Members of AIA Oregon, Bend Section hosted a public conversation and design charrette about the challenges and possible solutions to Multimodal Transportation Connections from East to West Bend during a special Saturday session of Bend Design 2019.

Since June, AIA Bend Architects and area Engineers have had 4 charrettes, debating priorities and concepts, and drawing conceptual solutions to provide safe and attractive “Gateways” from the Bend Central District (East) to Downtown Bend (West).

During the Bend Design 2019 Saturday session, AIA Bend presented our solution for Hawthorne Avenue Gateway, a new accessible pedestrian and bicycle route under the BNSF Railroad ROW and Bend Parkway. The design focuses on light, openness, safety and user experience, and includes generous dimensions, light wells, terraced landscaping, and public spaces along the route.

We then presented a new configuration of Greenwood Avenue, now the central link between East and West Bend, giving the Motor Vehicle roadway a diet and increasing the width of protected pedestrian and bicycle paths. The Greenwood Avenue route then branches through the Bend Central District to the Transit Station and Juniper Park to the East, providing a look at key intersection design options and complete street configurations.

Session participants were provided with Site Plans, Sections, Renderings, images of Materials, Surfaces, Colors and Textures, pencils and markers, paper and trace, to work on fresh, spontaneous ideas. Attendees included graphic artists, city board members and employees, and an architect. After an hour of work, graphic solutions were displayed and introduced by each creator for discussion and commentary.

Everyone seemed quite pleased by the opportunity to participate in this open display and critique of solutions to Transportation Options in Bend.

James A Satzinger, AIA
Natasha Derkatch, Assoc. AIA
Andrea Arndt, Assoc. AIA
Kathy Austin, AIA