PSU Place Matters

As the most diverse and urban campus in the state, Portland State University (PSU) is seeking to bolster students’ sense of belonging, learning experiences, and connections. PSU hosted the Place Matters national design competition in 2024 in search of creative approaches to campus design. The winning Walker Macy Collaborative plan, “Constellations of Connection,” proposes to transform campus with a network of achievable, sustained improvements developed through Design Justice-based collaboration with the campus community. Lively campus spaces will be linked by a network of revitalized corridors and streets. The creative energy generated inside PSU’s buildings will be brought outside through numerous student-driven campus space improvements. The Walker Macy collaborative team is now implementing placemaking projects with PSU and stakeholders, beginning with tactical, high value improvements which can form the basis for scaling up over time to comprehensively update the campus.