Vancouver, Washington

A large pulp and paper industrial site on the banks of the Columbia River had been environmentally remediated and purchased by Gramor Development Corporation. The planned development of residential and commercial properties would allow the citizens of Vancouver, Washington, access to their riverfront for the first time in decades. Gramor allotted 8 acres along the river bank for the city to develop into a city park. Margot Long, Principal of PWL Landscape and Planning of Vancouver, Canada, was the lead visionary in designing the park. It included a pedestrian pier extending over the river as well as a water feature.

I was asked to join the design team in 2015 and focused on these two elements. My first suggestion was to make the pier a mast and cable stay construction instead of sinking dozens of pilings into the sensitive fish habitat of the river. This concept excited both the developers and the city. As with all complex projects, I assembled a team of talent to explore the feasibility and then develop the construction of the pier. John Grant, Public Art Services, acted as project manager and Martin and Martin Engineering provided structural engineering and Michael Mowry created the architectural renderings.

The pier is now an icon of the city. It is a destination for the region and visitors. There is a constant flow of pedestrians, suspended over the swift waters of the mighty Columbia, North America’s fourth largest waterway. Ship and pleasure boat traffic enhance the views of the city of Portland across the way and the views to Mount Hood east along the river.

East of the Grant Street Pier is an interactive water feature based upon the watershed of the Columbia River. A black granite monolith, 12’ x 16’ x 2’, is the main source of water. The east side is engraved with a powerful essay on the river by author Teresa Jordan. Centered between the columns of text is a cast bronze relief map of the entire watershed. Those familiar with the region can find the Cascade Mountain range, Columbia River Gorge and many other geographic features. The west side of the monolith has an intricately engraved topographic map of the headwaters of the Columbia. Water flows of the entire map and then courses 180 feet flowing west toward the Pier.

Five assemblies of gold and green granite are other sources of water flowing into the mainstem. Engraved with the names of the major tributaries to the Columbia, these granite blocks also have the length of each river and the square miles of their respective watershed. Quotes about rivers and water by noted authors are also engraved in the granite.

The entire composition provides opportunities to splash in the clean water, wander and learn about the river system flowing adjacent to the park, and respect the valuable natural resource of the Columbia River.

Photography by Craig Collins.

Materials & Dimensions

Grant Street Pier: Steel, stainless steel cables, cast concrete and wooden decking, 72’ x 90’ x70’. Columbia River Watershed: Engraved granite, cast bronze, water, 12’ x 180’ x 30’.