Portland Children’s Museum, Outdoor Adventure
Portland, Oregon
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The Outdoor Adventure at the Portland Children’s Museum transforms a steep slope into an education-based, accessible environment where kids can be “wild in the city” and engage with the natural world. Working closely with museum researchers, teachers and exhibit staff, Mayer/Reed designed this innovative outdoor play space. The entry presents a low challenge, refined play garden that gradually gives way to dense tree canopy and vegetative thickets at the perimeter. Activities range from sand play and puddles to splash in to grassy mounds, dig pits, a giant climbing tree, and a rocky streambed with cascading water. “Big Mister Twister,” designed by artist Patrick Dougherty is a fanciful vine-maple sculpture emerging from the woods to offer the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. An amphitheater, campfire area and pavilion are venues for a number of programs and events.
American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter, Merit Award 2014
Owner: Portland Children's Museum & Portland Parks & Recreation
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The Outdoor Adventure at the Portland Children’s Museum transforms a steep slope into an education-based, accessible environment where kids can be “wild in the city” and engage with the natural world. Working closely with museum researchers, teachers and exhibit staff, Mayer/Reed designed this innovative outdoor play space. The entry presents a low challenge, refined play garden that gradually gives way to dense tree canopy and vegetative thickets at the perimeter. Activities range from sand play and puddles to splash in to grassy mounds, dig pits, a giant climbing tree, and a rocky streambed with cascading water. “Big Mister Twister,” designed by artist Patrick Dougherty is a fanciful vine-maple sculpture emerging from the woods to offer the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. An amphitheater, campfire area and pavilion are venues for a number of programs and events.
American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter, Merit Award 2014
Owner
Portland Children’s Museum, Outdoor Adventure
Portland, Oregon
Sustainable Features
- Green roofs and eco-roofs
- Native plants & wildlife habitat
Awards
- American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter Merit Award, 2014
- Intertwine Alliance, Force of Nature Outstanding Project, 2014
