Portland State Magazine Fall 2016

6 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2016 PA R K B L O C K S You want Figaro with that? INSPIRED by Portland’s food-cart culture, the PSU School of Architecture and Portland Opera have teamed up to create Opera a la Cart, an elegant movable performance cart. Students modified a standard box truck, adding a foldout stage, an overhead shelter, vertical columns suggesting a proscenium arch, and storage for set pieces. This summer the cart traveled to community events and gathering spots all over Portland to offer a “menu” of operatic specials du jour. Audiences could order bite-size arias, duets and ensemble pieces sung by singers from Portland Opera’s chorus, Resident Artists Program and guest artists. Opera a la Cart was such a hit that it will be back again next summer. Photo by Jonathan Ley. Hard hats needed THE RENOVATION and expansion of the School of Business Administration building, now known as the Karl Miller Center, continues in the heart of campus. Slated to open in fall 2017, the $60 million project will triple the size of the old space. Meanwhile, the outdated Peter W. Stott athletics facility on the Park Blocks is getting a $50 million renovation to turn it into the Viking Pavilion and Academic Center. When complete in March 2018 the building will include 15,000 square feet for studying, tutoring and advising and a new 3,000-seat arena. Breaking ground next year is a long overdue remodel of Neuberger Hall and its 37 classrooms, 18 labs and student service offices. Hacker Architects is designing the $60 million project.