunity to shape a place we’d all use, we plan to continue the conversation that pushes design for Portland’s livability. We look forward to the Green Loop becoming reality. Imagine the future!
Join us for Design Week Portland 2016!
Design Week Portland 2016 will generate interesting dialog that will most certainly invigorate the local design scene. As in years past, we look forward to connecting with other creative minds during this annual city-wide exploration of all things design April 15 – 23. Carol Mayer-Reed, FASLA, will offer thoughts on two remarkable urban renaissance opportunities:
For Central Eastside: Beyond Taking Sides, Carol and the other panelists will explore new visions that could substantially re-define the character of Portland’s historic Inner Eastside Industrial District. Tuesday, April 19, 6:00 pm at Bora Architects.
A fast-moving PechaKucha Night will examine the intersection of Design & Identity through a wide array of topics. Carol will focus her 20 images on the Willamette Falls Riverwalk project in Oregon City. Thursday, April 21st, 6:00 pm at Hatch Innovation Lab.
Friends of the Children Grand Opening
Congratulations to Friends of the Children-Portland on the grand opening of their new facility in Rockwood, Oregon. The non-profit that provides professional mentors to at-risk children celebrated the opening with community members at an evening open house with activities in the state-of-the-art community kitchen, garden, gym and technology center.
We are honored Mayer/Reed was asked to design the building signage and donor recognition incorporated into the entry courtyard gate. The design is inspired by the vision that one-to-one mentorship creates a ripple of influence and generational change.
Growing a New Wine Tasting Experience
A new experience is taking shape in Oregon’s wine country. Nestled atop the Dundee Hills, Domaine Serene has begun construction on a new hospitality clubhouse that will transform this long-established winery. The Clubhouse at Domaine Serene will provide guests with a world-class winery experience. As the site planners and landscape architects, we are honored to assist owners Ken and Grace Evenstad in creating their legacy project.
We are working closely with Waterleaf Architecture and Schommer & Sons Construction to position the new facilities within this dramatic landscape. Our design of the arrival sequence will create a sense of anticipation that culminates in a welcoming entry courtyard and a signature allee of Italian cypress trees. Terraces for wine tasting will wrap the clubhouse, offering spectacular panoramic views of the vineyards, the Dundee Hills, and the Cascade Mountains beyond.
Domaine Serene’s owners greatly value the property’s native white oak savanna and the habitat that it provides. The expansion affords an opportunity to preserve and restore a large tract of oaks, which, combined with other sustainable elements we’ve designed, heightens the site’s ecological sustainability. This is an important model for the region’s winemaking story.
The clubhouse will be complete in the summer of 2017. Until then, I am counting the days until I can sit on the terrace, take in the views, and enjoy a delicious glass of Evenstad Reserve pinot noir.