Linda Wysong Backyard Conversations is a series of three walking tours of Portland’s New South Waterfront Development. Each tour (Water the Machine & Garden, Constructing Community and, Footprints Along the River) examines different characteristics that help define and shape the current development. Often times seemingly incongruent and intricate relationships are uncovered, for example the way in which water management is dealt with at the new towers. Each make use of green roofs, flow-through planters, and swales to manage water on site in a sustainable manner. At the same time, because of the proximity to the river and depth of the foundations, pumps are running every second of the day to get rid of water constantly pouring into the basements.
The tours are full of these great tidbits of information on both the existing development, and what I found more interesting, the history of the South Waterfront. We explored the natural history of the area as well as the cultural and economic history. How each influenced the other and influenced the past developments. I began to think of the current development as a cultural marker in history and what values and ideas in our society this type of development might reflect.
All three tours are happening again this weekend starting Friday September 12th. They start at 3pm at the the AIR Studio at the South Waterfront and are free. I recommend checking any or all out, especially if the weather is as nice as it was last weekend.
Posted by: Matthew
