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Regions: Pacific Northwest

Ronald Bog Basin Study

Ronald Bog is a significant, highly-visible resource of the City of Shoreline that now provides the community an Early Warning System for flooding. Created by the headwaters of Thornton Creek, releasing runoff through an urban watershed to Lake Washington, the subbasin includes localized depressions that fill with stormwater runoff during flood events. Otak worked with City staff and stakeholders on watershed planning and developed a public involvement program that included newsletters, public workshops, and a citizen advisory group.

Flood Mitigation Meets Capital Improvement Program Prioritization

The flood water elevations in these depressions have continued to increase as the subbasin is urbanized, flooding 10 to 20 homes during a moderate storm. The project included capital improvement program (CIP) identification and prioritization. The resulting basin study detailed drainage problem analysis, drainage complaint analysis, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, basin planning, surveying and GPS, drainage inventory and GIS, and preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates. Throughout the course of this research was significant community outreach and public involvement support.

North Creek Channel Relocation

In restoring the natural morphology of North Creek, the channel was relocated to reconnected 3,800 feet of the stream to its associated 60 acres of wetlands. The restoration of native plant communities in the floodplain was also a focus in improving the habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species.

Restoration to Natural State for An Improved Habitat and Open Space

As part of larger improvements to the campuses of University of Washington-Bothell and Cascade College (CC), the North Creek Channel relocation was designed alongside a regional trail and a boardwalk. The developed public open space features interpretive exhibits that extend out into the restored floodplain. In restoring this lowland portion of the site, the meander length, curve radius, bankfull depth, and width-to-depth ratio of North Creek were returned to its natural status. The Otak team based this design on historical information, regional references for similar streams, reference reaches both onsite and upstream.

Springwater Wetlands Restoration

The Springwater Wetlands Restoration project reconnects and restores the Johnson Creek floodplain while managing flooding by expanding on existing, historic wetlands. An unsteady-state hydraulic model was used to evaluate flood storage capacity and develop hydraulic connections that convey flood flows to and from the wetlands. The project also restores the wetland as a wildlife habitat and space for public access.

Enhancing a Wetland for Improved Habitat and Community Flooding

In addition to managing flooding, the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) aimed to restore the Springwater Wetland, including the removal of contaminated fill and non-native species. The improved natural habitat would also involve added public access. Hydraulic modeling and hydrologic analysis was used to develop the Johnson Creek Restoration Plan that accounts for 10-year storm, 25-year flood, and 100-year flood events. This gathered data also informed a design that includes the creative reuse of historic stonework from the adjacent creek restoration site as seating, new plaza areas, and architectural features throughout the site. A dual-use trail system would create a safe, accessible connection to Springwater Corridor Trail. Otak led the predesign research and worked iteratively with BES and other stakeholders meet a variety of goals throughout the permitting and design processes.

Fruit Valley Park

Featuring a fully inclusive playground, plans for Fruit Valley Park incorporated extensive community input to establish final design features and playground equipment. The Otak team (in partnership with Learning Landscapes) led public outreach along with master planning, construction documents, and permitting services to develop this public space designed to celebrate the natural beauty and habitat found in the Vancouver lowlands.

Planning an Accessibility-Focused Public Asset, Based on Extensive Community Input

Made possible by $1 million donation by the Kuni Foundation, plans for Fruit Valley Park include a playground named after Elizabeth Austin to honor her legacy as a leader – and mother – in the community. With features based on community input, the playground embodies a design theme of “Play Like a Bird.” While most playgrounds incorporate basic ramps and a few wheelchair-accessible play options, those accommodations only address some mobility disabilities making inclusive play spaces a priority for Vancouver Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services. An emphasis on inclusive play equipment, from ADA-approved poured in place rubber surfacing to fencing that supports the safety of children with specific developmental and neurodiverse needs, as well as bird sculptures and houses, altogether highlight the design theme. A rope climber, we-go-round spinner, zipline, water play area, play mounds, slide, and bell and drum musical instruments are among the specially-designed inclusive equipment. New bike racks, benches and picnic tables also improve the park’s utility while a planting area enhances its natural setting. In addition to making the park more inviting for people with disabilities, inclusive play environments also encourage strong physical, mental and social development in children who do not experience disability.

Spring Creek Pedestrian Bridge

Spring Creek Pedestrian Bridge is a 385-foot clear-span cable-stay structure over the Methow River. Its design incorporated historical context from the town with elements that reflect 19th Century steel construction. The main steel truss and towers were constructed of weathering steel and the deck planks were precast concrete while tower foundations were designed to accommodate significant scour potential. Otak was responsible for structural design, stream hydraulics, and construction staking in partnering with Mowat Construction for this $2.5 million design-build project.

Flood Reduction at South 180th Street

The flood reduction at South 180th aimed to address longstanding flooding issues in the area caused by a ditch with inadequate capacity. A critical areas assessment developed solutions focused on the goal of reducing flooding through flow control and additional conveyance capacity.

A Critical Area Assessment to Solve Persistent Flooding

Flooding at 180th would happen several times a year. An evaluation of flood risk to adjacent properties as well as capacity for the ditch and downstream drainage system delivered alternatives using both conventional or natural drainage systems. These alternatives considered factors such as construction cost, right-of-way availability, property acquisition, erosion in downstream ditches, and permitting requirements. Otak played a critical role in this project, providing project management, topographic survey, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, and stakeholder engagement. The evaluation has the South 180th Flood Reduction project well-positioned to succeed in its mission to reduce flooding and protect the surrounding properties and community.

Nestucca Valley High School Career Technical Education Center

In addressing the gap in diverse and accessible education opportunities for youth faced by many rural areas, the Nestucca Valley High School Career Technical Education (CTE) Center was developed as part of a school bond program for the communities of Coastal Oregon. With a full complement of owner’s representative services, Otak led all aspects of project management from design to construction management in delivering this catalyst for real-world skill development to benefit the entire county of Tillamook, OR, for years to come.

Managing Development of a Flexible and Adaptable Education Facility to Benefit a County’s Communities

With forward-thinking goals around flexibility and adaptability, the design prioritized an expandable and flexible approach to be able to adapt quickly to industry-driven changes in the CTE program. Set behind the existing high school building for easy student and instructor access, a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) was erected with a smaller “building within a building” constructed with a wood-framed second story inside the metal shell. Much more than a standard metal building, the facility features a custom wood-framed interior and an exterior with metal panels running horizontally rather than the standard vertical orientation while matching the adjacent high school’s colors. Overcoming a challenging site site with steep slopes, the hillside design also includes a private reservoir, filled by an artesian well, as a sustaining water supply system. By providing practical, hands-on learning experience for a variety of professional pathways while promoting an equitable and entrepreneurial culture, the Nestucca CTE Center aims to provide long-lasting benefits for its surrounding communities.

Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant Outfall

In decommissioning an aging outfall, the alignment of its replacement required the crossing of various obstacles including property lines, utility infrastructure, and multiple bodies of water. Utilizing various land survey tools, the Otak team established an extensive survey control network to navigate each of these elements across the entire process on the way to completed construction.

Extensive Land Surveying to Navigate Numerous Site Challenges

After nearly 55 years of service, an existing treated effluent outfall to the Columbia River was decommissioned, creating a need for its replacement. The new design presented numerous site challenges with the need to cross various infrastructure, property, and natural barriers. This included a BNSF railroad that carries 60+ trains per day, two state highway rights of ways, and three state-owned bodies of water – Salmon Creek, Lake River, and the Columbia River. It would also cross two major fiber optic lines and an 18-inch liquid petroleum line. To address these obstacles, land surveying work established an extensive survey control network with the retracement of dozens of property lines and easements with topographic mapping of the existing outfall, the proposed outfall alignment, and all existing access roads. A comprehensive set of land surveying tools, including traditional ground surveying, LiDAR scanning, UAV aerial photogrammetry, and a bathymetric drone, were utilized. Survey work continued throughout design and accounted for dozens of potholes, natural resource and archeological area mapping. Preparation of these extensive materials for the acquisition of easements from land owners involved extensive collaboration with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Burlington-Northern Santa Fe railroad, adjacent homeowners associations, and the US Coast Guard. As construction progressed, QA surveying and alignment checks were provided,  mapping the location of the constructed pipeline, and performing as-builts of the underwater trench for the pipeline and diffuser in the Columbia River.

Vancouver Waterfront Gateway

Vancouver Waterfront Gateway is a mixed used development in the city of Vancouver, Washington. The project includes an 8-story mass-timber office, 6-story mixed use market rate apartment building, 6-story affordable apartment building, 7-level free standing parking garage, and extensive open space development between the buildings.

The Missing Link Between Downtown Vancouver and Its Waterfront

Vancouver City Hall and Esther Short Park are immediately to the north and the Burlington Northern rail line borders the south side of the site. On the block west of Esther Street, the development includes an 8-story mass-timber office, 6-story mixed use market rate apartment building, 6-story affordable apartment building, 7-level free standing parking garage, and extensive open space development between the buildings. Development on the block east of Esther Street includes a 6-story mixed use, market rate apartment building. That building features 2-level parking with a retail podium, as well as a large public plaza to the north and ‘makers alley’ along the east side. The total project building area is roughly 570,000 square-feet enclosed building area plus 210,000 square-feet of structured parking area, including approximately 375 residential units, 140,000 square-feet of office space and 40,000 square-feet in retail space.

iQ Credit Union

With a unique brand and company culture in focus, iQ Credit Union made plans for a new branch design that reflects those elements. Aimed at highlighting an emphasis on the health and welfare of both employees and the surrounding community, the overarching design includes an emphasis on employee wellness. In leading the design effort, Otak also served as a certification consultant with an aim of earning WELL Platinum across branch locations in the Pacific Northwest.

A Branch Design Reflecting Brand Values and WELL Certification Criteria

In this architectural application of brand guidelines, iQ Credit Union aimed for a more modern branch design that maintained brand standards. Working with the Otak team from concept to construction, an exterior branding vision board was developed with a focus on accentuating features found in the northwest and iQ’s established brand values. With an emphasis placed on earning WELL certification, branches were designed to promote employee wellbeing. Features ranging from the inclusion of a mother’s room to the use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials contribute toward meeting all concepts of WELL criteria. Resulting themes of transparency, varied massing, an interesting articulation of the drive-through, as well as regional materials and accents are also prominent elements of the final design. A priority of sustainability is highlighted by the use of locally-sourced materials, low flow fixtures, an exposed wood structure, and an emphasis on natural daylighting and sun shading.