Portland Field Trip

everyday urban experiences:

housing and lifestylescourtney kingstudio

pearl districtThe Pearl District is a great place for younger residents with close access to public transportation, integration with retail and greenspace, and a vibrant 24-hour lifestyle. Most dense apartment complexes have a courtyard with direct access to units or to smaller, more secluded spaces.

The Pearl District is a very walkable neighborhood with convenient access to the majority of Portland.

Right: An example of moderately dense housing above retail and high density commercial.

Residential uses step right up against public parks, allowing for young families to stay within the city instead of moving to the suburbs.

The retention of young families within the city is an important and easily spotted aspect of a successful place. The heavy mixture of parks, plazas, and public spaces within the urban fabric of the Pearl District allows for a more defined mix of ages, and a better sense of place and community.

The Pearl District focuses on amenities. The outdoor space becomes the backyard for all residents, and the easy access and convenient transit system allows that backyard to expand throughout all of downtown and across the river. The urban lifestyle of the Pearl District is obvious with the amount of dog walkers seen all around the area. An abundance of dogs, most of which were medium in size, insinuates that there is a variety of activity spaces for pets and owners to partake in. Rooftop patios also show a community vibrancy and a connection to neighbors.

old chinatownPortland’s Old Chinatown is a bit depressed compared to the surrounding areas of the city. The grand gateway makes a gesture of place, but the space around it lacks that definition which the entrance promises. A homeless camp directly next to the arch shows the staggering depression of the area and a strong prominence of homelessness.

The area near the waterfront district is technically classified as a part of the Old Chintown, but unless a map told you, you would never guess. Businesses, though local and popular to Portland, have little to no association with any ethnic culture whatsoever.

There is a great connection to public transportation in the area. The space has good roots for becoming something akin to the Pearl District, and the historic nature allows for easy walking. A variety of businesses could help to draw people into the area.

The homeless population in Old Chinatown is particularly obvious compared to other areas of the city.

Elements of Chinatown aesthetic contradict an overall appearance of emptiness and abandonment in the area. Despite all this, there is work currently underway to enhance the area and breathe more life into it.

downtownDowntown Portland is busy, vibrant, and exciting. Various building styles create a diverse urban fabric, and public plazas are areas where people from all backgrounds mix. To the left, food carts can be seen set up in Pioneer Plaza, and below mounted police portray a public presence and bring a bit of fun to the area.

A variety of public spaces in downtown allow for areas to gather, walk through, eat lunch, or just sit for a while. Easy access through downtown to any other part of the city, as well as neighboring communities bring people in for work or pleasure. Some streets a paved with cobblestones for a smaller town feel, and trees line many of the streets for a better pedestrian aesthetic.

Five forms of transportation meet on the street: pedestrian, bike, bus, streetcar, and automobile.

Downtown has a variety of building types which add to the urban fabric of the area. Combinations of styles, eras, and functions help to make the dense city visually stimulating and interesting. Most buildings seem to focus on retail as the priority for the first and second floors, with the majority of the buildings placing commercial on the following floors. Residential does not seem to be a focus in this area.

Presentation put together by Courtney King for Arch 554 Studio