Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade

Portland, Oregon

The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade stretches 1.5 miles from the Steel Bridge to the Hawthorne Bridge, completing a 3-mile pedestrian loop that circumnavigates the Willamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon. The $30-million pedestrian and bicycle trail connection turned a highly constrained, once derelict strip of land into a vibrant, downtown attraction. The Esplanade features a 14’ wide paved promenade and continuous seat wall, a 1,200-foot long floating walkway (the longest in the United States), plazas, steel decks, overlooks, a cantilevered walkway, riverbank restoration, interpretive site amenities, art, a 70-foot tower that connects to an existing bridge and landscape improvements. The clean, simple forms of the design are rendered in timeless, industrial materials of concrete and steel, relating back to the adjacent land uses. Native stone and indigenous plants reinforce the context of the riverine environment and geology. Mayer/Reed also designed a series 20-foot tall, stainless steel landmarks placed at 13 intersections where city streets historically met the riverfront. The markers reference the industrial character of the early twentieth century Portland bridges, the urban markers incorporate street signs, luminaries, neighborhood maps and interpretive story panels.

Owner: Portland Development Commission, Portland Parks & Recreation & Oregon Department of Transportation

Photographer: Bruce Forster

The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade stretches 1.5 miles from the Steel Bridge to the Hawthorne Bridge, completing a 3-mile pedestrian loop that circumnavigates the Willamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon. The $30-million pedestrian and bicycle trail connection turned a highly constrained, once derelict strip of land into a vibrant, downtown attraction. The Esplanade features a 14’ wide paved promenade and continuous seat wall, a 1,200-foot long floating walkway (the longest in the United States), plazas, steel decks, overlooks, a cantilevered walkway, riverbank restoration, interpretive site amenities, art, a 70-foot tower that connects to an existing bridge and landscape improvements. The clean, simple forms of the design are rendered in timeless, industrial materials of concrete and steel, relating back to the adjacent land uses. Native stone and indigenous plants reinforce the context of the riverine environment and geology. Mayer/Reed also designed a series 20-foot tall, stainless steel landmarks placed at 13 intersections where city streets historically met the riverfront. The markers reference the industrial character of the early twentieth century Portland bridges, the urban markers incorporate street signs, luminaries, neighborhood maps and interpretive story panels.

Owner

Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade Portland, Oregon

Services

Landscape Architecture
Urban Design
Visual Communications

Sustainable Features

Native plants & wildlife habitat
Recycled/recyclable materials
Stormwater treatment & bioswales
Riverbank restoration & bioengineering

Other Client Projects

Awards

Urban Land Institute of Oregon & Southwest Washington, Recognizing Excellence Award, 2007
American Society of Landscape Architects, National Merit Award, 2004
American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter Award of Excellence, 2004
Portland Design Festival Gold Award, 2004
Society for Environmental Graphic Design, Merit Award, 2002
The Waterfront Center, Excellence on the Waterfront Honor Award, 2001
American Society of Landscape Architects, Oregon Chapter Honor Award, 2000