After years of design and construction, Portland State University’s former Neuberger Hall reopened this week with a new name, Fariborz Maseeh Hall. As students return to campus for the fall term, one of the first things they’ll notice about the remodeled academic and student services building is the new main entry plaza on the South Park Blocks with its unique site amenity we call the Social Jetty. 
The Mayer/Reed designed jetty is a 77 ft. long steel and wood structure that invites people to dock out of the flow for a period of time. It provides places to sit, dine, study, converse, create, relax, people-watch or simply be. We’ll be watching to see how it gets used in the days ahead.
New Prize Named for Pioneering Landscape Architect Cornelia Oberlander
The Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Prize in Landscape Architecture is a newly-established, international prize established by The Cultural Landscapes Foundation. The prize will be awarded every other year to practitioners whose landscapes are deemed to be particularly significant, influential and enduring. The work of these individuals are legacy landscapes that promote the best of our profession through excellence and stewardship, along with an increased awareness for the value of design and of our profession.
The prize is named after the influential Cornelia Oberlander who is a landscape architect practicing in Vancouver BC. She has inspired me since the mid-1970s when I was a graduate student. I was impressed with her ability to achieve such a seamless integration of building and landscape. Since that time, she and her work have strongly influenced me in my own practice here in the Pacific Northwest.
Cornelia has played a significant role in the evolution of our profession; and I’m delighted to see this TCLF program honor her with the naming of the International Landscape Architecture Prize. I’m pleased to participate as part of the 100 Women who have enabled the initial round of funding for this important program.