Exciting changes are underway at Errol Heights Park in Southeast Portland, where neighbors are seeing beginnings of the design they’ve helped shape. Construction crews are preparing the site for improvements that will occur over the next year. Mayer/Reed worked with Portland Parks & Recreation and the neighborhood on a design for the 16-acre park that will provide trails for barrier-free access, inclusive play opportunities, community gardens and picnic areas on the upper plateau. The park’s lower natural areas and pond—locally known for wildlife habitat—will be protected and a new outdoor classroom will welcome school groups.
This Saturday, the community is invited to a meet and greet event at the park to learn more about the work ahead. The improved Errol Heights Park is planned for completion in 2023.
On June 16-18 the long-awaited SEGD Portland Conference will welcome the global design community to meet in person after a two-year delay due to the pandemic.
This year a key theme is mentorship and creating access for BIPOC and young designers. As an example, one session in the agenda will feature three Portland area non-profits—Architectural Foundation of Oregon, Comma, and Diversity in Design—engaged in mentorship and community programs seeking to empower BIPOC communities and allies while connecting them within design fields. Together these groups will lead a workshop focused on the impact of informal and formal mentorship programs from high school to working professional.
Mentorship is also central in planning the conference. As conference co-chairs, Kathy Fry, Traci Sym and I collaborated with students in the Portland State University Graphic Design Department’s Design Club to develop conference branding. It was an exciting real-world opportunity with valuable hands-on experience for the students—and a lot of fun for us! They developed a bold, vibrant visual language for media graphics, signage, stage backdrops, tote bags and badges, and a custom bike donated for the SEGD Auction.
Working with the students has reminded me of the saying, “you get out, what you put in.” As a professional designer with over 25 years in this field, the mentoring experience allowed me to shed my seasoned designer lens and look at the world of design from the perspective of young and upcoming designers. It is rewarding and stimulating. I have shared my career observations with them, and they have opened my eyes with curiosity, personal stories and excitement for the future of design. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to devote time to build a connection with these promising designers.
I hope you will join us at the SEGD conference to see their work, share your experience and build bonds with our design community.
Just in time for summer, “Better Naito Forever” officially opened on May 6 with a ribbon cutting and inaugural bike ride. This protected space for people walking and biking along SW Naito Parkway and Tom McCall Waterfront Park is now a permanent part of downtown Portland’s multi-modal infrastructure.
Linked with a similar project south of the Hawthorne Bridge which provides off street bike and pedestrian paths, the city has gained dedicated space for walking and rolling along 22 continuous blocks.
Mayer/Reed landscape architects and urban designers collaborated with David Evans & Associates (DEA) engineers on both segments, working with Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Parks & Recreation to establish human-scaled spaces that blend streetscape with park. “It was crucial to maintain a parklike edge, protect trees and create clear and welcoming park entrances,” notes Mayer/Reed project manager, Shannon Simms.
What began in 2015 as a temporary, volunteer-led pilot project to accommodate the influx of visitors to Waterfront Park during the summer festival season, “Better Naito” had grown to see wide support, eventually being designed, engineered and constructed. Now, in addition to providing space for daily recreation and bicycle commuting, the two-way cycle track and separate pedestrian sidewalk will offer inviting access for festival goers when outdoor events once again enliven our waterfront.
This month Portland Public Schools, community leaders, current and former students, designers and contractors celebrated the groundbreaking for a major renovation of Portland’s 105-year-old Benson Polytechnic High School.
The specialized school draws students from all over the city to focus on career technical education (CTE). Funded by a 2017 voter-approved bond, Benson Tech is undergoing a massive modernization led by Bassetti Architects with site design by Mayer/Reed. The design team is collaborating through an integrated project delivery process with Andersen Construction.
Mayer/Reed’s site design respects the historic school’s classic symmetry while incorporating accessibility and flexible-use spaces throughout. Connected to the student commons, an internal courtyard provides a plaza and stadium seating for dining, group studies and small events. On the building’s east side, the CTE courtyard is a multi-faceted, programmable space that prioritizes student work areas and outdoor classrooms.
The three-year construction process also includes an adjacent new 85,000 SF multi-story building to house the school district’s Multiple Pathways to Graduation (MPG) program. The school will be a distinct learning community designed to support various alternative education options. With a focus on providing a safe and secure facility influenced by trauma-informed best practices, the MPG building and site create positive social connections and special school identity through a connection to nature and biophilic design. Mayer/Reed’s site elements include an outdoor classroom, science-oriented roof terrace, a daycare play area and connections to Buckman Field Park.
The Benson Polytechnic High School campus projects are expected to open to students and faculty in the fall of 2024.
