31st Jan2012

BPA Plant Signage

by Jason King

After checking out the progress of the BPA 905 Building Project during its first season, I jumped at a chance to help Michael Brand, the Building Management Specialist at the Bonneville Power Administration when he called asking for my assistance.  He wanted to add another layer to the system at the roof terraces – one that  would provide some context and education for the users of the building.  Using the plans, he had fabricated a number of plant identification tags – and we spent the morning placing them in the appropriate locations.

  

The 4th floor terrace, which is the largest of the four we vegetated, will act as the location of the tags.  Plants are repeated in different configurations throughout all of the levels – so any questions should be answered, as most of the 40+ species of plants were tagged – with the exception of the 12 species of sedums.  And the view was still amazing – the winter aesthetic of the terraces with bark color, texture of grasses, and the great distant vista of downtown and the west hills.  Definitely worth a visit.

Category : details, ecoroofs, gardens, graphics, habitat, installations, landscape, portland, projects, roof gardens, sustainability, teaching, vegitecture
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24th Jan2012

Move the House – Stormwater Video

by Jason King

A preliminary rough cut of some footage of the Move the House Apartments in Southeast Portland.  I took the opportunity to capture a bit of video on a windy day that offered a significant downpour that activated many of the site features.   See it in action below:

Category : art, details, images, installations, landscape, portland, projects, rain gardens, stormwater, sustainability, video, water
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16th Jan2012

Two New Projects to Start the New Year

by Jason King

Starting off 2012 with a bang, TERRA.fluxus is proud to announce two new projects, working with some of our great existing clients.  First, we’re continuing work with the great folks at Asante Health System, this time building on the work at the Women’s Center and the masterplan for the Three Rivers Community Hospital (TRCH) in Grant’s Pass, in addition to the Genesis Campus Master Plan in Central Point, and the Asante Court Park in Medford.  After working on a small parking lot expansion at TRCH last year, we are beginning the next phase in the overall campus building, working on a new Outpatient Center (with TVA Architects leading the efforts, and continuing work on site issues with KPFF Civil Engineers) which will include in addition to the new building a parking expansion, stormwater facilities, and artwork.  Some preliminary rendering of the building can be seen below:

   

Following up the successful endeavor at Move the House Apartments, we will be working with the great team at Urban Development Partners again, moving down the block at bit to another location along Southeast Division street at 33rd Avenue.  The project has a different configuration and architecture, and we’re happy to be collaborating with the talented designers at THA Architecture to make this project a reality.  A quick snapshot of the concept plan shows some of the interesting features, including stormwater planters, permeable paving, green screens, and vegetated green roof areas.

The project will certainly evolve, so more on both of these projects as they progress.

Category : announcements, ecoroofs, environmental, graphics, heathcare, landscape, portland, projects, southern oregon, sustainability, vegitecture, water
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12th Jan2012

Landscape Urbanism + The Agency of Mapping

by Jason King

I am excited to be teaching again at University of Oregon in the White Stag Building in Portland, this time a seminar entitled ‘Landscape Urbanism + The Agency of Mapping’.

In this class, a combination of architecture and landscape architecture students are going to blend theory with on the ground techniques related to large-scale, landscape-focused urban analysis, planning and design.  The major technical components will focus on GIS mapping and using this as a tool for multidisciplinary design, as well as studying the agency of mapping (a major tenet of landscape urbanism theory) as a tool for communication and organization of complex spatial information.

The focus area will be the Cully Neighborhood in NE Portland and their plans for an eco-district, being initiated by Verde (www.verdenw.org) , a social justice nonprofit, as both a viable model of district strategies and as an alternative approach to the more mainstream ecodistricts planning happening in other areas throughout the city by POSI.  Students will do case studies and critiques of local and global district planning, determine community needs and collect data, then use mapping to elaborate and provide urban visions of Cully that focus on bottom-up scenarios for development of social justice, food security, job creation and community connectivity and less on top-down solutions.”

See more past classes here.

Category : announcements, community, landscape, landscape urbanism, mapping, planning, policy, portland, research, sustainability, teaching, theory, urbanism
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11th Jan2012

Cully Community Garden – Design Process

by Jason King

TERRA.fluxus is providing guidance and pro-bono services in support of a new community garden that will be located in Cully Neighborhood in Northeast Portland.  This area is currently under-served with both parks and garden opportunities, so a new park is being designed with the support of  the Let Us Build Cully Park, “a collaboration of 15 community-based organizations, including the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, the Cully Association of Neighbors, Hacienda CDC, Latino Network, Native American Youth & Family Center, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, and Verde.”   The project was also planned to be supported with a group of students from Harvey Scott School, led by their teacher Patrick Mangan.

Rather than design the park and present this to the group, Jason King from TERRA.fluxus, along with Tony DeFalco from Verde brainstormed ideas to include both students and stakeholders in the design process.  The community members would act as the clients, and the students would design the park, incorporating feedback from the larger group.  We held our first brainstorming session in mid-December with a group of stakeholders and students, with a focus on brainstorming ideas and an overall vision for the garden.  Students and community members wrote many ideas on large sheets of paper, and presented these to the rest of the group for discussion.

Photo Credit: Tony DeFalco

Photo Credit: Tony DeFalco

Following this initial brainstorm, we had another session this week which began the design process with the students.  Looking at ideas like distance and scale, along with what components are required in a garden, how people will use spaces, access from park and the community, entrances, and other design considerations.   A few photos from the session, showing the measuring and plot design process, along with the beginnings of spatial arrangement.  Following sessions will incorporate more development of ideas, and creation of three concepts for review with stakeholders in late January.

   

The process has also been aided by a number of great volunteers, including landscape designer Sandra Koike and community volunteers Ross Kenney and Bryan Coorlim – all of whom are donating their time and energy to making the project a reality.  As you seen below, the initial output is somewhat rough but is a great start and will evolve over time.  It is starting to take shape in the form of a community garden, accessible to all, and most importantly, designed and built by the community!

All photos © TERRA.fluxus/Jason King unless otherwise credited

Category : agriculture, announcements, brownfields, community, food, gardens, landscape, planning, portland, presentations, projects, teaching, urban voids
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07th Jan2012

BPA Green Roof – Part II: Implementation

by Jason King

Building on the previous post, the Bonneville Power Administration Green Roof went through a number of iterations in the design process, and also required the attention and on-site modification that often comes from challenging retrofits.

The existing rooftops during demolition - predominately paved with small planters which made them feel somewhat barren. Pavers were saved and re-used in the final design which saved cost and materials.

Landscape Architect’s Role     The project involved working with a diverse group of stakeholders in developing the concept, as well as coordinating with multiple trade partners as part of the design-build collaborative team. The combination of technical knowledge and experience with various green roof projects allowed the team to adapt to unique site conditions while remaining conscious of project goals and overall budget constraints.  Working on structure requires knowledge of multiple systems and how they interact.  In this case, the GSA outlined specific goals, but left it open to the design team to come up with creative solutions that fit the overall budget.  Conversely, on a typical project, we would select a system based on the unique conditions of the project.

In this case, however, the roofing system was predetermined, so it became a challenge to fit a particular system to the project parameters.  This, along with integration of additional insulation to meet energy efficiency goals meant that we needed to troubleshoot conflicts between competing project goals, allowing us to maintain safe parapet heights, incorporate window-washing infrastructure, and maintain ADA accessibility at thresholds.

A typical roof level after installation, showing the transformation of the space, with seating areas located in sunny perimeters, vegetation free zones at building edges, and the pattern of bermed vegetations with rock ‘stream’.

Another particular challenge was the structural capacity of the roof.  It was determined that we had the ability to berm up in certain areas of the roof, where the original planters were located.  Rather than create a homogenized and monotonous pattern, the berming configuration shifts on every roof, but still falls within specific loading parameters – invisible to the naked eye.  As with most projects, determining the right mix of plantings was also vital, as the conditions for each rooftop and region vary.  In this case, the terraces were on the north side of the building so the conditions were more shady, with early and late sun. Using regional experience with multiple projects and microclimates – the designers developed a palette of plantings that provided diversity, habitat, stormwater management, and heat island mitigation, while providing a dynamic and beautiful amenity for the building users.

 

Looking from the west towards the doorway to the interior of the office. The stream winds through a range of colors and textures that include a mix of evergreen and deciduous plantings adapted to rooftop conditions.

HIGHLIGHT:  A Model for Energy Efficiency    Until now, vegetated roofs have not been considered viable.  A recent decision by the Oregon Construction Industry Energy Board, as part of the Reach Code, recognized green roofs as both an energy conservation measure and as way to help reduce urban heat island effect.  The BPA project exemplifies the concept of energy efficiency.

View from east access of typical roof, highlighting the dynamic nature of the berms along with the varying textures and colors of semi-intensive plantings. Sedum cuttings quickly colonized the low areas and side slopes to provide erosion control, color, and texture, augmented by herbs and edibles like coast strawberry available at the edge for grazing by building tenants

 

INNOVATION:  Integrated Project Delivery    Another unique feature of this project is the delivery of services.   There is a trend in the green roof industry towards integrated projects, and the team has responded to this by the creation of a design-build collaborative, including the roofing contractor, landscape contractor and landscape architect as a core team.  Additional sub-consultants such as structural, architectural, mechanical and related trades are added to projects on an as-needed basis.  The result is a simplified process, combining all of the necessary elements together in a team with proven experience working together on similar projects.  Each consultant and contractor maintains a clear distinction in scope that adheres to professional responsibilities, but the process is streamlined with more clarity of communication and documentation.  For this unique project the General Contractor (GC) was able to contract with one entity to provide complete design and construction services.  The team also brought in structural to evaluate roofing capacity, and mechanical engineering to assist with rainwater harvesting systems.

The variety of colors and textures occupy complex vignettes that display the periodic colors and textures. The bloom of the sedum species, natives perennials with vibrant summer blooms like Oregon Sunshine, and the pink tufts of drought tolerant Armeria maritima play off the more subtle purple shades of Hidcote Lavender.

 

PROJECT SUMMARY

Project Name:

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) 905 Building Green Roof Terraces

Landscape Architect:

TERRA.fluxus |  Landscape + Urbanism  (Portland, OR)

Client:

General Services Administration (GSA)  building owner

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)  building tenant

General Contractor:

Allen Bradbury Construction  (Auburn, WA)

Roofing Contractor:

Snyder Roofing of Oregon (Tigard, OR)

Landscape Contractor:

Teufel Landscape (Portland, OR)

Mechanical / Plumbing Design (Cisterns):

PAE Consulting Engineers (Portland, OR)

Category : details, ecoroofs, graphics, images, installations, landscape, planting, portland, projects, stormwater, sustainability, vegitecture, water
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03rd Jan2012

BPA 905 Green Roof – Part I: Graphics

by Jason King

Last year, we prepared some graphics for the BPA 905 Building Green Roof project, to submit it for a couple of awards.  While unfortunately, we didn’t get an award, the graphics are definitely worth a second look – as they tell the story of the project and some of its unique features.  Here’s part one of a two part post showing the graphics and final product.

Overview    The rooftop terraces in this project are part of a larger, multiple phase effort for overall building energy efficiency upgrades as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The owner of the facility, the General Services Administration, along with their tenant, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) upgraded mechanical and building systems and replaced roofing for the entire building, allowing for the retrofit of four rooftop terraces that step down along the north portion of the building.

The project consists of four separate roofs stepping up from Level 4 to Level 7 along the north façade of the building. The total area is 9,000 square feet, with 5,800 of vegetated area.

This unique retrofit project started with new roofing that replaced the existing membrane and provided a significant increase in insulation depth for energy performance that would hit the target of R-50.  Atop the new insulation, areas of non-vegetated roofing are installed with cool roofing membranes to minimize heat gain.  Vegetated portions were specifically designed to meet the following client-specified goals:

  • Increase the insulation value of the roof
  • Capture rainwater to maintain the sites natural hydrologic cycle
  • Provide habitat for beneficial insects and animals
  • Reduce urban heat island effect
  • Provide visual beauty for employees that look down on the roof areas
  • Meet applicable federal standards for green roof construction

An enlarged view of the Level 4 rooftop, showing the configuration of pedestrian areas, seating, and access from the interior of the building. The sculptural berms and ‘river’ connects the four roof levels and reflects the different loading characteristics of the roof.

The existing terraces were predominately paved, with large planters that previously held ornamental varieties that were irrigated with domestic water supply.  The spaces were described as ‘desolate’ and were used sporadically by building users, but not considered an amenity.  Through the design process, the team worked with building tenants to identify the aesthetic preferences, necessary amount of seating, and overall range of planned uses for the spaces.  This involvement was also expanded to include educational information, located at building entries and key areas like the cafeteria, regarding a range of vegetated roofing options, trickling down through all of the users of the building.  The distinctions between extensive green roof, semi-intensive roofing, and intensive roof terrace were vital to understanding the type of project that was being planned, and managing the overall level of expectations, which led to significant support from throughout the building.

Exploded diagram showing the built up layers from roofing, insulation, paving, and green roof components on a typical level. The cisterns are fed by roof drains and pumped back up to the green roof for irrigation that requires zero potable water.

Results   The project includes over 9,000 square feet of roof area over 4 different levels. Paved terraces surround sculptural berms planted with semi-intensive vegetated roof, encompassing a total of 5,800 square feet of planted area. The rooftops are oriented for views from within the building, as well as to be viewed from above. Starting at the upper level (7th Floor) a stone ‘stream’ winds through the adjacent sculptural ‘hills’, referencing the connection of the BPA to the indigenous waterways of the Pacific Northwest.  The similar size of the upper roofs (5,6,7) are less uniform due to the berming and flowing nature of these elements, giving each floor a unique experience. This unifying element connects each level down to the larger (4th Floor) where it terminates into a fanned delta.  The overlapping berms and waves of vegetation provide a separation of the space to avoid the fishbowl effect and allow for adjacent access to the plantings.

The dynamic quality of seasonal planting variation is captured in flowing waves of color and texture that overlap and change over the entire year.

Over thirty species of plants were included to achieve a mosaic, including small coniferous and deciduous trees, a range of shrubs, grasses, and perennials, rounded out with a mix of succulent groundcover cuttings to quickly provide soil coverage.  Plantings were selected for drought tolerance, color, texture, scent, and seasonal variation.  Rainwater is captured in 35,000 gallon cisterns and pumped up to each floor, giving the project, once established, net-zero potable water usage.  High efficiency irrigation heads with evapotranspiration-enabled smart controllers and moisture sensors provide additional water savings by adapting to local conditions to provide only necessary supplemental water through seasonal summer drought.

A rendering of the proposed project shows the potential usable space along with the design intent. The graphics were essential for education, as well as to manage expectations of the end result that was not an extensive roof, but not a full roof garden.

Go to Part II:  Implementation

Category : details, ecoroofs, environmental, graphics, habitat, images, portland, projects, roof gardens, stormwater, sustainability, vegitecture
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