Thoughts on Site Design

I feel that my design concepts are very strong.  The idea of using water flow and its effect on the bank of a river to carve out spaces and other details is a strong concept that can be inserted at many different scales throughout the project.  In these early stages I speak to the fact that these different water flow elements describe different conditions, just as the site does.  I feel that my massing of the building is beginning to speak to that fact, but will only get stronger with more development.

My massing is beginning to speak to an urban scale by creating connections at the water’s edge, and back across Interstate Ave to the Rose Quarter’s Memorial Coliseum, and Rose Garden.  My meeting with James Meyer at Opsis really helped to strengthen these moves.

I think in terms of developing my project further, I need to address and make clear that above all, I am creating public space.  This space includes my three programmatic elements, and is really about creating a space for the people of Portland.  I could include more writing about the importance of public space.

While thinking about the Eco-District aspect, Christine and I decided to create an element that connects the Thunderbird site, to sites reaching up Holladay St.  This storm water treatment system will link the sites and provide for some district identification, which is lacking.

I feel I am in a great place, and will continue to tweak my site design massing and begin adding more specific program elements.