This page will be updated throughout the project with the latest information and park design progress.

7/1/16: Construction Drawings to 100% Complete

The 100% drawing set for the park project has been completed by OSU’s hired consultant team led by Nevue Ngan Associates. The package has been submitted for permit through the city of Corvallis and will go out to bid on OSU’s website soon.  Pending selection of a qualified low-bidder, the project will move into construction this summer.  Updated layout and planting plans (below) show the final design for the park – capturing the elements originally preferred by those who attended the outreach workshops in 2015.  The park will include stormwater swales, picnic tables, benches, the meandering casual path, a sedge meadow lawn area, lighting, and substantial and diverse trees, shrubs, and ground cover throughout.

With the design complete, further project updates will be found on the Park Construction page.

For questions, comments, or to share any input you may have on the design or progress, please contact me HERE or directly at nathan.patterson@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-6959.

Layout Plan: L1.1

Grading Plan: L2.1

Planting Plan: L3.1

12/3/15: Construction Drawings Progress to 65% Complete

After postponing the construction of the park from 2015 to 2016, the design team is back at work finalizing construction drawings this winter.  Finished drawings will be packaged up and bid out to contractors this spring, in time for the 2016 summer construction season.  Below are layout and planting pages from the 65% set, which very closely resemble the preferred schematic selected during the public workshops.

For questions, comments, or to share any input you may have on the design or progress, please contact me HERE or directly at nathan.patterson@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-6959.

6/4/15: Workshop #3 Site Plan Refinement

At Workshop #3, the design team boiled down comments received on the 11 site plans from workshop #2 into (3) REFINED site plans, shown below.  Additional insight was provided via 3D imagery and accompanying text for each plan.  Below the three revised site plans, are five slides that give context to the site and offer potential storm water treatment options, followed by the 3 detailed revised site plans.

Let us know what you think by posting comments HERE, or by emailing me directly at  nathan.patterson@oregonstate.edu

Thanks to all who participated in our public workshops and taken our online survey – check back here periodically to see this project evolve.

REVISED (1/3) CASUAL PATH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVISED (2/3) COMBO SCHEME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REVISED (3/3) RADIAL COLLECTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5/19/15: Workshop 2 Schematic Site Plans

Click here to VOTE and COMMENT!

At Workshop #2, OSU’s design team reflected on past comments and provided 11 new schematic site plans that demonstrate potential themes and layouts for the park space.  Based on feedback from this and workshop #1, we will now work toward a more detailed and hybrid approach of the favorites to present at workshop #3.  Workshop #3 will be held June 4th in MU 206 (just down the hall from the previous workshop’s rooms).

 

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5/13/15: In preparation for May 18th Workshop  – Challenges:

Based on the comments and conversations from the first openhouse, we identified a number of opportunities for students, faculty or departments to get involved with the Washington Way Pocket Park.  We have described a series of challenges to be issued, and we hope that interested parties will take up one or more challenge prior to the May 18 workshop and openhouse.  Bring your ideas, get involved and contribute to creating a successful public space for the OSU community!

1. Stormwater: Can you think of a more interesting and exciting way to get storm water from the adjacent building roofs to the future Pocket Park in a way that showcases the function of capturing and treating stormwater?  Is water harvesting possible here (for summer irrigation). The conventional approach would disconnect the downspout and create a shallow gutter or trench grate to a swale, however, we could use this opportunity to create a display showcasing innovative stormwater management.

2. Power generation: Can you identify opportunities to capture energy from wind, solar, other?  Creating places for people to charge their mobile devices would reinforce the goal of creating a place for people to linger and interact. Can capturing energy be paired with batteries to guarantee power? Can this be incorporated with seating, shelter, tables and interpretive materials?

3. Horticulture/Agriculture:  What opportunities are there for growing plants here that highlight the talents and history of OSU? Which species or collections of species would be appropriate here?  What innovative strategies do you have for successful cultivation in heavy clay soils under rock fill? Could this become a place to demonstrate of horticulture techniques or display OSU-developed cultivars?  Could planting or maintaining green walls or screening vines support some curriculum or interest?

4. Fine and Performing Arts: What artistic interventions, installations or performances would you include in the Pocket Park? Are there opportunities to support some part of the fine art curriculum? Propose a concept for an art exhibition here: how many pieces, what size range, any display requirements?  Are pedestals better for display than incorporating display space into a wall? What physical needs would the site require to accommodate performance/screening?

5. Sustainability: The Pocket Park could become a place to test or display different aspects of sustainable design. Describe a project you would like to be involved with relating to:

• Renewable energy
• Rainwater harvesting
• Edible landscape
• Porous pavement/alternative building materials
• Repurposing material
• Compost/pollinator support and habitat
• Other

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May 5, 2015 – Workshop #1 (May 1) Presentation Materials and Participant Feedback:

A very communicative group from the campus community attended our first workshop and left us some great ideas to digest into our first iterations of design alternatives.  These alternatives will be shown and discussed at our next workshop on May 18, (MU211 from 10AM to 4PM) where we will invite the community’s input.

Below are the messages we received via sticky notes and site sketches:  

“Project site” board comments:

• International students moving into cascades, seating area.
• Consider leaving some of the existing concrete to save funds for removal and energy/cost of new hardscape.
• Grow a green/living wall on south side of existing shop buildings.
• Incorporate storm drain grate at current elevation as an overflow for a rain garden fed by swales and roof top run off.
• Former marshland, include beaver sculpture.
• Arch/gateway
• Train “event “daily, vibration.
• Whatever is built, we have to factor in a potential new building/site that uses this as a front door.

“What is a pocket park?” board comments:

• Trees, seating/gathering space, social interaction.
• Tree canopy – water feature – gatherings place.
• Performance or installation space for sculpture. Sculpture.
• Love a water feature: sound, visual.
• Love the change of level here – sense of entering.

“What can you do in a pocket park?” board comments:

• Repurposed wood for seating/tables.
• Don’t forget to include furniture so people will hang out, including picnic tables.
• Make sure to include bike racks. Closest one is at Mc Alexander and it is always
• Please put grills in so students can have BBQ on campus.
• Definitely include permeable hardscape! We don’t have enough positive examples on campus.
• Inspiration: highline in NY- sustainable design, seating, garden.
• Multi use performance/installation space.
• Japanese walking gardens!
• Some sort of fountain with combined art and sustainability aspects.
• “Design out “tailgating!
• Consider outdoor BBQ stands with picnic tables.
• Small amphitheater: slope/stage, seats for 20, electricity, projection screen.

“Craft/materials” board comments:

• Noble trees e.g. “Jefferson “Elm.
• Managed by horticulture department/students?
• Like bringing in artists.
• Lots of trees.
• Slack-lining.?
• Spontaneous performance space.
• Long-lived trees: not dogwoods elms oaks etc.
• Section that displays OSU varieties: hops, hazelnut, ornamentals, vegetables, berries.

“How do we frame the space?” board comments:

• Visual entry for most folks on campus.
• Creative art space.
• Screen that changes image depending on point of view.
• Vine – flowering, to grow up to form “trees quote with sculptural base – like Robert Irvine at Getty in LA.

“Stormwater treatment” board comments:

• Stormwater – teaching/learning built in, engage visitors/users.
• Could be informal “freeform” surface water.
• Water feature!!! Serene space.
• Slope park to focal point where stormwater garden would take water and look nice in dry months.
• The steel grate (PSU) is a very good way to facilitate movement and incorporate botanical aspects.
• Botanical collection theme, example: “Aceretum”
• Use green walls to enclose and visually hide adjacent building.

“Sustainability” board comments:

• Solar powered covered space with seating.
• This is very neat (solar charging station).
• Like! Will bring more people and allow people to stay and meet plus sustainability feature.
• I would like a garden made out of sustainable materials, reuse.
• Lots of benches/seating but not wood.
• Tables for chess/chessboard.

Other comments:

• Need large urban trees.
• Leave as is [the physical plant] – campus visitor center with modifications.
• Include a xeriscape type of landscape within the park with rock features and drought tolerant plants. This location will be hot.
• Should include a large canopy set of trees, Elm, Oak, or large conifers.
• Please inventory campus spaces that are “parklike” and how they might be classified.
• Part of the park should be a sculpture garden, we do not have much art at OSU.
• Remove/relocate, points to shed.
• The barrier between the park and facilities compound needs to be very secure with limited visibility into the compound.
• Don’t forget about dwarf conifers – people like them and they are easy to maintain.
• “Treefarm” with water feature.
• Bike parking [illegible] parking? Can it be exempt?

Participant site sketches interpreted into text:

Plan One: Japanese walking garden  Mix of small pond, rocks, and plants along walkway. Sheds screened by impermeable visible barrier of trees.  Benches along path.  Covered bench area in northwest corner.  Possible gazebo.

Plan Two:  Screen the shops. Woven circulation path and passive watercourse. Landforms along sidewalk – vegetated. Campus portal at south east corner. Performance activity area at Northwest corner.

Plan Three: Beaver Park,  Stormwater vegetated swale flowing from northwest to southeast; path follows swale course. Shop roofs drain into series of rain tanks each 3000 gallons. Existing storm drain grate for overflow. Solar pumped fountain water from tanks. Archway at Southeast and Northwest corners. Beaver sculpture.

Plan Four:   Water feature/stormwater near existing drain; overflow already present. Create environment for everyone. Public garden. Sustainability projects. Multiple caretakers, need coordination of care taking groups. Native forest species.

Plan Five: the mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell.  Amphitheater opening to the SW. A row of trees to the north. Horseshoes, bocce ball, and corn hole along the sidewalk of Washington Way.

Plan Six:  Thick green edges inside of sidewalk, green buffer at north edge between physical plant. Internal path network roughly parallel’s existing sidewalk. Stormwater or water feature on southwest corner of shops. Western half of site contains a grid of planters maybe for vegetables.

Plan Seven:

• Kitchen theme with chandelier over, cast concrete low table/benches, mosaic place settings. Robotic Butler opens the gate
• Frame train, mirrors/Windows, ornamental picture frames, ornamental door frame.
• Outdoor play, proscenium stage, “Play “
• Perspective exaggeration, flat – built-in false perspective.
• Cast concrete/bronze rocks, cast artwork – Andy Goldsworthy.
• Allee of trees, brick path embedded with concrete pavers with cast concrete or cast bronze: theme – natural history of site?
• Maze walkway, bench center
• Green walls framing views both directions.

Plan Eight:  An allee of trees runs the length of the site just inside the sidewalk. A path runs between the trees, the water feature is located in the middle of the site, the path crosses it, seating blocks also intersect the path. The seating is covered by the shade of trees.

Plan Nine:  Northeast corner has grassy area for relaxing/plan. Four BBQ pits along 15th at Washington Way.  A row of tables is along Washington Way between 15th and the alley. A row of benches is lined up along the shops. The west half of the site has a grid of trees to the south and a playground with slides/swings/etc. to the north.

Plan Ten:  A significant landmark/monument marks the southeast corner at 15th and Washington Way. People driving north on 15th St. should know they are on campus, create a welcoming site. The shops should be screened along 15^th. In between the screen and the sidewalk, a nice vegetated buffer with benches could be installed. Maintain access from Benton Place past the physical plant to the shops (driveway). Three activity areas could be developed between the viewpoint and Benton place. Activity areas include benches, tables, and quiet areas.

Plan Eleven:  A green wall runs along the north and east portion of the site to screen the physical plant and the covered shops. A path connects the southwest and southeast corners and leads to a gathering place directly south of the physical plant. Between the gathering place and Washington Way, benches are arranged in rows with BBQ’s along the side walk. There are three large circular covered benches with charging outlets and solar collecting roofs. The path is permeable, the benches are covered, and the seating areas are lit.

Plan Twelve:  Large trees are planted across the entire site providing care much-needed canopy.

Plan Thirteen:  A rain garden runs along the sidewalk of Western Way. A path runs from east to west and connects at the alley in the mid-block or Western Way. BBQ’s and benches are included. A central gathering place with a water feature is in the center of the site.

Plan Fourteen:  Series of rooms with green walls to screen physical plant and shops. Gateway at northwest and southeast corner and on the east side along 15th. Allee of trees flanking path parallel to 15 St, path paved with insert cast relief bronze or concrete into pavers – student art? Robotic Butler, interactive – opens door. Picture frames, cast bronze?? Framing views: train passing, other, also frame inside sidewalk to frame Park and frame portrait of person viewing out. Video surveillance capture and playback in another place in a frame, window, screen? Northeast corner: stage area with electricity hops, light, green walls. Maze room – bench at center with loose rocks to stack. Along Benton Place: waterfall, creek and river sculpture. Water feature room, sound in park to lure from street, include planting. West side along 15th: concrete table – mosaics decorated with drawing/relief of table setting: concrete stools and chairs, chandelier above. Artists to look at: Robert Irwin – Getty, Malibu, rebar, Andy Goldsworthy, Maya Lin – landforms, also overhead sculpture.