Environmental Signage
Narrative Design
Mural Design
Portland, Oregon
Aramark Food & Entertainment
Portland Trailblazers
With a focus on storytelling, environmental graphics were made to tell the story of Albina, a small town in Oregon. Albina, a historic hub for Portland’s Black community in the 1890s and early 1900s, was annexed with the construction of Interstate 5. The graphics form a mural that tells the story of how Albina used to be, and how it played a part in the revolution of the Black community, highlighting aspects such as the jazz community and environmental efforts around town.
ResearchStep One
Albina, Oregon was incorporated in 1887, merging with Portland in 1891. It was the city’s industrial hub for immigrant families to settle for work. During World War II, there was a labor shortage, which brought many families to Albina for work. With the concentration of Black workers and families in Albina, a large music scene emerged for jazz, blues, and gospel artists, which inspired the nickname “Jumptown.” In the 1960s and 70s, there were multiple civil rights organizations spreading throughout Portland, such as the NAACP and the Black Panthers. Albina was a thriving community at this point. In the 1970s, the construction of the Memorial Coliseum, the 1-5, and Emanuel Hospital displaced hundreds of Black families and businesses, which led to the dismantling of the Albina community. Richardson’s task was to highlight and bring to life the people of Albina and their efforts towards the civil rights movement, as well as their community surrounding music and nature.
Mural ArtworkStep Two
Other GraphicsStep Three
Creating a graphic for the stadium’s Draft House. Multiple iterations incorporating a badge-like symbol.
Final Elevation & RenderingsStep Four
The interior designers at Richardson Design completed all renderings. All work is credited to them; including these pictures is only to help represent how these graphics work in the spaces.