What do you think of Portland's skyline? (hotel, office)

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by sayulita

It depends on how you see it, IMHO. If you approach downtown Portland from I-84, when you get to the point where it intersects with I-5, the view of the downtown Portland skyline AND the Willamette River AND the bridges is gorgeous. Especially so at night or at dusk. After 35 years, it never fails to thrill me. And it's so unexpected for a first timer. You take that left at I-5 and suddenly, there it is in all it's beauty. Add in the green hills all around it, well like I said, it's gorgeous.

I agree, but, have you ever seen Manhattan from the front deck of a Staten Island Ferry on a night approach? Or daytime approach for that matter? Simply no contest. But, when are we going to get over our fascination with ourselves and what we can do to this world? The cities of tomorrow (if there is tomorrow) will be domed, or underground. Is there supposed to be some kind of big fault line in this area? Just saying...

H (apologies, the plastic bag thread has ruined my mood)

[sayulita]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I agree, but, have you ever seen Manhattan from the front deck of a Staten Island Ferry on a night approach? Or daytime approach for that matter? Simply no contest. But, when are we going to get over our fascination with ourselves and what we can do to this world? The cities of tomorrow (if there is tomorrow) will be domed, or underground. Is there supposed to be some kind of big fault line in this area? Just saying...

H (apologies, the plastic bag thread has ruined my mood)

I have seen many, many amazing skylines and beautiful cities. Paris and Venice made me cry. Hong Kong from the air, swooping steeply in on the plane, took my breath away. New, York, San Francisco, London - all beautiful. Skyscrapers and density do not necessarily make a beautiful skyline. Many factors enter into it and each beautiful skyline is beautiful in it's own way.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

One of my favorite things to do with out of town visitors in the summer is to take them out in my boat on the Willamette, downtown, at night, during a slack tide.

The river is like glass, the air is warm, and the lights and skyline reflecting on the water is just absolutely breathtaking.

Seeing Portland from the river at night gives you a perspective most people don't see.

At night, the Promenade on the east side also has pretty good views.

[John Shaft]

The skyline is immensely helped by the proximity to hills and the river (not to mention the bridges). It doesn't have bowl-you-over highrises, but it does blend well. And the activity in downtown lends a vibrancy that a 50-story tower won't particularly get you.

The SoWa, however, is sort of the opposite - futuristic glass structures with nothing going on around them. And my money is on those zillion dollar condos being a step up from ghetto in 10-15 years, since nobody's buying them anymore, and I doubt they were built from quality materials.

[PWonderland]

My favorite view of the skyline is from the on-ramp from 1-5 south going to the Banfield. There is a little orphan on-ramp thingie there that goes nowhere. I always wanted to set up a little table and chairs and have lunch there!

[Deezus]

I like the Portland skyline from certain vantage points. The problem I have is that whenever a picture of downtown Portland is needed in the national media to represent our city, they will use the same one of downtown and the waterfront by the Hawthorne bridge--with Waterfront Park in the foreground and the Wells Fargo, the Marriot, and Koin Tower featured prominently. The south end of downtown I've always found sort of bland, as much of the buildings came out of the urban renewal of the 60s and 70s. I love the view of Portland however, from parts of the West Hills will Mt. Hood of St. Helens looming over the skyline. And I've always like the views from north of downtown--looking over the Pearl District and Union Station, with the juxtaposition of the new development, older 19th century buildings and the Bancorp towering over the rest. The views from the Eastside looking at the whole scope of downtown along the river are impressive as well.

[sharkylittleton]

Portland's skyline is quite weak but combined with bridges and water creates a natural urban balance. Portland does not have enough buildings to be visually interesting by themselves (ex. Chicago, NY).

[Yankeemama]

Interesting and helpful suggestions for sight seeing in PDX. We are still newbies and I have my mom in town so will check out these places. Thanks!

[John Shaft]

Another vantage point I discovered a couple months back is on the jogging/bike path directly behind OMSI. You can get outside to it from OMSI, but I'm pretty sure it's publicly accessible, too. You're right by (above) the river, and you get a very interesting view across the river into downtown, with the bridges basically "above" you.

[iPwn]