I applaud the Roux family‘s choice of Portland as the Roux Institute’s home, and Northeastern University as its academic partner, an international leader in cooperative education. If the institute achieves its ambitious vision and goals, it will be a welcome addition to the economic, civic, social and intellectual life of this city and region.

There is much to admire, as well, in the institute’s modified application – the workforce and transportation measures, reduction in retail space, community advisory body, sustainability charter and public open space. I happily support the institutional overlay zone, which will enable incremental site plan proposals for public review.

An area of concern is the massive scale of the institute’s original application and concept drawings. On this waterfront site, less mass than shown would serve it well, even at the expense of greenspace if necessary. As we look toward the site plans that will follow the zoning change, we must ask: Will the proposed designs understand the context, be authentic to this city and region and reflect our shared values and history? Or will they represent a slavish imitation of high-tech industry campuses elsewhere in the nation, and become yet another windswept repetition of the soulless architecture that abounds in today’s world?

The opportunity is great for Roux to create a campus that is at once pleasing to the eye, a credit to the city, widely appreciated and deeply valued. If done well, it will appear in the end as if it had long been here.

Richard Barringer
Portland