TRAVEL
Second year, our class took a trip to Portland to research for an upcoming project, visit firms, and scout out the project site. This trip had a big impact on me, specifically visiting all the parks in the Halprin Open Space Sequence. I loved the concrete landscape and interactive water features, playing around in the different parks made me feel like a kid again.
I grew up in Kunming, China, which is right next to/on top of Dian Lake, so there was a lot of urban landscape architecture with concrete and water, and the Halprin parks really took me back.
Although it might be obvious, I think that having not only open spaces but inviting and playful open spaces specially designed for climbing, scampering, discovery, and wonder is not a luxury and should be considered a basic necessity, especially for dense urban areas. It’s good not only for children but also for adults who are merely children with a prefrontal cortex and extra responsibilities!
Being able to experience something so impactful really doubled down on my belief that spaces designed by hand with intention and experience can be magical.
For the project, we were asked to design a space for an olympic sport of our choice. I started by researching fencing, and coming up with concepts for a fencing club that not only honors the sport but the surrounding context of Portland as well.
The design accommodates and accentuates the ritualistic nature of fencing while harkening back to an older Portland. A large ramp descends one story from ground level, giving athletes time to mentally prepare for practice, and the central pond not only catches rainwater and grows native plants, but it also gives the space a sense of calm and stillness to help athletes focus and wind down after an intense bout.
