Van Buren Bridge Friezes
Oregon Department of Transportation
– Corvallis, OR
Overview:
Designed 19 interpretive panels and cast concrete friezes highlighting the Willamette River, native plants, and tribal heritage. The friezes include top square panels of stylized plants/animals and bottom rectangles of tribal connections (food, medicine, basketry, tools).
Role: Lead Designer, Project Manager, Illustrator
Scope: Cast concrete friezes, layered storytelling
Collaboration / Credit: Completed while working at Sea Reach Ltd; co-designer Mike Vono assisted with final detailing on select panels
As part of the replacement and renovation of the historic Van Buren Bridge, I designed a suite of 19 interpretive panels and a series of cast concrete friezes integrated into the bridge structure. Each frieze tells a layered story about the Willamette River, native plants and animals, and the enduring connections of the Kalapuya and other Tribes to this landscape.
The design process began with in-depth research into regional ecology, tribal traditions, and the history of the bridge. From there, I developed pencil sketches that were digitized and refined into stylized compositions, then translated into layered vector artwork used to create molds. Several reliefs were test-cast to ensure clarity and texture before being finalized in concrete.
Each frieze consists of two parts: a top square panel depicting a stylized native plant or animal, and a bottom rectangular panel illustrating a related tribal connection — such as food, medicine, basketry, or tools. I collaborated with my co-designer on the final detailing of select friezes, refining compositions and testing relief depth to achieve a unified finished look.
Together, the friezes and interpretive panels form a visual rhythm along the bridge, blending art, ecology, and cultural storytelling into the built environment.
