November Chapter Meeting: 
Portland Japanese Garden Expansion Project

The Portland Japanese Garden has unveiled a $33.5 million expansion plan that will include three new LEED certified buildings as part of what's called a Cultural Village, as well as seven new garden spaces, while only increasing its footprint by 11,328 square feet. The inspired design blends traditional Japanese design with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Tokyo based Kengo Kuma and Associates developed the vision and design for the expansion of the Portland Japanese Garden, with Hacker and Walker Macy Landscape Architects serving as the local partners. 

An enhanced entrance will better welcome visitors and will feature a water garden to mark the beginning of the transition from the city to the tranquility of the Garden. A lively cultural space will be situated outside of the main Garden to preserve the peace and tranquility of the historic Garden itself. The cultural village will feature the new Tateuchi Courtyard, Village House, and Tea Café – allowing for more activities and gathering. The Village House will house art gallery spaces, a multi-purpose classroom, administrative offices, gift shop, and the Vollum Library – a comprehensive resource on Japanese gardening and related arts. The Tea Café will provide a place to rest and refresh, while experiencing Japanese tradition.

The existing Garden will stay intact and unchanged, enhanced by seven new landscaped areas including a moss hillside garden, a bonsai terrace, and the Bill de Weese chabana garden, which will be the first of its kind in North America.

Speaker
Jonah Cohen, AIA, LEED AP, Pricipal - Hacker 
Jonah has been with Hacker since 1988 and has worked on some of the firm’s most notable projects, including the High Desert Museum, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Thomas Theatre; the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, and the Portland Japanese Garden Cultural Crossing.  

Jonah has a long history of project management and is skilled at coordinating multi-phased and complex projects. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. Jonah is Past President of the Architecture Foundation of Oregon and a former Board member for the AIA Portland Chapter. He has been a key presenter on three occasions at the Oregon Design Conference, the Design Build Institute of America National Conference, and the AIA Pacific and Northwest Region Conference. He is a recognized local industry expert on the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) process, and has given several talks on the firm’s work in LEED and sustainability.

Schedule
5:30 PM - Networking/Heavy Appetizers served
6:30 PM - Presentation
7:30 PM - Q&A

Directions & Parking
The entrance to the banquet rooms is located at 947 N. Russell Street; just up the sidewalk from the main entrance to the Widmer Brothers Pub and Restaurant.There are two parking lots at the intersection of Mississippi and N. Russell as well as a gravel lot across from the restaurant. Complimentary street parking is also available.

Additional Information

• 1 AIA CEU will be earned with your attendance.
• Vegetarian options will be available.
• No host bar will open at 5:30 PM