Old Town/Chinatown 3rd & 4th Avenue Streetscape, Portland, Oregon
Located in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, Lan Su Chinese Garden helped spur revitalization of this downtown Portland district. NNA Landscape Architecture principal Ben Ngan was heavily involved in the design and construction of the garden, which opened in September 2000. The City invited NNA to develop a streetscape plan for Old Town/Chinatown at 3rd and 4th Avenue that recognizes and celebrates the unique cultural and historical origins of this district.
We assisted Prosper Portland and the Portland Bureau of Transportation in an intensive, bilingual public outreach process that garnered input and support from neighborhood residents and businesses. The concept plan recommended physical improvements to the district's gateway entrance and right-of-ways. Improvements included the use of historic materials, curb-less festival streets to accommodate special events, and art and commemorative plaques to celebrate history. Plantings feature a collection of trees and shrubs that are native to China and have significance in Chinese culture.
