Designed by a team led by GreenWorks, PC, it’s an innovative and unique project representing the next step in creative stormwater management solutions. By taking roof-runoff and routing it through a series of vegetated planters mounted to a vertical wall structure, the Portland Expo Center Stormwater Green Wall, designed with many partners including Oregon Metro, isn’t a traditional bioswale or garden. Instead, it effectively uses the available vertical square footage of the existing building to provide stormwater filtration for the 9,400 square foot roof.

Because of the stormwater wall’s prominent location, it was important that the design fit within the context of the existing site and complement the existing postmodern style of architecture. This was accomplished by giving particular attention to forms and materials. The form of the stormwater channels relate to forms evident on the existing building and the hexagons provide a decorative element that ties in subtly to the EXPO Center’s logo and brand. This project was constructed in 2014.