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The evening memorial service held last week for Greg Baldwin was a unique mix: a little complicated, a little light-hearted and very pedestrian-oriented.

In other words, it was a pretty accurate reflection of the kind of architect Baldwin was.

Baldwin died June 25 at the age of 70. He left behind three children and a countless number of buildings, transit projects and other urban designs.

More than 700 people 鈥� from friends and family to architects and politicians 鈥� gathered in downtown Portland to remember Baldwin and the effect he had on the people and places he touched.

He worked on notable buildings in the city, including the Multnomah Athletic Club. But his influence on urban design also spread beyond four walls to Waterfront Park and many of Portland’s districts such as Portland State University, the Lloyd District and South Waterfront.

He also helped to design Director Park 鈥� where a reception was held in his memory Thursday night. A police escort, followed by a race car Baldwin owned, led the crowd from a service at the Portland Art Museum to the park.

One of Baldwin’s biggest impacts was on the design of transportation architecture. University of Pennsylvania School of Design Dean Marilyn Taylor said that 鈥渙nly the best and most committed鈥� architects can contribute to the interaction between transit and architecture, and Baldwin was one of those few.

Baldwin designed for the MAX light rail and the Portland Streetcar systems 鈥� his handprints are all over the city’s transit mall, and it was his idea to have the city’s streetcars painted different colors. He also designed transit projects in Washington, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Colorado, California, Minnesota and New Jersey.

鈥淲e are living his legacy,鈥� Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer said in a recorded message.

Baldwin was also described as sweet, optimistic, and both light-hearted and serious. He was a mentor to many.

Designer Ted Savinar was one of those who considered Baldwin a mentor. Savinar, who first worked with Baldwin 20 years ago on a TriMet project, remembered the architect as someone who had a positive effect on people around him.

鈥淗e built better cities by building better people,鈥� Savinar said. 鈥淚 always felt like I should be paying tuition when I worked with him.鈥�

鈥淗e took citizen’s ideas and aspirations, and he made them come alive,鈥� said Bob Packard, a principal at Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects.

Baldwin began working at ZGF in 1979 and became a partner in the firm in 1985. He remained with the firm until his death.

Although dedicated to his career, Baldwin also had passions outside of his professional life: he was a water-skier, cartoonist and a family man. A hobbyist racer, he spent much of his time at the Portland International Raceway.

Mark Wigginton, the manager at PIR, said Baldwin was an unusual type for a race car driver.

鈥淗e didn’t fit the stereotype of the perfectly-quaffed alpha male,鈥� Wigginton said. But Baldwin loved 鈥渢he functional beauty of the racing car.鈥�

Baldwin helped launch the Friends of Portland International Raceway, a foundation dedicated to preserving the space.

鈥淗e had the ability to create a big idea from a small problem,鈥� Wigginton said.