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Visitor Use Management: Guidelines for an Effective Framework

Posted on by OTAK Team

With great success generating interest in natural landscapes have come great challenges in preserving them.

An iconic steward of American history and culture, the National Park Service (NPS) is an organization with deep roots in maintaining our nation’s natural spaces and historical and cultural heritage. We have, among others, the efforts of Stephen T. Mather – the first Director of NPS in 1916 – to thank for building public and political support for national parks. His vision is one of trailblazing and appreciation for sublime natural landscapes. In fact, upon his death, a gold plaque was placed in every national park in the U.S., inscribed with “There will never come an end to the good he has done.” The practice of visitor use management (VUM) now carries on that tradition of doing good with our natural landscapes and historic places.

The Rise of Visitor Use

In the early years of the National Park Service, the challenge for Mather and others was to attract visitors to the national parks to build a constituency and the support needed to sustain them. Early campaigns to promote the national parks included development of grand hotels in crown jewel parks, like the Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park and Paradise Inn in Mount Rainier National Park. Travel to the national parks by railroad was promoted as a thrilling adventure to explore the west. In the 1950’s, an effort referred to as “Mission 66” focused on building facilities and services to promote visitor use and recreation.

These efforts, coupled with the development of the interstate system, growing environmental awareness in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and increasing leisure time and wealth among Americans resulted in extraordinary growth in visitation to the National Park System. As the NPS celebrated its centennial in 2016, there were more than 300 million recreation visits to the National Park System that year.

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Arches National Park – Visitor Use Study

Credit: National Park Service, South East Utah Group and Steve Bumgardner

Visitor Use Today: Success Fueling Challenges

In recent years, the trend of rising visitation to national parks has reached unprecedented levels, with several parks recording historic levels of monthly and annual visitation. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the outdoors representing a space for safe recreation, was a key factor in driving current trends and levels of visitation.

The rise in popularity of national parks is, without question, a story of great success. The millions of visitors to the National Park System have opportunities for profound experiences that can positively impact them for a lifetime. Yet, increasing amounts and types of visitor use in our national parks can present challenges too. For example, during busy periods in some parks, lines of traffic may form at park entrances, visitors may have difficulty finding parking, and crowding may occur in visitor centers, on trails, and at attractions.

We work with our clients to help them address these opportunities and challenges through the practice of visitor use management. In Mathers’ spirit, we seek to understand how people interact with a park’s significant resources in a meaningful way to develop a deeper appreciation of and sense of stewardship for America’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage.

In this piece, we take a deep dive into the practice of visitor use management and explain how it provides a framework for our work with our clients.

What Does Visitor Use Management Mean?

Visitor use management is the proactive and adaptive practice of identifying strategies and actions to accommodate visitor use while protecting park resources as well as the quality and character of visitor experiences.

Not only is visitor use management relevant to our work, it’s also relevant to anyone who may visit a national park or related protected area. It’s the art of articulating desired conditions for park resources and visitors’ experiences and evaluating on-the-ground practices to learn and adapt over time.

A Dual-Mission Land Use Mandate

Visitor use management is a balancing act. Professionals in this sphere need to be mindful of their goals — providing opportunities for people to enjoy these sites and understanding how that affects park resources, park operations, and the experiences of other visitors. Effective visitor use management incorporates environmental ethics and education, ultimately encouraging visitors to become stewards of national parks and everything they represent.

All things considered, the goal is ultimately to strike a proper balance between the opportunities and challenges presented by national parks. The visitor use management framework is designed to provide a systematic basis for helping address these challenges.

Graphic showing process of visitor use management framework implementation

Why Use A Visitor Use Management Framework?

Developed by the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council (IVUMC), the IVUMC Framework provides a systematic, transparent, and legally defensible method for putting visitor use management principles into practice.

The framework has deep historical roots in how visitor use of national parks, national forests and similar public land recreation areas have been monitored and adaptively managed. The framework represents the latest iteration of a long-standing commitment to indicator-based, adaptive visitor use management.

Elements of a Visitor Use Management Framework

Together, the elements of the visitor use management framework are grounded in thinking about and developing statements of desired conditions while establishing indicators that can be monitored in the process of meeting those conditions.

The visitor use management framework provides a guide for navigating the process of defining those elements and there are some key concepts incorporated into the framework:

Establishing Desired Conditions

Desired conditions represent an important part of the foundation for addressing visitor use management in parks. Desired conditions are narrative statements that describe the ideal quality, character, and conditions of park resources to be protected while considering visitor experiences that enhance public use and enjoyment.

It is the responsibility and privilege of the National Park Service to specify desired conditions for national park resources and visitor experiences.

Identifying Indicators

Indicators are measurable proxies for desired conditions that can be monitored to track changes in park resources and visitors’ experiences associated with recreation use. For example, the number of encounters with other groups per hour while hiking is an indicator related to the quality and character of visitors’ experiences.

Good indicators are those that can be easily and reliably measured, are related to and representative of desired conditions, and are responsive to visitor use management actions. In cases where managing use according to numeric user capacities is needed, indicators must also be directly related to the amounts and types of recreation use.

Types of Indicators

Social indicators, such as hiking encounters, the number of people at one time at boat ramps, and similar, tend to be directly related to changes in the types and amounts of recreation use and provide a reliable basis for managing recreation use according to numeric user capacities, where necessary.

In contrast, natural resource-related indicators generally do not have direct and reliably quantifiable relationships to recreation use levels except in extreme low use situations (e.g., trail-less/cross country zones, foot trails with less than 50 to 250 hikers per year). Nonetheless, resource-related indicators should be monitored, and adaptive resource management actions should be taken to protect park resources from impacts.

Managing the characteristics of visitor use (e.g., to concentrate use on established trail treads, road surfaces, and other established recreation resources and facilities, to promote low-impact use behaviors and patterns, etc.) is the most effective method for limiting or reducing recreation use impacts to natural resource-related indicators.

Setting Thresholds and Triggers

Thresholds in visitor use management are the minimally acceptable conditions of indicators to maintain desired conditions. Thresholds should be precise, time-bounded, and outcomes of recreation use rather than types or amounts of recreation use themselves.

Like thresholds, triggers are quantifiable conditions of indicators; they represent points at which adaptive management actions are needed to ensure the conditions of indicators do not cross thresholds. In other words, triggers are designed to support proactive visitor use management to protect park resources and visitors’ experiences from adverse impact, while allowing for recreation use and public enjoyment.

Estimating Numeric User Capacities

When they are necessary, numeric user capacities are estimated based on quantifiable relationships between the types and amounts of recreation use and the conditions of use-related indicators. The best available data are used to estimate the maximum amount of recreation use that can be accommodated without crossing thresholds for user capacity indicators.

For example, trail counter data could be correlated with observations from encounter patrols to estimate the maximum number of people who can hike in a river corridor without crossing a threshold for the number of encounters hikers have with other groups per hour or day. Numeric user capacities are not always needed or applicable.

Developing Visitor Use Management Strategies

Within the IVUMF, visitor use management strategies and actions are developed to achieve desired conditions.

Visitor use management strategies and actions are generally categorized as indirect techniques designed to achieve desired conditions without directly regulating visitors’ choices and behaviors, or direct techniques that may be required when indirect techniques are not enough.

Infographic of indirect visitor use management strategies
Indirect techniques aim to influence or modify behavior
Infographic of direct visitor use management strategies
Direct techniques regulate behavior

Long-Term Monitoring and Adaptive Management

A systematic monitoring program provides the structure to measure indicators and assess their conditions in relation to triggers and thresholds on a recurring basis. Monitoring results provide the basis to determine if actions are needed to adapt management of recreation use to protect natural, cultural, and historical resources from adverse impacts.

Visitor Use Management Use Cases

While still fairly new in practice (the IVUMC was founded in 2011) applications of the visitor use management framework have quickly become prevalent in the National Park System as well as other public land recreation areas.

Visitor Use Management in National Parks

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park provides unique and important recreation opportunities to regional, national, and international visitors. In 2021, the National Park Service (NPS) reported just over four million recreation visits to the park, marking an increase of over 50% in the past decade. This surge in visitation created a number of visitor use management challenges in the park.

View the Acadia Project
View of crowded parking from Acadia Visitor Use Study
View of crowding in Acadia National Park, prior to implementing the IVUMF

Visitor Use Management in National Forests

United States Forest Service: Wild and Scenic Rivers Visitor Use Management

The United States Forest Services is responsible for managing Wild and Scenic Rivers on lands within their jurisdiction. Part of this responsibility includes fulfilling the visitor use management and visitor capacity mandate of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968).

View the USFS Project Page
View of studies at park conduced for USFS
Image from USFS visitor use study

Visitor Use Management in Local, County and State Parks

Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS)

Over the years, the Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) system in Colorado experienced rapid growth in visitation numbers. Various issues were addressed by applying visitor use management principles to develop an access management strategy for popular sites in the JCOS system.

View the JCOS Project Page
View of parking congestion in Jefferson County Open Space
Parking image from Jefferson County Open Space study

Don Hanson’s Retirement: A Lasting Legacy in Landscape, Planning and Design

Posted on by OTAK Team

Community impact, quality design, and a lasting legacy—all of these are phrases that describe the work of Don Hanson, senior advisor of our planning and landscape architecture division, who has announced his well-deserved retirement. It’s a bittersweet day at Otak, however, we are taking this opportunity to reflect on and commend Don’s work throughout his illustrious career.

A Certified Expert

For the past 37 years at Otak, Don has become a lauded expert in residential, mixed-use commercial, and industrial development work. He also has extensive project experience with public parks/recreation, open space, and streetscape improvements. Greater still, Don served as chairman of the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission and was a member of the commission for 10 years, setting development and land use policies for the entire Portland Metro Area.

To say Don’s career has been impactful would be an understatement.  Though it’s hard to pick just one of the many projects he’s worked on, we’re zooming in on a few key projects that highlight Don’s legacy both at Otak and in our greater community:

The Project Breakdown

Center Commons—Portland, OR

  • Don’s Role: Serving as the Principal Planner, this project involved the preparation of a master plan and highly detailed site design, as well as a land use approval process coupled with public involvement.
  • Project Highlights
    • This work is regarded by TriMet, the Portland Development Commission, and the neighborhood as a model for transit-oriented development and in-fill development in Portland’s station area districts.
    • The project includes 314 units of housing at both market and affordable rates, housing for seniors, as well as for-sale townhomes. Retail space, a daycare center, and management offices are also provided.
    • The focal point for Center Commons is a “woonerf” space that congregates cars, pedestrians, a playground, a bosque of trees, parking, drop-off zones, and generous sidewalks that provide shortcuts to transit. The development is located adjacent to the 60th and Glisan station of the MAX LRT line.
View the Center Commons Project
Aerial view of Columbia Knoll

Columbia Knoll—Portland, OR

  • Don’s Role: As the Principal Planner/Landscape Architect for this project, Columbia Knoll is a mixed-income redevelopment project located on the ten-acre historic Shriners Hospital site in northeast Portland.
  • Project Highlights
    • The redevelopment includes affordable senior independent and congregate housing, as well as affordable family housing, a day-care facility, a community center, and market rate-for-sale townhomes.
    • The 334 housing units are configured in two, three, and four-story structures that are carefully sited to preserve mature existing trees and the historic Shriners front lawn on Sandy Boulevard.
    • The project required detailed coordination with the state Housing Office, the Portland Development Commission, the Historic Landmarks Commission, and an extensive public outreach program with five neighborhood associations. We also worked closely with the NE coalition of neighborhoods throughout the process.
View the Columbia Knoll Project
Aerial View of Villebois streetscape

Villebois—Wilsonville, OR

  • Don’s Role: Serving as both Principal and Master Planner, this project is in the countryside west of Wilsonville.
  • Project Highlights
    • Villebois is a spectacular 480-acre site where residential neighborhoods include forests, open spaces, ponds, walking trails, and magnificent vistas. Working in close coordination with the master planner and the City of Wilsonville, Don oversaw the design of a cohesive street and site network that encompasses 135 acres of single-family residences, parks, and open spaces, while preserving the natural features of the site.
    • Individual projects within Villebois include residential subdivision developments, engineering of public roads and private alleys, utility infrastructure design, water quality and detention ponds, and enhancement and creation of wetlands. Final design elements include greenways, trails, neighborhood and regional parks, a future community swim center, and entry monuments.
View the Villebois Project

Involvement and Affiliations

Not only has Don’s skill set had an indelible impact on Otak’s project work, his involvement and community affiliations outside of work set him apart as a luminary in the field and his extensive resume reflects that. Some of the groups Don was a part of, and even led, include:

  • Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission, Past Chair and Former Member
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI)
  • Former Development Review Advisory Committee: City of Portland
  • Former Citizen Advisory Committee Member reviewing the Title 34 Land Development Ordinance: Portland, Oregon
  • Former Stakeholder Advisory Group Member for Vision 2000: Portland, Oregon
  • Committee Member reviewing the Urban Renewal Districts Status: Portland, Oregon
  • Former Downtown Design Review Board Member: Vancouver, WA

Passing the Torch

With a dedicated planning & landscape architecture team now led by staff like our own David Sacamano, Business Unit Leader for our Oregon and Southwest Washington Planning and Landscape Architecture team, Otak will continue to deliver on dynamic projects in Don’s spirit and bring not only our whole selves, but also our expertise to projects in the future. It’s a practice that Don ensured was integral to Otak’s success, and it will continue to be so in our future operations.

Take a closer look at how we celebrated Don’s legacy as an Otakian in this digital booklet and join us in bidding a fond farewell to Don as he begins this well-deserved new chapter.

Thank you, Don—you’ve made Otak a better place.

Take a quick peek at Don’s career below:

Staff Spotlight: Adreanna Broussard’s Path of Identity, Disruption and Pushing Boundaries in Professional Engineering

Posted on by OTAK Team

Otak takes pride in highlighting new members of our team who remind us of our core values. Meet Adreanna Broussard, project controls analyst with TWG, and the subject of today’s staff spotlight.

Craving Disruption

Adreanna Broussard knew from an early point in her career she wanted to play an active role in the built environment. A voracious learner, she had early dreams of getting into architectural engineering, however the University of Texas at San Antonio, her alma mater, did not offer that degree. Faced with uncertainty about her next steps, she leaned on her family for guidance.

“I craved the disruption that civil [engineering] provides. It’s a comfortability with being uncomfortable that has made me a better professional and better able tackle challenges within a constantly changing industry.”

Adreanna Broussard

With her father an electrical engineer and her mother a nurse, the values of hard work and determination saw her take an interest in civil engineering. Adreanna identified the value of the field as part of the same world, where she could make an impact on how communities are built and experienced. She was drawn to the dynamic factors of the profession. In her words, “I craved the disruption that civil [engineering] provides. It’s a comfortability with being uncomfortable that has made me a better professional and better able tackle challenges within a constantly changing industry.”

What is a Professional Engineer (PE)?

A PE, or Professional Engineer certification, signifies that one is recognized by the state as an owner of their work and an expert in the field. Adreanna says a PE opens the doors of the engineering world, enabling those who earn it to work independently, as a consultant, or as an integral member of different firms helping guide projects along. Upon gaining the certification, she will be able to officially sign and stamp official documents as the PIC, and further elevate her aspirations of becoming a luminary in the industry.

Applied Learning

Adreanna credits her hands-on work in civil engineering after completing her degree for making her the well-rounded professional she is today. With an understanding of how projects work on the ground level, she’s able to make quick decisions and see the big picture. As a current project controls analyst, she’s responsible for scheduling, monitoring cost, and managing a wide scope of factors that come with reporting on a project’s lifecycle. However, like a true Otakian, she seeks to continuously improve and grow her skillset. She’s currently doing this by studying for her PE exam, with plans to take the test in November.

Practicing Preparation

When asked about her approach to preparing for the exam, Adreanna emphasizes while studying is important, it goes deeper than textbooks, and she draws on her experience from the totality of her career. She’s seen firsthand and worked with the people who bring design plans to life, and her early opportunities allowed her to wear many different hats, gaining experience with every aspect of the design-build process from paperwork to planning.

Like her, the test is practical. A believer in the power of education and like a true engineer, she loves to learn and take things apart, understanding the science and the art behind building a structure. There’s also an ethical component to the exam, which aligns deeply with her belief in equitable placemaking and community building. Unafraid to bury herself in a practice test or book, Adreanna’s tenacity gives her confidence and motivation to keep studying, to keep working, and keep being the best she can be.

Identity and Aspiration

While looking to elevate herself within the industry, she is also mindful of the space she inhabits within it. It’s no secret the AEC industry, especially in positions of leadership, lacks a diversity and depth of perspective from female leaders as well as leaders of color. She acknowledges this reality, yet views it as an opportunity to rise to the occasion. For this, she relies on experience she’s gained outside of work as a Division I NCAA basketball referee. A similarly male-dominated world, she is well-versed in making her voice heard, her decisions final, and her respect earned not just from her identity, but her experience as a professional. Being a referee taught her how to be accountable, how to carry herself with a professional demeanor, and how to navigate complex and high-stakes situations. She says she draws on this experience almost every day. Adreanna wants to be that leader that breaks the ceiling, and knows what she brings to the table.

Adreanna’s Role Within Otak

To say Broussard’s experience is valuable would be an understatement. She knows her value, and was seeking an employer who understood it too. Dave Hawkins, principal at TWG, knew this and brought Adreanna on without hesitation. When asked about her experience since coming under the Otak umbrella, she emphasizes her appreciation for our community of people, our culture, and our network to which she now has access. Otak is proud to have someone like Broussard among our ranks, and her value, especially from us, will only grow as she grows.

When asked what she would tell potential engineers looking to advance their careers, her advice is to be patient, go at your own pace, and be aware that not all journeys are linear. Every experience is unique, and Broussard emphasizes that her journey, while different, only makes her a stronger professional and a better person.

We’re excited to see her career grow at Otak. Well done Adreanna!

Learn More about Working at Otak

Philip Pittsenbarger Earns Green Globes Certification

Posted on by OTAK Team

It’s time again for Otak to laud a member of our staff who’s taken tangible steps toward being a more sustainable, environmentally conscious professional. Congratulations to our own Phillip Pittsenbarger, project architect, on earning his Green Globes certification.

Philip joined Otak’s architecture group 5½ years ago, specializing in multi-family housing and hospitality, and has current work in our public sector practice. Since college, sustainability has always been a primary interest of his due to his strong connection with the outdoors. He saw the need to tie nature and the built environment together, and strove to become a designer capable of doing their work with the least amount of impact on the planet possible. His portfolio includes projects at the federal and state levels, including for national parks.

Why Green Globes?

Philip saw the greater push for more accredited professionals within our architecture group, and wanted to pursue something different than a standard LEED certification. He identified Green Globes as an alternative thanks to its growing popularity among public projects, and wanted to learn about sustainable building principles and use it as a framework to keep in mind on any project. To him, all projects should be as sustainable as possible, and with emphasis on energy-efficient envelopes, water conservation, and sustainable materials, he began his work on earning the certification.

What is Green Globes?

Green Globes is a green building accreditation available to professionals who work in the built environment. According to the Green Building Initiative (GBI), Green Globes is a comprehensive, science-based building rating system that supports a wide range of new construction and existing building project types. Environmental objectives pursued through Green Globes lead to lower energy and water bills, reduced emissions, optimized health and wellness benefits, and minimized waste.

When asked about what his accreditation allows him to do, Philip defined the process as one of technical mastery and attention to detail. He directly interfaces with a Green Globes auditor, and works to facilitate meetings, organize paperwork, and be the lead on the overall sustainability efforts on any given project he might be working on. He says Green Globes does a great job of integrating sustainability into the overall design-build process, so things are not value-engineered out of the project.

Future Work

The hallmark of Philip’s efforts comes back to one value of his—that sustainability is not a money issue but a central aspect of any project. Through this recent certification, Philip is able to understand important benchmarks and track the health of a project all while getting owners recognition for their sustainable, resilient building. The system is far from perfect, but to Philip, it’s a good start.

Congratulations, Philip, and we look forward to supporting the rest of your project work on our team.

Team Spotlight: Project Controls

Posted on by OTAK Team

Otak continues to grow the depth and breadth of our capabilities. With the acquisition of Tarr Whitman Group (TWG), an advanced project controls firm, it enables us to unveil a new practice area to better serve our clients and aid them in making informed, data-driven decisions at all stages of a project’s lifecycle.

What is project controls, and what is advanced project controls?

Project controls is scope, schedule, and budget. It is the core of project and contract management for projects. But how does this help our clients?

According to TWG President Walter Tarr, project controls comes down to data management and communication. Our new team members specialize in reporting on projects and programs. They help define the success metrics and reporting systems for project managers, clients, and other stakeholders in a digestible fashion, allowing for quick decisions that are rooted in data science and relevant forecasts on things like cost impacts, notices, timelines, and risks involved in a project. Advanced project controls means our new team can provide the software, systems, resources, and processes for large projects and programs.

See a Need, Fill a Need

Tarr saw the need for this service early on in his career. He noticed while working at a construction management firm that larger organizations weren’t getting the most out of their data, or were often making decisions that were reactive, rather than proactive when it comes to project and contract management. Thanks to existing relationships with owners and decision-makers at other firms and the niche market in which it existed, TWG was born as a one-stop for project controls services with both him and Dave Hawkins at the helm.

An Art and a Science

Tarr emphasizes that while project controls is highly technical, there’s an art to it as well. Professionals in this sphere need to be jacks-of-all-trades, having a deep understanding of factors like scheduling, software, cost, construction management, design, and risk management around a project. Greater still, one must be able to communicate this information so PM’s and PIC’s can make decisions at a glance. It’s a trade that involves both macro-level understanding and micro-level attention to detail. To Tarr, TWG is more along the lines of being business managers, helping stakeholders understand where their project as a business sits, and addressing both known and unknown issues—a concept that’s rare in the industry today.

The Differentiator

projectcontrols.online home page

To tackle the herculean task of making sense of multi-million (and sometimes billion) dollar programs, Tarr created Projectcontrols.online, as simple web app born out of a dissatisfaction with existing project reporting system tools and their pricing structures. Most of these tools try to solve the same problem of how to roll up and monitor projects in an easy way, and Projectcontrols.online does just that in a way that doesn’t require endless input from the user. What’s more, the app allows for easy communication of results which is suited for PM’s concerned with the day-to-day. By utilizing project controls, those same PM’s can look ahead and begin to make projections anywhere from one month to one year ahead of time. Firms immediately saw the value in Tarr’s work, and TWG got brought onto high-profile projects as a result.

The Projects

SR 520 for WSDOT – floating bridge program

To view TWG’s body of work is to become acquainted with some of the most high-profile programs in the Puget Sound region. The Sound Transit Eastlink Program, Lynnwood Link Light Rail, SR 520 for WSDOT, and the Port of Seattle are all examples of the exemplary work TWG has done as part of Otak’s broader portfolio of projects. These huge projects align with TWG’s business model—land programs with high capital allowances and high price ceilings. The combination of the work and the approach have made TWG successful.

The Team and the Future

When asked about essential members of his team that make TWG’s work possible, Tarr immediately recognized Brian Muñoz, Warren Jordan, and Tim Sattler as key players in the project controls division who allow the firm to deliver on its promises. As projects only get larger and more complex, Tarr sees the need to continue to grow his team to meet the demand for project controls in the industry as a whole. With greater access to private work via the merger with Otak, Tarr is confident that the relationship will continue to bear fruit and ultimately make both firms stronger.

Please join us in giving a long overdue welcome to the TWG team, and we’re excited to see how this practice area evolves along with our operations.

Welcome, TWG!

Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation: 4 Elements of Resilient Design

Posted on by OTAK Team

For coastal communities, resilience design has shifted from nice-to-have to necessary

With a rapidly warming planet and increasing ferocity of weather patterns, coastal adaptation through resilience design has an added emphasis for today’s built environments.

It’s for good reason too. Currently, more than 50% of the US population ­– some 164 million Americans ­– live in coastal watershed communities while generating 58% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). And that number is only growing as more than 1.2 million move to the coast each year.

These coastal communities often bear the brunt of unpredictable weather and seismic events. Vulnerable communities like these must be resilient by design, and able to bounce back after even the most intense storm, tidal wave, earthquake or other catastrophic event.

Sustainability in planning and design, a core tenant of Otak’s mission, aligns directly with an approach to coastal adaptation. In this piece, we’ll discuss how a focus on coastal adaptation planning and resilience design translates into stronger coastal infrastructure and communities, at a time when they’re needed more than ever.

Read along or skip ahead below:

What is Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Design?

Coastal Resilience is defined as “building the ability of a community to bounce back after hazardous events such as hurricanes, coastal storms, and flooding—rather than simply reacting to impacts.”

Resilient design is a matter of preparedness, of being ready for natural hazards before they happen, and of informing clients to be aware of all factors in the design-build process. For example, the overdue cascadia earthquake presents a significant challenge in designing along the coastal fault line. Decisions and plans need to be made to anticipate and mitigate these environmental inevitabilities.

Graph illustrating the operability resilient buildings over time with an emergency event
An illustration of how resilience design allows for quick recovery and multi-purpose utility of building operations during a catastrophic event

Why is Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Design Important?

Such high priority is placed on the resilient design of coastal communities for a variety of reasons. Among them is the simple fact that it’s a matter of survival. Not just the survival of the people in that community, but also the survival of critical infrastructures like power grids, water management systems, bridges, and schools.

This causes us to ask unique questions when we go to work. For instance, how will this community function when, not if, a major environmental event happens? How can existing structures be made into multi-use facilities in times of crisis? Most of all, how can the community adapt to these impacts? It all comes back to how these questions are answered during resilience design and planning.

4 Elements of Coastal Adaptation and Resilience

While there are a variety of variables that come with each specific situation and environment, there are also some overarching factors that impact any coastal resilience planning. These factors help assess vulnerabilities, investigate possible solutions, and set priorities among options that address those highest risks.

Graphic displaying the elements of coastal adaptation and resilience design

As a foundation for designers and planners, these factors can help communities, cities, regions, and governments quantify their vulnerability and risk, while prioritizing people, ecosystems, and economics into their plans.

1. Structurally Sound Built Environments

The first step to designing these communities is making sure all buildings are structurally and architecturally sound. 

Regional specifics inform these design choices for coastal structures, like adding stilts to houses to account for sea-level rise, among others. It’s about taking a long-term view of creating a space, being mindful of how the community lifecycle will function in 50-100 years into the future.

2. Design for Environmental Sensitivities

Local environments have a direct impact on the vulnerabilities and potential hazards that need to be considered during coastal resilience planning. Those details, such as water restoration, also factor into the design of structures themselves and how recovery will affect the surrounding area.

Especially when talking about environmentally sensitive sites, the design should match those nuances and be able to respond to the natural environment accordingly. This can inform decisions down to the last detail. For example, the choice between building with stainless versus galvanized steel can be critical in ensuring the resilience of the structure.

3. Efficiency and Sustainability in Upkeep and Recovery

As hazards and extreme events become more commonplace, the question now often becomes not how does coastal adaptation planning avoid damage, but rather, how does it allow structures (and communities) to recover after the fact?

What happens in the aftermath of a catastrophic event can be equally, if not more important than what happens during. The ability for infrastructure to remain functional, despite sustaining damage, can be all the difference when the fundamentals for survival are at a premium.

How a built environment operates outside of a catastrophic event also has an impact. Limiting the amount of maintenance and upkeep increases preparedness while efficiency and sustainability factors help ensure that built environment isn’t contributing to the underlying causes of climate change while also keeping the costs of waste at a minimum.

4. Planning for Community Vulnerabilities

The process of coastal adaptation and resilience is a constant state of analysis, an ongoing attempt to answer the question of how these communities will function both before and after a catastrophic event.

Building resilience into planning is ultimately about protecting people and saving lives. And it’s important to recognize that certain areas or demographics of a single community can often be more susceptible to these conditions than others. Addressing these disparities should come through in the design of infrastructure and the intent behind its built environments.

Adaptive-use structures, or buildings with more than one purpose, are just one way to account for this issue. This means designing spaces like schools that can become shelters with their own generators in case of power grid failure, or we add height to bridges to account for flooding. When we design with intention of keeping people safe, communities are better able to respond on their own until help arrives and are ultimately more prepared to survive.

Designed bridge to replace the second-most-hazardous in the state
Pre-Existing Structure
Designed bridge to replace the second-most-hazardous in the state
2D Modeling for 100-Year-Planning
Designed bridge to replace the second-most-hazardous in the state
Construction of Three-Span Bridge
Designed bridge to replace the second-most-hazardous in the state
Once considered the second most hazardous bridge in Oregon, Lommen Bridge was at risk of collapse. Using the latest resilience technology, Otak replaced the structure while designing for sustainable elements like rain gardens, erosion control, and drainage features.

How to Approach Coastal Adaptation with Resilience Design

While there are a multitude of factors that must be accounted for when planning a community’s resilience design, the approach is often threefold:

  1. Assess regional risk in resilience design by understanding the locations, unique environmental factors, cost details, and most importantly opportunities for improvement in any building phase.
  2. Plan how structures will function during hazardous events, and be converted for multiple uses in times of crisis.
  3. Consider the sustainability of the structure and how it will be used 50-100 years from now, understanding the current carbon footprint and how to reduce it.

However, there are societal and social factors that go into how resilient communities are designed which should also be taken into account.

Identifying Social Factors

It is critical to note here that climate change and weather events affect lower-income and homeless groups to a higher degree than those with more resources. Clients need to be advised of the social impacts their projects entail because there is a relationship between homeless populations and how we plan for resiliency.

The lack of reasonable, low-income housing is just one issue that exacerbates this reality, which is why resilient communities must account for the whole of the population. Encouraging clients to think about these ideas ultimately makes for a stronger structure that can serve everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background.

Accounting for Climate Change Adaptation

While designing with resilience in mind, it’s imperative for coastal communities that projects come down to client goals. It’s important to gauge how clients feel they play into a municipality’s ability to adapt, using this information to inform how we present solutions to their problems.

During resilience planning and design, it’s of utmost importance to stress what the intent of the development truly aims to accomplish. Again, all pieces of infrastructure must be structurally and architecturally sound while meeting those goals.

The result is a resilient community with that also benefits from a reduced carbon footprint in the process.

Designed bridge to replace the second-most-hazardous in the state
Climate Change is Impacting the Risks Faced by Coastal Communities Including Increased Flooding

Lake Shorelines versus Ocean Shorelines

It’s also important to note, not all coastlines are the same. Resilience on shorelines doesn’t just apply to coastal communities. In fact, inland lake shorelines (not to mention river, creek and other shorelines with their own unique properties) must also be planned with a resilient design top of mind. The differences are plenty, however, there is a key distinction between the two.

For instance, if a coastline is not fraught with natural disasters every day, clients can take advantage of good weather conditions by harnessing alternative energy sources like solar power, wind power, and hydraulic power.

Inland lakes lack a tidal risk factor, meaning that communities along ocean shorelines must contend with events like king tides, or tidal shifts that can drastically affect the ferocity of coastal storms. While wind hazards are risk factors for both types of shorelines, there are decisions that need to be made when dealing with one versus the other.

Coastal Resilience Examples: How Otak Builds Resilience in Coastal Communities

Much like the weather events we’ve discussed, Otak’s work is also defined by intersections, and one of the biggest of these is the relationship between our built and natural environment. So, what makes our approach unique?

For one, Otak’s experience is multinational, meaning we have experience across different types of coastlines worldwide and have utilized design solutions that other firms may not have access to.

As a globally positioned organization, Otak has a unique vantage point that cannot be replicated. Just one example of our experience with different locales is our work for the Nestucca Valley School District, a rural educational model that satisfies our requirements of resiliency in an area at risk of wildfires. The school was renovated for existing students but designed for the whole community as a multi-use facility. With a full generator system, and grass fields big enough for helicopter transport, the school can house 3000 people with full power for 3-4 days.

Aerial view of Nustucca Valley Campus
Nestucca Valley Emergency Use Project

Second, Otak’s experience with public infrastructure sets us apart. Not only are we designing for structures that can stand up to harsh weather events, but we’re also planning for how quickly these buildings can bounce back, post-event. This can affect systems like a community’s water supply, wastewater management, and transportation infrastructure.

That’s why we build redundancies into existing systems. From making sure bridges are high enough to account for sea-level rise, to making sure secondary routes are available for evacuated motorists, to installing multiple pipelines in case of earthquakes. When it comes to resilience design, Otak’s work with coastal communities means we can walk our talk.

Want to discover more sustainable projects? Check out more examples of our work in sustainable, resilient design spaces and see how they aim to serve every aspect of the community.

Explore Our Sustainable Work

Introducing the PMCM Internship Program

Posted on by OTAK Team

When it comes to nurturing talent, Otak is working in numerous ways to bolster our teams with new, fresh and, diverse minds ready to take on the complexities of elevating our built environment now and in the future.

Our previous work with the ACE Scholarship Program of Oregon, where we donated school supplies to high school students going on to earn degrees in architecture, engineering, or construction, is just one example of this commitment.

PMCM Internship Program: The First Look

This is why we’re happy to say OtakCPM, our comprehensive project management (PMCM) division, has taken this idea and expanded it with one of Otak’s first internship programs. An idea that started on sticky note cards, the program quickly grew to four people strong.

Otak would like to give recognition to Grant Eldridge, project manager for OtakCPM, who spearheaded the program with the goal of hiring young, creative professionals in a time where hiring struggles are impacting firms nationwide.

PMCM Internship Program: The Benefits

The benefits of an internship with OtakCPM are threefold. First, it allows interns to be trained and familiarized with one method of operations and culture from the outset of their careers, whether they be engineers, architects, or project managers. When young people are able to learn and grow within one company and ultimately be hired, it doesn’t take as much effort to bring them up to speed.

Second, interns are given a clear path to being hired, and the goal is to hire all of them.  Interns get direct experience in a highly technical field, meaning they can be equipped with skills to make them more competitive. When provided with explicit instructions on how to improve and get hired, interns are that much more likely to be successful.

Third, interns have the opportunity to be new, fresh minds in an industry that is increasingly complex. They’re given a safe, open space to give their ideas, which is especially beneficial when the talent pool is diverse and competitive. Interns have an opportunity to change projects by bringing new ways of thinking even leadership might not have thought of previously. That’s why we’re so grateful to have them aboard, and we’re always looking for more.

Explore Internship Opportunities

To Eldridge, the ultimate goal is to bring resourceful talent into the owner’s rep world. So if getting hands-on experience in a rapidly changing field sounds like something you want to do, you’re invited to check out our careers page here and view our open internships OtakCPM. We’re always looking for young talent to nurture, so apply today and get started on the next step of your career.

New Employee Spotlight: Dave Hawkins

Posted on by OTAK Team

Our #EmployeeSpotlight shines on a brand new Otakian, one who has already enhanced our capabilities just by coming on board. Please give a warm welcome to Dave Hawkins, Principal at Tarr Whitman Group (TWG), a new division of Otak!

The Making of an Industry Leader

Dave is a graduate of the University of Washington (UW) with a B.S. in Building Construction, along with an MBA from the UW’s Foster School of Business. Dave’s connection with the UW runs deep, as his father even ran the College of Engineering. His career has spanned over 25 years on both the contractor and owner sides helping deliver some of the biggest capital projects and programs in the Pacific Northwest. He describes his expertise as the intersection of business and engineering, and his background includes contracts, value engineering, risk management, scheduling, and change management among others. Dave also loves the outdoors. He leads Canyoneering trips with the Seattle Mountaineers and is trained as a river raft guide. With more than enough experience under his belt and a shared love of natural spaces, Dave and the TWG team seemed like a prime fit into the Otak family.

New Horizons, New Services

Dave and the rest of the TWG team joined Otak in January 2022, and they have already hit the ground running in making our service lines stronger. The addition of TWG comes with the unveiling of Otak Project Controls. When asked what excites him about joining Otak, Dave said,

“Otak has an outstanding leadership team. We were impressed with the Otak team immediately. Otak and TWG plan to grow together and pursue what TWG does best – deliver mega projects and programs.”

To us, the feeling is mutual. We at Otak were immediately impressed with not only Dave as a leader, but also the TWG and their extensive, far-reaching body of work.

Past experience equals future success

Dave and TWG bring with them extensive program work at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Sound Transit, the Port of Seattle, Amgen, Microsoft, and even on the Blue Origin Rocket Program. Their legacy in the area has already expedited Otak’s access to major work programs across the Pacific Northwest. In the Puget Sound region, TWG has given Otak a platform for the growth of its construction management vision thanks to their existing relationships within the project controls sector. When asked about TWG’s past success, Dave gave deference to Walter Tarr, their President and CEO:

“Walter Tarr started the company 16 years ago and is a big part of our past and current successes. We also hired smart people who did great work. That great work built a lot of trust with our clients. Those clients keep coming back to us and asking us to do more.”

We wholeheartedly agree. Otak prides itself on being a team of leaders, and when more leaders come into the fold, we only get more agile, and more experienced.

The Same Great Service, Only Bigger

Dave stresses the importance of maintaining existing relationships with TWG clients, adding that as Otak becomes more capable, TWG does too:

Over time we believe our clients will come to understand that joining Otak brings additional service offerings that go way beyond what TWG has done for them. Our team now has the depth and breadth to prime bigger projects, get involved earlier in programs, and bring more service offerings to our existing clients.

It’s go big or go home at Otak, and when we find someone who exemplifies that value, we can’t help but find a way to bring them on board. We’re glad to have Dave and his team among our ranks, and there is no doubt that Otak and TWG will continue to grow together under the same umbrella.

Let’s hear it for Dave, and here’s to all the great things that Otak and TWG can accomplish together.

Project Spotlight: Revitalizing the Salem-Keizer School District

Posted on by OTAK Team

At Otak, we deal in cornerstones. Whether it be on a beautiful building or one of our values— cornerstones make us who we are in every sense of the word. One of these cornerstones is our projects, the work we do to elevate our communities and make them accessible, sustainable, and vibrant. Which is why when we were called upon to handle one of the biggest school bond programs in Oregon’s history, we welcomed the challenge, rolled up our sleeves, and got to work. 

This was the case in 2018, when voters approved a $619.7 million funding bond for the Salem-Keizer School District. The goals? Relieve overcrowding, expand vocational and science learning spaces, improve safety and security throughout the buildings, protect the public investment with planning for upgrading infrastructure, and expand the wireless network for improved access to technology in mind. With the bond addressing every educational and support building in the district, our multidisciplinary approach wasn’t just desired, it was vital to the project’s success.

Building a Team

The project needed a qualified manager. Looking no further than our own team, we tapped Bob Collins, PMP, CCM, to lead 19 other Otak employees in working with the district to ensure strong project planning and delivery. Tasked with developing a plan to make the district’s aspirations a reality, we provided management services so voters could be confident their tax dollars would be stretched for maximum benefit to students and the community.

Tools of the Trade

We utilized a variety of tools to accomplish this. First, we introduced the district to Smartsheet, a significantly less costly project management information system that allows for easy tracking of costs, tasks, and schedules. Smartsheet made it simple for them (and us) to cross-reference and standardize work so that each project optimally benefitted from the influx of funding.

Second, we developed a set of guiding principles and official specifications for the scope of work, establishing a clear roadmap to project completion. Serving as a guiding light for 25 pre-qualified, local contractors and architects, we provided an action plan that contended with the ambitions of the district. Our project management and construction management capabilities presented a direct benefit to this program, and were a key factor in how we won such a far-reaching project.

Reinforcing our Values

This all ties into Otak’s “Why.” When it comes to uplifting communities and elevating our built environment, we do those things not because it’s lucrative, but because the project has benefits that will last generations to come. We believe in creating places that will benefit the many, not just the few, and our growing experience with schools is a prime example. When students have adequate facilities for learning and growth, the benefit to society extends beyond our body of work, and instead translates to value-added approach that serves the public good.

In Bob’s own words, “We are actively matching and meeting the goals of the bond with all of the tools at our disposal. We do this by making taxpayer dollars stretch further with tools like Smartsheet, and through our expertise, we’re confident we can deliver facilities to students that need them.”

So, join us in celebrating the work we do that benefits scores of children within the Salem-Keizer district, and here’s to continued success as we leverage everything we can to accomplish this work for the good of all.

Black History Month: Contributions of Black Americans in the A/E/C Industry

Posted on by OTAK Team

Author: Millicent Williams

As we prepare to observe Black History Month here in the United States, we are reminded of the significant ways that Black Americans have contributed to and improved our communities through innovation. As we consider the Architecture and Engineering industry, one cannot separate the transformative nature of the work that we perform on a daily basis from the people who made so much of what we do possible. And even when we aren’t working, we see, use and enjoy inventions that Black Americans developed to improve our way of life.

Are you considering a roundabout as an engineering solution to improve traffic flow and relieve congestion? You can thank Benjamin Banneker, a watchmaker, almanac author and surveyor, who led the redesign of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) incorporating a series of traffic circles to address the misalignment of roads left by a previous roadway designer. Are you designing a signalized intersection? Look to the genius of Garrett A. Morgan who developed the three-light traffic signal. Do the streets that you designed need to be maintained?  Charles Brooks has just what you need – a motorized street sweeper.

Do you enjoy the variation in color that you are able to use when drafting engineering designs?  You can thank Mark Dean for co-inventing the IBM PC monitor. And speaking of computers, something that none of us can do without, the gigahertz chip – a revolutionary piece of technology that is able to do a billion calculations per second and is in every modern computer, was also invented by Mark Dean.

Designing a light rail corridor? Concerned about fuel efficiency and climate friendly solutions? Well, you can look to Granville T. Woods who invented the ‘troller,” a grooved metal wheel that allowed street cars (later known as “trolleys”) to collect electric power from overhead wires. And speaking of trains (or better stated, rail) don’t forget about the automatic car coupler (invented by Andrew Jackson Beard) because the railcars need to connect with ease.

Need to make a Teams or Zoom call? Make sure that your microphone (developed by James West) isn’t on mute!  It’s a good thing that we have Marian Croak’s voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) to keep us connected. And don’t forget to add a GIF before you end the meeting…thanks for the laughs, Lisa Gelobter. Taking a ride to the 8th floor on the elevator? The automatic elevator doors were invented by Alexander Miles over 100 years ago with design elements that have stood the test of time.

Are you going to take a client out for an afternoon of golf? Well, don’t forget the golf tees created by Dr. George Grant.  And, if you get lost on your way to the course, pull up your GPS (invented by Gladys West) and make a quick call on your cellular phone (invented by Henry Sampson) to let your foursome know that you’ll be late.  Thank goodness there’s caller ID on your touch-tone telephone (both invented by Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson) allowing you to find their contact information and dial with ease.

Going to the company picnic?  Don’t forget your Super Soakers (Lonnie Johnson).  Going on vacation and need to take a long-distance flight (not the first flight…the first long-distance one)? Charles W. Chappelle can help you fly the friendly skies. Just need to take a short hop to your next destination? Let Paul E. Williams helicopter get you there. And Katherine Johnson, the NASA research mathematician who made the 1969 moon landing possible, can get you to the moon and back.

While I’ve listed several inventors of significance, there are hundreds of individuals with thousands of inventions, that I haven’t.  If you’re interested in learning more, visit your local library or check out sites like www.ASALH.org (Association for the Study of African American Life and History), Daily Hive – Inventions by Black People, or this list of inventors and scientists.

…and that, folks, is the ‘Real McCoy’ (a phrase suggesting authenticity that is attributed to Elijah McCoy who received nearly 60 patents related to lubrication systems, who developed designs for modern ironing boards, the lawn sprinkler and other machines)!