Major Portland Cultural Draw Finishes $33M Expansion
The Portland Japanese Garden's $33.5M, 20-month expansion has been completed. The expansion is the result of years of fundraising on behalf of the garden, which is one of Portland's top draws for visitors. The work did not change the garden itself, but rather the surrounding area, executing a concept by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who also designed the new National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Oregon Live reports.
The expansion of the garden in Washington Park involved adding 3.4 acres to the 9.1-acre site. The addition includes a new educational facility, an event space and a welcome center landscaped with cascading ponds. Thousands of trees and shrubs were planted for the expansion, and a 185-foot "castle wall" built using centuries-old Japanese techniques.
The Japanese Garden Society, the nonprofit that runs the garden, oversaw the expansion. Portland Parks & Recreation renewed the garden's lease in 2014 at no cost and granted the additional acres for the expansion.
