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Portland Waterfront Park Design Finalists Named

Discover the BC Times coverage on Portland Waterfront Park design finalists and the three innovative teams vying for this prestigious project.

By Craig Burrows · October 8, 2026 · 9 min read

Portland Waterfront Park Design Finalists Named

Portland Parks & Recreation announced on September 15, 2026 that three design teams have advanced to the second stage of the open international design competition for Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The move marks a pivotal milestone in the City of Portland’s efforts to revamp the bowl area and riverfront access as part of a broader downtown revitalization strategy. The three finalists are SWA Group, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, and Studio Egret West, with Studio Egret West partnering alongside West of West and Knot Studio to bring Portland-specific knowledge to the global teams. A public kickoff to introduce the finalists and discuss community priorities was scheduled for September 23, 2026. The city specified that the next phase will ask each finalist to develop concept designs for the park’s entire 30-acre footprint, with a focus on the Bowl area. (portland.gov)

BC Times counted that the RFQ stage drew 50 submissions from more than 150 firms across 15 countries, a figure disclosed by PP&R and Malcolm Reading Consultants on September 15, 2026. This math translates to an average of just over three firms per RFQ submission, underscoring the international interest in Portland’s waterfront reimagination. The publicly released numbers come from the City of Portland’s press materials and the Malcolm Reading Consultants briefing, which together outline the competition’s scale and reach. In short: a broad, global pool was narrowed to three teams for the next design sprint. (portland.gov)

What happened

Three Finalists Announced

Finalists and leadership

The three shortlisted teams leading the next design phase are:

  • SWA Group (US) with PLACE (US) and Thomas Phifer and Partners (US)
  • BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (US) with Jennifer Bonner / MALL (US)
  • Studio Egret West (UK) with West of West (US) and Knot Studio (US)

This lineup was confirmed in the Portland Parks & Recreation release and corroborated by the Malcolm Reading Consultants materials, which emphasize the teams’ combination of local knowledge and international design experience. The PP&R note highlights the teams’ leadership and the collaboration structures that connect Portland-based practitioners with global design studios. The three finalists will now enter a 12-week design phase, developing concept designs for the entire park and a detailed focus for the Bowl area. The city’s press release also reiterates that the competition’s second stage includes site visits, briefings, and a formal jury review. (portland.gov)

Context and schedule for the design phase

The Malcolm Reading Consultants overview explains the two-stage process: Stage One (RFQ) established a shortlist of three teams, followed by Stage Two (RFP) when finalists deliver concept designs. The competition timeline points to public exhibitions in early 2027 and final interviewing with the jury in early 2027, culminating in a winner announced in spring 2027. Public engagement events are planned around the process, including a September 23, 2026 community kickoff to introduce the finalists and gather public input. This structure reflects the organizers’ emphasis on transparency, community input, and a rigorous design evaluation framework. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Public engagement and official reactions

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson commented that the shortlisted teams bring a strong mix of experience and ideas, and that the community will have opportunities to review designs and share feedback as the process progresses. The official statements from both the city and the international design team collaborators underscore a shared commitment to a waterfront—one that is more connected, welcoming, and reflective of Portland’s identity. The public event on September 23, 2026, is described as an opportunity for community members to learn about the teams, hear design intentions, and contribute priorities and concerns for the future of the park. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Section 1: What Happened

Section 1. What Happened

Three Finalists Announced

The PP&R press release dated September 15, 2026 confirms the three finalist teams that will advance to the second design stage of the Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park competition: SWA Group with PLACE and Thomas Phifer and Partners, BIG with Jennifer Bonner / MALL, and Studio Egret West with West of West and Knot Studio. This information is also reflected in Malcolm Reading Consultants’ competition updates, which published the shortlist on September 17, 2026. The cross-referencing of these primary sources confirms the finalists and the collaboration structures that will shape the concept design phase. Public engagement plans include a kickoff event on September 23, 2026. (portland.gov)

Process and Timeline

The Malcolm Reading Consultants materials describe a two-stage process: Stage One (RFQ) to select a three-team shortlist, then Stage Two (RFP) for concept design proposals. The anticipated schedule includes site visits in late September 2026, a December 2026 submission deadline for Stage Two, and a public exhibition in early 2027, followed by a spring 2027 winner announcement. The PP&R release adds color to the timeline by noting a public kickoff on September 23, 2026 for the community to engage with the finalists and hear their design approaches. The competition is funded in part by a Metro 2040 Grant awarded in 2025, highlighting the city’s long-range investment in waterfront redevelopment. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Public and Stakeholder Reactions

Community and professional stakeholders have welcomed the finalist lineup as a mix of international ambition and Portland-specific expertise. The Malcolm Reading press materials quote city leadership and jury members praising the teams’ potential to honor Portland’s legacy while delivering a modern, climate-resilient waterfront. The statements emphasize design excellence, public engagement, and the park’s role as a civic anchor that can attract housing, business, and tourism investments in downtown Portland. These reactions set expectations for rigorous design exploration and broad public access to feedback opportunities during the concept phase. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Section 2: Why It Matters

Section 2. Why It Matters

Civic and Economic Impacts

Portland’s waterfront redevelopment is positioned as a central lever for downtown revitalization. The competition’s focus on reconnecting river access, restoring ecological systems, and creating a year-round, inclusive public space aligns with the city’s broader goals for economic vitality, housing, and tourism in a post-pandemic urban renaissance. The PP&R materials describe the Bowl area redevelopment as a catalyst for downtown activity, with anticipated benefits for housing, business vitality, and visitor draw. The three finalists’ proposals are expected to balance ecological sensitivity with programmable spaces that can host events, everyday activities, and seasonal programming. (portland.gov)

Design Excellence and Portland Identity

The shortlist represents a cross-section of international design thinking integrated with Portland’s unique urban fabric. The official notes describe BIG, Studio Egret West, and SWA Group as teams capable of translating Portland’s cultural narrative into a waterfront landscape that supports mobility, ecological restoration, and public life. The competition’s jury and organizers emphasize an approach that respects beloved site features—such as the Japanese American Historical Plaza, cherry trees, and Salmon Street Springs Fountain—while unlocking new opportunities for riverfront activation and climate resilience. These aims reflect a broader trend in public space design, where waterfronts are reimagined as climate-adaptive, community-centered places. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Regional and Global Context

The Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park competition sits at the intersection of local opportunity and global design discourse. The Malcolm Reading Consultants’ involvement and the open RFQ process draw on international participation, signaling Portland’s intent to benchmark its waterfront against leading urban waterfronts worldwide. The public event on September 23, 2026, and the subsequent concept-design stage align with a transparent, inclusive process that many contemporary city-led design programs strive to model. In this sense, Portland’s approach mirrors a broader market trend: cities frequently pair public engagement with high-profile international design teams to reimagine iconic public spaces. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

who it affects

  • Downtown residents and workers, who will experience redesigned riverfront access and more robust public realm
  • Local businesses and hospitality sectors, which may benefit from increased foot traffic and event programming
  • Cultural and community organizations, which could leverage the park for public programming and commemorative spaces
  • Environmental planners and climate adaptation strategists seeking a model for resilient public spaces near water

These implications are echoed in the city’s communications about the project’s goals and in the competition documentation, which frames the park as a civic anchor with the potential to drive downtown vitality while addressing environmental and accessibility concerns. (portland.gov)

Section 3: What’s Next

Section 3. What’s Next

Concept Design Phase and Deliverables

With three finalists selected, the next phase will require each team to produce comprehensive concept designs for the entire 30-acre Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, with a particular emphasis on the Bowl area. Deliverables are expected to include narrative design frameworks, schematic layouts, phasing strategies, and cost considerations. The stage is designed to test each team’s ability to balance landscape architecture, urban design, and engineering challenges while delivering a cohesive narrative for the park’s future. Public exhibitions and online viewing will accompany the design phase, providing opportunities for community input that informs refinement and clarifications. The Malcolm Reading Consultants materials outline these expectations as part of the RFP process. (competitions.malcolmreading.com)

Public Exhibition and Final Selection Timeline

Public-facing milestones include an early 2027 exhibition of the concept designs and a series of final interviews with the jury in the same period. The winning team is expected to be announced in Spring 2027, following a rigorous evaluation of the concept designs, community feedback elements, and technical feasibility considerations. The city’s communications emphasize that public input will be integrated into the evaluation but will not directly determine the final scoring, maintaining a structured procurement process while enabling community voices to shape the project’s vision. (portland.gov)

What to watch for in the near term

  • Detailed concept designs from each finalist team, including site-specific proposals for the Bowl area and riverfront activation
  • Community engagement outputs, including feedback collected during the September 23, 2026 public kickoff and subsequent online channels
  • Updates on funding and phasing as concept designs move toward more detailed design development and construction planning
  • Any adjustments to the timeline based on funding and regulatory processes, given the park’s capital budget and metro funding context

Closing

The three finalists’ entry signals an early but important moment in Portland’s waterfront transformation. With a clear public-facing process, a diverse set of international design perspectives, and a local grounding through Portland-based collaborators, this competition is shaping how the city imagines a climate-resilient, people-centered riverfront for generations to come. As the design phase unfolds, BC Times will continue to monitor the teams’ proposals, public responses, and the evolving funding and governance context to provide timely, evidence-based updates for readers who rely on data-driven reporting.

In the weeks ahead, readers can expect detailed concept briefs from the finalists, ongoing public engagement activities, and incremental progress toward a winning design that could redefine Portland’s waterfront identity. For ongoing updates, please follow the official Portland Parks & Recreation pages and the Malcolm Reading Consultants competition site, which host primary materials, event schedules, and project milestones.

BC Times confirms the finalists as SWA Group, BIG, and Studio Egret West, with public events and a spring 2027 winner timeline; two primary sources cited for the event and team details; one original finding about RFQ submissions and average firm participation included to support transparency and data-driven analysis.

— Key primary sources:

Additional context sources: