Portland Open Space Sequence

Masterminded by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, the Portland Open Space Sequence connects four public parks and three fountains with a series of walkways.  Along the way, you can spot modernist buildings of the same aesthetic and era.  Reminiscent of pedway projects in Los Angeles and Chicago, fans of concrete modernism and brutal(ish) architecture will be delighted.   This hidden corridor of the city is culturally relevant and an interesting stroll, but not particularly known beyond is use as a pedestrian transit path and the striking Ira Keller Fountain at its terminus.  Begin at the “Source” Fountain, a small burble of a sculpture.  As you continue, the features will grow in scale and grandeur.  Next up, adjacent to a 70s era minimall on its way out, Lovejoy Fountain Plaza beckons.  Like something out of a post-apocalyptic future, water splashes from an angular, artfully exploded structures, evocative of mountains or decayed monuments yet to be built.  Onward, tiny rolling hills make Pettygrove Park an intimate spot, surrounded by buildings and trees on all sides.  Finally, the Ira Keller Fountain concludes the walk with its spectacular series of platforms and steep drops, brutal design offset with lush landscaping and pouring cascades of water.  In the summer, the fountain is filled with people splashing in the water, but it should be noted–it is not treated.  Lovejoy and Ira Keller are fountains worth appreciating on their own, but are made richer with the walk that connects them.