The Japanese Garden is located within Washington Park in Southwest Portland. The site has complex topography, and is constrained by existing underground infrastructure, planning and zoning overlays, and ownership and oversight by various City Bureaus.

 

This modest project is a utilitarian building housing new equipment for pond filtration that is critical to the long-term health of the Koi and clarity of the pond waters. The building is designed to sit within the existing hillside and to be unobtrusive from the garden. It is also hidden from public view outside the garden; moderated by landscaping, bamboo and planted screens.

 

The structural system includes a concrete foundation mat slab with full height retaining walls on three sides. The remaining wall and sliding 'barn' door is of timber construction, as is the roof structure, which is designed to support an eco-roof.