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People in the Portland design community are continuing to come up with ideas for the long-debated green loop. The latest ones to throw ideas into the mix are students from the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts; they participated in a design studio event led by GreenWorks principal Gill Williams and SERA Architects principal Tim Smith.

鈥淲e exposed (students) to thinking about how infrastructure systems function together,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淎 lot of them weren’t used to working like that.鈥�

The idea of the event was to give students the opportunity to contribute to an urban design concept that has been kicked around by the city for the past five years.

鈥淚t was focused on new types of development in the green loop,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淥ne of the concepts was the idea of trying to keep industry close in. What does a 21st century industrial area look like?鈥�

As proposed, the green loop would be a six-mile linear greenway running through Portland’s central city on both sides of the Willamette River. The concept is part of the 2035 master plan.

鈥淭he green loop is a big idea,鈥� said Marc Asnis, urban designer at the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. 鈥淭here isn’t a definitive design for the green loop yet. It’s about getting ideas out there right now. How would people want to see a green loop?鈥�

The concept will go before the Portland City Council on Sept. 14. Stakeholders are hoping that concepts presented at this recent design event and others can be incorporated in the final project. If the City Council issues approval, then officials would begin planning, identifying funding possibilities and pursuing specific designs.

For the recent event, developers helped students focus their ideas, Williams said.

鈥淥ne of the aspects we brought was outside sources and outside perspectives,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat do they consider good catalytic projects?鈥�

Students were encouraged to consider ideas that could spur other development. The Portland Streetcar was offered as one such project that promoted other development along its route.

鈥淚f the loop happens, there are portions of it that could be executed now that could provide a catalyst for growth,鈥� Williams said.

One challenge is that portions of the proposed loop would run through areas that include distribution, light industrial and food processing facilities.

鈥淭he eastside industrial businesses have some trepidation about the green loop,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hey still watch it with a wary eye.鈥�