Governor Kate Brown recently announced the international design team that will work to create a publicly accessible walkway for Willamette Falls, known as the Willamette Falls Riverwalk. Long a home for industrial activity, the falls have a rich history that includes the world's first long-distance transmission of electricity in 1889 and tribal fishing of pacific lamprey. The public hasn't had access to Willamette Falls — the largest in the Northwest — for more than 100 years because of the private developments on both sides of the river.
We talk with Carol Mayer-Reed, partner at Portland-based firm Mayer/Reed, and Michelle Delk, who is the director of landscape architecture at the international firm Snøhetta, about their approach to the project.
Editor's Note: This post has been changed to reflect the fact that Snøhetta is an international firm.