Summary

For my Terminals studio I will be designing a building in Portland’s South Waterfront. The building will have two major emphases: Mixed-use Housing and a communal biological education center. My expectation is that the site will be the block between SW Gibbs St and SW Whitaker St and east of SW River Pkwy to the Willamette River.

Description of Mixed-use Housing

The Mixed-use Housing will meet the various zoning requirements of the South Waterfront and have the goal of meeting the Portland Bureau of Planning’s 2020 vision for the South Waterfront. The design of the commercial and residential areas will support the view axes of the river while also responding to the future courtyard dock space that will replace the current Ship Deconstruction Facility that excites just south of the Ross Island Bridge and north of SW Gibbs St.

Program for Mixed-use Housing:

• At least 80 Dwelling units of various sizes on the 80,000 sq ft (Which meets the South Waterfront goal of 1 Dwelling per 1,000 sq ft).
• A large portion of the Dwelling units should promote large household families to expand the demographics of the area. These units should have at least: 2 bedrooms at least 70 sq ft each with at least one window and closet, separated from kitchen, bathroom, and/or garage with walls.
• Locker Rooms that promote bicycle storage and meet at least 110% of the required long parking goal outlined in the South Waterfront zoning codes.
• A maximum of 40,000 sq ft should be dedicated to retail and commercial uses that support the livability and liveliness of the street scape along SW Gibbs St and SW Whitaker St.
• The FAR of the zone has a max rating of 5 and various height set back requirements exist that support the views to the river.
• Open Space must include 2,500 sq ft of contiguous area and the North South Dimension of this space should at least twice as long as the East West Dimension.
• 5 bench seats per 1,000 sq ft of open space.
• If a tower is created the max dimensions of its East/West Facade should be 125 ft.
• Buildings within 50 ft of the street’s center-line have a max height of 50ft.

Description of Communal Biological Education Center
The Communal Biological Education Center will have the primary goal of educating the residents of the South Waterfront about the biological character of the Willamette River through interesting ways. The center will have a strong connection to the river through a dock system that connects to the site. The center should be easily accessible to the residents of the South Waterfront and promote public interaction through the maximization of public spaces.

Program for Communal Biological Education Center:

(needs further research)