Overview

Susan and Jill were asked to create a series of interpretive features throughout the new riverfront park, that focus on ways that the Willamette River has shaped - and been shaped by - Eugene’s unique story. The intention of our design was to make the pedestrian experience integrated and alive, rather than just adding signs.

The interpretive features, all created from bronze, draw upon three site -specific themes: Energy, Ecology and Culture. The “Energy” work takes inspiration from the forms and function of the nearby steam plant, which transformed river water into heat and light for the citizens of Eugene. The “Ecology” works are integrated seating elements that illustrate the diverse habitats of the river area over millenia. The “Cultural” work is a work of reconciliation that takes form as a community drinking fountain, telling the stories of the African American community who was once made to live across the bridge from the City of Eugene without access to clean drinking water.