It’s been more than 70 years since Oregon’s largest city, Portland, has had a public market. In response to the city's thriving culinary scene, residents have formed the non-profit organization James Beard Public Market, and Snøhetta designed what will be Portland’s first year-round market since 1942, when the Portland Public Market closed down.
Named after prominent gastronomical figure James Beard, who Dezeen reports “developed an interest in food at an early age after accompanying his mother on shopping trips to Portland markets,” the market will reintroduce the hustle and bustle of commerce and public vibrancy to the western end of Morrison Bridge on the Willamette River.
The bridge, which currently splits the market’s future site in half and blocks pedestrian access from three sides, will be realigned by the architects with access ramps, and a new pedestrian through-road will make the new market accessible from all directions.
Snøhetta’s design will have room for 60 permanent stalls, 30 flexible stands, restaurants, a teaching kitchen, and an events space.
"A generous pedestrian street will run north and south, swelling at the sunniest portion of the site, to create an outdoor room for vendor stalls, seating, and green areas for Pacific Northwest native plantings," the design team added in a statement.
Construction is set to start in 2016. This isn’t the Oslo-based firm’s only project in Oregon—they have been called on to revitalize an abandoned paper mill on the Willamette Falls near Oregon City into a mixed-use public destination, giving the public up-close access to the falls for the first time.
Related Stories
| Feb 16, 2012
4.8-megawatt solar power system completed at Jersey Gardens Mall
Solar array among the largest rooftop systems in North America.
| Feb 15, 2012
Englewood Construction announces new projects with Destination Maternity, American Girl
Englewood’s newest project for Wisconsin-based doll retailer American Girl, the company will combine four vacant storefronts into one large 15,000 square-foot retail space for American Girl.
| Feb 8, 2012
Mega-malls expanding internationally
Historically, malls have always been the icons of America – the first mall ever was built in Minneapolis in 1956.
| Jan 15, 2012
Smith Consulting Architects designs Flower Hill Promenade expansion in Del Mar, Calif.
The $22 million expansion includes a 75,000-square-foot, two-story retail/office building and a 397-car parking structure, along with parking and circulation improvements and new landscaping throughout.
| Jan 6, 2012
New Walgreen's represents an architectural departure
The structure's exterior is a major departure from the corporate image of a traditional Walgreens design.
| Jan 6, 2012
Summit Design+Build completes Park Place in Illinois
Summit was responsible for the complete gut and renovation of the former auto repair shop which required the partial demolition of the existing building, while maintaining the integrity of the original 100 year-old structure, and significant re-grading and landscaping of the site.
| Nov 29, 2011
Suffolk Construction breaks ground on Boston residential tower
Millennium Place III is a $220 million, 256-unit development that will occupy a full city block in Boston’s Downtown Crossing.
| Nov 29, 2011
Report finds credit crunch accounts for 20% of nation’s stalled projects
Persistent financing crunch continues to plague design and construction sector.
| Nov 22, 2011
Jones Lang LaSalle completes construction of two new stores in Manhattan
Firm creates new global design standard serving as project manager for Uniglo’s 89,000-sf flagship location and, 64,000-sf store.