URBAN WATERSTEWARDSHIPA PORTLAND CLEANWATER RESEARCH LABORATORY

COMPREHENSIVE STUDIO PROJECT BY NOAH GREEN

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ABSTRACT

PROJECT CONTEXT

MASTER PLAN AND VISION

PROGRAM

PROJECT SITE

BUILDING DESIGN

BUILDING TECTONICS

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Re-envisioning a pivotal brownfield site on Portland’s waterfront into an urban-water research laboratory. Portland, Oregon

Portland’s greatest aquatic asset, the Willamette River, has long been polluted and poorly cared for. Up and down the Willamette River are industrial sites, some still in use and others abandoned, that contaminate and damage the quality of the water. These changes have significant implications for irrigation, consumption, and aquatic ecosystems. Additionally,

access to the Willamette River in Portland is limited, at best, and non-existent in most instances. Rehabilitating damaged industrial sites into valuable social and communal realms is critical to the health and wellbeing of urban environments and those who use them.

This thesis investigates redeveloping a damaged brownfield site into a usable public space and how the qualities of water can inform the architecture of a program dedicated to the use of water in urban environments. The Ross

Island Sand & Gravel site at the foot of the Ross Island Bridge is an excellent candidate for research laboratory. The locations redesign as a Cleanwater Research Laboratory seeks to:

• populate a prominent urban waterfront site in Portland with an engaging cultural institution

• create access and usable public park space along the Willamette River

• act as a catalyst project for socially-responsible design in an industrial zone

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ABSTRACT

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VISION FOR A NEW PORTLAND WATERFRONT

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The city of Portland has long held a high standard for water quality and stewardship. Past generations ensured that prior to the present time this standard would continue to be met. The City has a responsibility to maintain a high level of water stewardship and care – to the benefit of the people of the Portland metropolitan region.

Reaching the level of high-quality stewardship set forth by prior caretakers will not be

easy. Portland’s greatest aquatic asset, the Willamette River, has long been polluted and poorly cared for. The Central Eastside’s stormwater and wastewater overflow directly into the river during large storms. Up and down the Willamette River are industrial sites, some still in use and others abandoned, that contaminate and damage the quality of the water. The economic vitality of Oregon is reliant on water. Supply and demand for water is changing and climatic conditions

are evolving. These changes have significant implications for irrigation, consumption, hydropower generation, and aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, access to the Willamette River in Portland is limited at best, and non-existent in most instances. Rehabilitating damaged industrial sites into valued social spaces is critical to the health and wellbeing of urban environments and the people who live and work in them.

PROJECT CONTEXT

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GREAT BLUE HERON, WILLAMETTE RIVER

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ROSS ISLAND SAND & GRAVEL OPERATIONS, WILLAMETTE RIVER

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WILLAMETTE RIVER WATERFRONT, SOUTHEAST PORTLAND

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MASTER PLAN AND VISION

The Tilikum Crossing area of Portland is ripe for future development and planning. The Portland River Plan intends to transform the Central Eastside to be a highly urban regional center with a waterfront that serves as the city’s main civic space and as a regional attraction. Access to the river and public use of the water will improve through new development and public transportation.

The Tilikum District Master Plan will revitalize the neighborhood through mixed-

use development and urban rejuvenation. The plan will work to replace buildings in the industrial area with mixed-use apartments, live-work offices, and maker-spaces. The plan also will reduce the size of the superblocks in the area to the typical Portland block module (200’ x 200’) so as to increase the overall walkability in the neighborhood and increase opportunities for street-adjacent program types. The new street infrastructure will incorporate different street typologies to increase access within the neighborhood for pedestrians,

cyclists, and people traveling by public transportation. Finally, the master plan will develop the waterfront between OMSI and the Ross Island Bridge into an ‘innovation corridor’, establishing spaces for the Portland Opera and the Cleanwater Research Laboratory. These institutions will open up the waterfront and allow public access to the Willamette River through public site elements. These spaces will act as a catalyst development for waterfront plans to come.

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TILIKUM DISTRICT

SITE OF STUDY

PORTLAND CITY CENTER

WILLAMETTE RIVER

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EXISTING TILIKUM DISTRICT

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PROPOSED MASTER PLAN

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WAREHOUSES

EXISTING OPERA

INDUSTRY

ROSS ISLANDSAND & GRAVEL

DAIRYGOLD FACILITY

BROWNFIELD SITECLEAN-UP

DEVELOP NORTHWATERFRONT

DEVELOP SOUTHWATERFRONT

DEVELOPMAKER-SPACE

DEVELOP POWELL

LINK DIVISIONTO WATERFRONT

DEVELOP COREOF MIXED-USE

TILIKUM DISTRICT 15 YEAR PLAN

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WAREHOUSES

EXISTING OPERA

INDUSTRY

ROSS ISLANDSAND & GRAVEL

DAIRYGOLD FACILITY

BROWNFIELD SITECLEAN-UP

DEVELOP NORTHWATERFRONT

DEVELOP SOUTHWATERFRONT

DEVELOPMAKER-SPACE

DEVELOP POWELL

LINK DIVISIONTO WATERFRONT

DEVELOP COREOF MIXED-USE

TILIKUM DISTRICT 30 YEAR PLAN

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WATERFRONT

5 MINUTE WALK

10 MINUTE WALKTILIKUM WATER-TAXI

STATION

EASTBANK ESPLANADE WATERFRONT TRAIL

TILIKUM MAX STATION

TILIKUM BUS SERVICE

DIVISION BUS SERVICE

POWELL BUS SERVICE

SPRINGWATER CORRIDOR

ROSS ISLAND PARK

NEW TILIKUM DISTRICT WATERFRONT ACCESS

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INNOVATION

MIXED-USE

MAKER-SPACE

NEW TILIKUM DISTRICT PROGRAM TYPES

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PEDESTRIAN VIADUCT MIXED-CORRIDOR BLOCK-INTERIOR

TILIKUM DISTRICT STREET TYPOLOGIES

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PEDESTRIAN VIADUCT MIXED-CORRIDOR BLOCK-INTERIOR

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PROGRAM

Regional conditions and objectives suggest that the Institute for Water and Watersheds is an ideal organization for the Central Eastside redevelopment. A Cleanwater Research Laboratory dedicated to water research and stewardship would be of great asset to the city of Portland and the greater metropolitan area.

Current and future students and faculty involved with the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State would significantly benefit from

a satellite facility in Portland. A Portland facility would provide opportunity for water research in a dense urban metropolitan area and facilitate increased ease of collaboration with water researchers, managers, and planners.

The site on the Willamette River will provide an urban facility to serve the needs of the Institute for Water and Watersheds. The facility will provide the organization with a base of operations within a heavily urbanized area - allowing

for more specialized research to be conducted than what may be conducted in Corvallis. The facility will provide labs and collaborative rooms for cleanwater scientists and water quality researchers. This program will also be shared with students from Oregon State University’s Water Resources graduate program. Students will have the opportunity to further develop skills and knowledge in water resources engineering, water sciences, and policy and management.

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SPACE SIZE OCCUPANCY DESCRIPTION ECS SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS

exhibit hall 4000 60

large presentation room with accommodations for students and faculty

indirect sunlight

public space that acts as building entry

wet labs 4000 25

small lab spaces with support rooms

indirect sunlight and HVAC system

private space adjacent to offices and dry labs

dry labs 2000 20small dry lab space indirect

sunlightprivate space

open office 2000 30small office space with work stations for 30 employees

indirect sunlight

private space with connection to lab work areas

classrooms 2000 60two small classrooms for discussion and presentations

indirect sunlight

private spaces with self-adjacencies

resource center 2000 20small library area with study room

indirect sunlight

semi-private space with adjacency to classrooms

conference 2000 60

meeting spaces with gathering tables and presentation-capabilities

indirect sunlight

semi-public, adjacent to offices spaces and lobby

break room 1000 15

small private lounge with social area and basic dining and food prep

indirect sunlight

private space adjacent to classrooms and labs

backhouse

support4000

provide mechanical support, location for truck deliveries, and storage

adjacent to respective spaces

sub-total 23000

20% unassigned

4600

total 27000

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PROJECT SITE

The Cleanwater Research Laboratory seeks to redevelop two brownfield sites into usable public spaces along the Willamette River. The site will feature park spaces of varying scales and different spatial qualities to provide recreation spaces for people who live and work in the neighborhood and for

people who are traveling along the Eastbank Esplanade trail. The site also seeks to connect the Eastbank Esplanade trail with the Springwater Corridor via a trail running along the waterfront, rather than rerouting the trail though the neighborhood, as it does now. Plazas and terraces will be incorporated along the trail

to provide people with places to sit, eat, and contemplate along the river. Remnants of Ross Island Sand & Gravel operations on the south side of the site will remain to inform visitors of the industrial history of the site, shape outdoor rooms, and act as sculptural pieces within the park.

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BARGE CRANES ROSS ISLAND SAND & GRAVEL EQUIPMENT

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ROSS ISLAND SAND & GRAVEL EQUIPMENT UNSTABLE SEA WALL

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SITE PLAN

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SITE SECTION

SITE SECTION

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PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

BICYCLE ROUTES

VEHICLE ACCESS

REVEALED

OBSTRUCTED

SPATIAL QUALITY

ACTIVITY

VIEW DISTANCE

EXPOSED

INTERMEDIATE

INTIMATE

MOVEMENT

INTERMEDIATE

STATIONARY

HARDSCAPE ANCHORS

SOLAR EXPOSURE

WIND EXPOSURE

HEAVY

LIGHT

EXPOSED

INTERMEDIATE

PROTECTED

EXPOSED

INTERMEDIATE

PROTECTED

SITE DIAGRAMS

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VIEW FROM NORTH

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VIEW FROM RIVER

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+0.00

+10.00

LOW WATER

HIGH WATER

OVATE SPIKERUSH DOGWOODPANICLED BULRUSH

CATTAIL ALDER COTTONWOOD

YELLOW IRIS

BUR-REEDTULE

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+30.00

SITE PLANTING STRATEGY

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CONCRETE INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY PAVERS

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VIEW FROM SOUTH

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BUILDING DESIGN

The design investigation into program and form favored a design concept that incorporated the physical properties of water in the building and the program. The physical properties of water parallel key ideas about the project and the idea of an institute dedicated to water quality and stewardship. Water undergoes metaphorhis the same way water research strategies must adapt to a changing climate and local urbanization. The characteristics of water’s physical form communicate a level of transparency and

purity – similar to the values of service and integrity that public organizations strive to uphold. The metaphorical qualities of fluidity and water informed the spatial and tectonic qualities in the Cleanwater Research Laboratory.

The spatial organization of the Cleanwater Research Laboratory creates a constant connection between the users and the Willamette River. The building takes the shape of an arc with the interior of the arc focusing to the west in the direction of the

river. A large gallery runs the length of the building and acts as a spatial volume between the rest of the program and the river, providing circulation and views throughout the building. The remaining program, the wet labs, dry labs, classrooms, and other support spaces are adjacent to the hallway and provide users with views to the east and west of the building. A mezzanine is positioned above a portion of the building and provides spaces for conference rooms and an open office.

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CONCEPT IMAGERY

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STUDY MODELS

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PARTI DIAGRAMS

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0 16 32 64 128

GROUND FLOOR

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MEZZANINE

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BUILDING SECTION - EXHIBIT HALL

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BUILDING SECTION - OFFICE

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BUILDING SECTION - WET LAB

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BUILDING SECTION - CLASSROOM

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GATHER

PRACTICE

STUDY

RHYTHM PROGRAM

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SERVED

SERVANT

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

TERTIARY

SPACE TYPOLOGY ACCESS

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PUBLIC

PRIVATE

VIEWS PRIVACY

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BUILDING TECTONICS

The physical qualities of fluidity and water are apparent in the form of the roof. The entire building is covered by a single surface that rises in elevation as it moves to the north and undulates at aperiodic intervals – creating a visual quality similar to flowing water. The roof overhangs on all sides of the building to provide passive shading when needed and to create an outdoor spatial volume at the perimeter of the building. Stainless steel panels are an ideal material for the roof because of their reflective quality, durable life-span, and ability to be bent into curved forms.

The roof is supported by an exposed steel space frame structural system. Space frames were a preferred candidate for structure because they can span long distances and can be used

to create the undulating effect in the roof system. The exposed structure on the interior of the Cleanwater Research Laboratory speaks to the technical nature of the program and instills a sense of honesty about the building construction and tectonics. The space frame canopy is supported by metal tube columns. The columns are spaced at a consistent interval through the building and create a sense of rhythm and cadence.

Exterior walls are constructed using a curtain wall system that spans from the ground to the roof above. Glass fins are used as the structural system for the curtain wall. The alternatives such as a more traditional aluminum mullion system would clutter views of the river and complicate the

appearance of the exterior walls. An operable aluminum louver system protects the exposed glass walls on the southwest and northwest facades during sunny days. During overcast and rainy days the louvers can remain open and increase views of the river and the west side of Willamette waterfront.

The interior walls, aside from the four shear walls, do not reach the space frame canopy above. The result is a single, shared volume under an undulating roof. The effect creates a cohesive atmosphere in the Cleanwater Research Laboratory building that splits the focus of the users between their work and the views of the Willamette River outside.

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VIEW OF HALLWAY

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STEEL BAMBOO GLASS

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UNDULATING ROOF, STAINLESS STEEL PANELS

SPACE FRAME STRUCTURE,STEEL WITH FINISH

OPERABLE ALUMINUM LOUVERS,MOUNTED TO CURTAIN WALL

EXTERIOR CURTAIN WALL,SUPPORTED BY GLASS FINS

STEEL TUBE COLUMNS,AND STEEL SHEAR CABLES

MEZZANINE LEVEL,PARTITION WALLS AND HARDWOOD

GROUND LEVEL,PARTITION AND SHEAR WALLS

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC OF BUILDING TECTONICS

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GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION

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STAINLESS STEEL PANEL

STEEL FURRING

RIGID INSULATION

ALUMINUM CEILING PANEL

METAL DECK

STEEL CHANNEL FRAME

BUILDING MECHANICAL SYSTEM

CONNECTION BRACKET

STEEL SPACE FRAME NODES

STEEL SPACE FRAME CHORDS

SPACE FRAME CONNECTION PLATE

TUBE STEEL COLUMN

OPERABLE ALUMINUM LOUVER SYSTEM

GLASS CURTAIN WALL

GLASS FIN MULLION

BAMBOO FLOOR

STRUCTURAL SLAB

POLISHED CONCRETE

CONCRETE PAVER

GRAVEL

RIGID INSULATION

FOUNDATION WITH PILING, BEYOND

SCALE : 1/2” = 1’ - 0”

ENVELOPE DETAIL

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VIEW OF WET LAB

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NOAH M. GREEN

contact:

503.442.1559noahg@uoregon.edu