Bend Living City Design Project Wins Environmental Center Vision Award

International competition entry envisions a more green and sustainable Bend; the all-volunteer team of local planners and architects was recognized for Vision in 2012, a special category created for this year’s competition.

The award was presented to Living City Design Project team members Steven Ames of Steven Ames Planning, and Rachel and Stacey Stemach, of Ambient Architecture, LLC. Environmental Center Executive Director Mike Riley cited the unique nature of the Living City Design Project, whose work cut across the center’s traditional award categories for individuals, organizations, and small and large businesses that have contributed to a more sustainable Central Oregon.

The Living City team, sponsored by Bend 2030, was formed early in 2011 to enter the International Living Cities Design Competition, sponsored by Cascadia Green Building Council and the International Living Future Institute. Its submission included a series of photorealistic images of a greener, more sustainable Bend based on the Council’s Living Building Challenge. Their entry focused on Downtown Bend, including a visualization of a proposed “Heritage Square” adjacent to City Hall and the Deschutes Public Library.

Among a field of entries from 31 countries, the Bend team made the competition’s juried round in Vancouver, B.C., alongside projects from Paris, Mumbai and Chicago. Their entry can be viewed at: http://www.ambientarch.com/living-cities-design-competition/

“The positive impacts of the Living City Design Project have rippled outward across our community,” said Riley, “generating ideas and energy for OSU Cascades’ four-year campus vision, the City of Bend’s Central Area Plan, Bend 2030’s recent Accelerate Bend vision update process and a proposed ‘ecodistrict’ project to promote more sustainable local neighborhoods in Bend.”

In addition to Ames and the Stemaches, the original Living City team included Garrett Kroll, a UO architecture student, and Mary-Allison Meyer, a student in COCC’s Sustainable Building Advisor course. Technical support was provided by Matt Shinderman, OSU Cascades; M.L. Vidas, Chair of Cascadia Green Building Council; Ruth Williamson, Immediate Past Chair of Bend 2030; Brian Rankin, City of Bend Planning Division; and Morgan Brown, President of Whole Water Systems, LLC.

About Bend 2030

The Bend 2030 board of volunteers is a community-based volunteer organization dedicated to implementing a long-term vision for future growth and sustainability of our community. Created by some 7,000 residents and endorsed by the Bend City Council, the Bend 2030 Vision has been implemented through the efforts of 63 partner organizations. Since 2006, over 90 percent of the action items are underway or complete. Recent update process to Bend 2030 Vision, Accelerate Bend, added 21 fresh new ideas to the original plan, re-engaging the community and updating our community’s vision plan.

For more information: Jodie Barram, 541-408-5099, jodiebarram@live.com.