The landscape of the Meyer Memorial Trust’s new campus in Portland’s Albina neighborhood reflects the foundation’s values in creating public space that embraces the surrounding neighborhood, which offers a vision for sustainable landscape design.
The planting design was curated from a mix of native plant communities that would have been found on the site pre-development. The plants represent those traditionally used for food, textiles, and medicine and help tell the story of the Trust’s relationship to food and the community. Salvaged timbers from a former industrial building on the site were reclaimed and milled to create benches that frame many of the exterior spaces around the building. Courtyards support interior architectural spaces and allow strong connections between interior and exterior for summer events. A roof garden terrace provides outdoor space for staff with prominent views toward downtown and beyond.
