Outdoor Adventure at the Portland Children’s Museum received a Merit Award in the general design category for the education-based environment designed to inspire learning through outdoor play and connection to nature.The Design Week Portland event Revolution in the Landscape: Re-Experience Halprin’s Fountains, produced by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) Portland Chapter, received a Merit Award in the research and communication category. Kathy Fry and Mike Sauer at our studio conceived and managed the event. Both are SEGD members and co-chair the Portland Chapter. Seven teams were involved, each designing and installing a separate temporary art installation along Halprin’s Open Space Sequence. Mayer/Reed’s installation at Ira Keller Fountain titled “We Are All in This Together,” encouraged attendees to re-engage with Halprin’s 45 year old historic urban spaces. The event lasted for 2 hours, starting at dusk with 500 glow rings handed out to participants.
Revolution in the Landscape: Re-experience the Halprin Fountains
Mayer/Reed was one of seven design teams invited to participate in a Design Week Portland event hosted by SEGD (Society for Experiential Graphic Design). Each team designed and produced a temporary installation along Lawrence Halprin’s masterpiece, the Portland Open Sequence.
Teams were asked to explore the role of graphic design in public space and consider: Can we inspire, educate, and promote interaction? How does this create a connection to our community and stewardship of our public spaces?
A magical evening transpired. Hundreds of Portlander’s joined us, beginning at Mayer/Reed’s installation “We Are All in This Together” at Keller fountain.
“We Are All in This Together” Designed by Mayer/ReedAs Co-chair of the SEGD Portland Chapter with Mike Sauer, I had the honor of working with all the design teams to see their concepts become reality. My biggest impression of the night was seeing hundreds of people and their “glow” moving through the spaces as we walked toward the Source. It was surreal to see so many people experience the spaces together. Good show Portland, good show!
“Words That Flow” Designed by Portland State University, Graphic Design “Dancers in the Park” Designed by Sticky Co.Arts “Perform” Designed by Second Story “Urban Nature” Designed by Stefan Lesueur “Begin/End” Designed by Third Angle New Music and Gamut ArtsJust Launched – The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Portland
ASLA National has launched a mobile friendly, online guide to over 48 significant landscapes in Portland. The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Portland is organized into tours under categories such as grand parks, social equity, wildlife, water, and health. It includes site reviews along with addresses, maps, bike and transit routes.
As one of 11 local landscape architects who contributed, I was asked to be the guide for the Water Tour and demonstrate how Portland leads the nation with the development of green infrastructure. The Water Tour showcases a range of public open spaces that highlight ways Portland experiences, expresses, treats, uses and celebrates water. To tell this multi-faceted story, I reviewed Tom McCall Waterfront Park, the Water Pollution Control Laboratory, the Rain Garden at the Oregon Convention Center, Sandy Blvd. Streetscape, and the Amy Joslin Memorial Eco-roof at the Multnomah County Building.Portland is a walkable, bikeable tour-friendly city. It’s a city without a single, stand-out landmark; yet increasingly we see visitors on the streets with maps and mobile devices exploring our many nooks and crannies. Through the eyes of visitors, this is an opportunity to ask ourselves, what has Portland done right? What can other cities learn from Portland? What is Portland doing to maintain our quality of life and continue to become even more sustainable?
Oct. 4-11 is Design Week Portland
Design Week Portland is just one week away! Mayer/Reed is excited to join our peers in a celebration of our city’s creative contributors. We all play a role in making Portland a place we love to live, work and play.
On Monday, October 6th, we welcome you into our studio for an open house. On Tuesday, October 7th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, visit our installation at the Ira Keller Fountain as part of SEGD Portland’s “Revolution in the Landscape.”
Hope to see you next week!