Type: Education (University of Oregon)

Collaborator: Brieanna Waggoner

Role: Research, Design, Digital Model, Diagrams, Sections, Storyboard, Walk Through Animations

Software: Rhino, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premier Pro, Lumion, Revit

Urban Oasis was developed through a studio focused around “What If’s?”, the largest of which being; what if Portland, Oregon creates the Green Loop they have been talking about? The Green Loop is a project being considered in the city of Portland, Oregon to help tie together opposite sides of the river. It will be a loop used for walking, biking, and used to increase community involvement. Urban Oasis asks, what if this could be used to spur new developments? Our site, Marshall Street, is book-ended on one side by the highway and the other the river. What if our design, spurring from the green loop, can be used to not only create increased community and commerce, but also a water treatment system. We could collect runoff from the highway and all adjacent buildings, and clean it before it enters the Willamette River. What if this done using a new aqueduct?

What is the Green Loop?

“The Green Loop will be many things to many people … a place for us to be active and safe, to have fun and be together. It’s a playground and oasis for all ages.“ - City of Portland

Part of the urban design concept for plan, this 6-mile long loop will serve to help connect communties, provide park and active transportation space, and promote outdoor activities such as jogging, biking, and rollerblading. Our site will focus on the Old Town / China Town area as well as the Pearl District. Within the site boundary, smaller loops will be created to focus in on neighborhood identity, and provide additional pedestrian / bike friendly infrastructure.

How to address the site

When people think Portland, they often think rain, and that is for good reason. With all of that rain however comes runoff, large amounts of water collecting debris and chemicals as it makes its journey to the Willamette River. The redevelopment of our site plans to address these issues, as well as connect existing green spaces with future ones, creating continuous green corridors through the city.

How are people passing through the site?

In evaluating the existing transit systems on and around the site, Marshall Street, it is easy to notice that people are only accessing it by car with a little bit of pedestrian use. Without having any bike lanes on the street and plenty of driving space surround it, the approach chosen was to close Marshall St. to vehicular traffic. This encourages visitors to slow down and engage the existing commercial businesses on the street and allow for additional green space and bike lanes. These bike lanes will be protected, and green spaces fed, through the addition of the aqueduct.

What do we have to work with?

Marshall Street is fortunate in that it already has a strong balance of commercial and residential spaces. Unfortunately, as a vehicular pass through road, the street doesn’t see a lot of engagement. With the existing infrastructure already in place, once the road becomes closed to vehicles the business can begin to take back over the street. They will be encouraged to pull a portion of their store onto the street, and engage the community more directly. This will be aided by the protection of the aqueduct.