Pioneer Courthouse Square

612 S.W. Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

Located in the heart of downtown, "Portland's living room" has a prominent civic role as a place for public enjoyment.

Click on any image for slide show

For more images of Pioneer Courthouse Square or other places, try searching our Image Collection

Why It Works

Pioneer Courthouse Square has been called "Portland's living room" in reference to its enhanced civic role as a place for the public to gather in and use. Its modern design includes public art, amenities, flowers, trees, walls and stairs designed for sitting on. It is the scene of frequent events, and includes a coffee shop, food vendors, and the information center for Tri-Met (regional Portland's transit agency), which was the key agent of the square's successful redevelopment.

The square's modern design incorporates public art, flowers, trees, walls and ample stairs that do double-duty as seating areas. It is the scene of frequent events, enhanced by a coffee shop and food vendors, and also serves as a hub for buses and light rail.

Pioneer Courthouse Square is one of the first in a new generation of public squares. No longer just passive green spaces, these squares are designed to be programmed and used by the public. In fact, the infrastructure for such uses is built-in, and the spaces have management entities in charge of them to assure their ongoing effective use. The process of creating Pioneer Courthouse Square - the public debates, the fundraising, the grand opening - was designed to involve Portland's residents. Funding and vision from Tri-Met linked people to the square and downtown as a whole.

With an effective management organization in place, the square has become the city's place of pride and a focal point for all kinds of community activities. The revitalization of the downtown is testimony to the square's profound impact on the livability of Portland.

History & Background

The creation of this much-loved public space in downtown Portland cannot be separated from the fundamental role played by Tri-Met, the city's transit agency. Planned concurrently with the new Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light rail system, Pioneer Square was an idea that dated back to the 1950's, when the site was a parking lot. Tri-Met leveraged its funding for transit stops and an information center and helped to make the Square financially possible.

With extraordinary public support, the Square was built to be "Portland's living room," a center for the life of the city. Funded in part by the residents of Portland, the Square has continued its tradition of citizen participation with thousands of community events held over the past decade. With the opening of the light rail system in 1986, Pioneer Courthouse Square became both the city center and the bustling hub of transit for buses and light rail, as well as the main information center for Tri-Met.

Contact Info:

Pioneer Courthouse Square, Inc., Administrative Offices, 715 SW Morrison, Portland, OR 97205; 503-223-1613, Events Hotline: (503) 768-5634

User Comments:

> Add your own comment about Pioneer Courthouse Square

03/21/02 Paree Roper said:: There are places to sit, drinking fountains that work, shops where coffee and books can be purchased, great people-watching, access to the MAX light rail, a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and it's squeaky clean. What's not to like? Clearly one of the best civic spaces ever created.
03/01/03 Connie McClellan said:: There's a plan to put a skating rink in this square, to be operational four months out of the year, with "ingenious" umbrella-shaped roofs ... Let the City of Portland know what you think about this.
02/15/05 Doug Zeh said:: It is regrettable that Pioneer Courthouse Square management is planning to evict the food carts, a huge step backwards.

As Portland's living room, and downtown itself, become more like a suburban mall, there will be less and less reason for many people to dine and shop in Portland's downtown.
08/15/05 Audrey Straight said:: I'm kind of confused about what makes Pioneer Courthouse Square accessible to individuals with visual impairments or who have mobility impairments -- it's beautiful, but there are an awful lot of steps...
08/25/05 Jack Carter said:: Pioneer Square is a wonderfully designed and executed space. Classical and contemporary elements are nicely wedded. Unlike so many public spaces that begin to look dated quickly, Pioneer Square is as classy looking now as ever. The Square wears many hats, yet it doesn't have a Swiss-army knife look. It's a small space (one small Portland block) tucked in between downtown buildings, so one of the pleasures of the Square is having it appear all of a sudden as you wander downtown. Plus it's right in the center of the core downtown area, right on the transit mall so hopping on a bus or light rail is easy. While PPS has criticized that there isn't a bar or restaurant (I guess PPS doesn't count the Starbucks that's perched at a corner) to let people look out over the square, what it does have is many thousands of lightrail riders that get a great view of whatever's going on in the square.
12/14/05 Steve Cook said:: Pioneer Courthouse Square, like all great places, always has some issues in play. Do the food vendors stay or go? Should there be an ice rink in the winter? Nevertheless, the bottom line is that it works. I've worked within walking distance ever since it opened, and pass through it nearly every day, and all in all it's a delightful, versatile, people-friendly, highly functional space. The coffee shop (yeah, it's the inevitable Starbucks) is a great asset. There's constant foot traffic. People love to sit on the stairs and soak up the sun and people-watch. If a city in the U.S. wants a good example of how to do a central square, check this one out.
01/20/06 elyse alomar said:: Re. the accessibility issue mentioned previously. You can't tell from the photo above, but it is accessible despite the steps. The square is located on a slope, and there is a broad path that curves through the amphitheatre-type seating. The downhill side of the street is completely flat, no steps whatsoever. When I had babies/toddlers in strollers, never had a problem navigating. And, of course, the kids can chase the pigeons for HOURS!
06/15/07 Suzanne Thomas said:: I actually have never liked Pioneer Square and think it should be in the hall of shame. It is too big, and it has too much brick. I have always felt like it creates an impersonal emptiness in the middle of downtown. All around it are tall square buildings, which makes it feel strange scale-wise. People do hang out there, because it is there and there aren't many other places to congregate. It is a magnet for homeless folks, crazed demagogues, political initiative signature gatherers and teenagers--you could call that dynamic but it's anything but relaxing to hang out there. I feel very exposed when I'm there, because of all the emptiness. It is also very loud because of the traffic. I think it would be much more effective if it had grass and trees with smaller patios, separated spaces, comfortable seating, something large and beautiful in the center (or just off center) a fountain or sculpture etc. And if it had a great unique cafe nearby (not Starbucks.) Or, if in the middle of the great brick emptiness there was a bazaar/vegetable market/anything with life.
09/08/07 Elizabeth Johnson said:: Suzanne, don't like open spaces,do you? I am one of the, obviously, to you, undesired, "homeless" folks that used to hangout in the "living room". And, I thank God for it. I mean, we've got to be somewhere, right? Would you prefer that we hang out under a bridge? Or, get a job, maybe? Right. Thank God that time in my life is over now and I am back in Texas, going to school and doing well, thank you. However, know this: it could happen to anyone, homlessness, and having a place to just be, with no one telling you to "move on," is one of the biggest blessings imaginable. Imagine that! The living room was a place of refuge for me, a place where I could sit, relax and rest for a time, or even cry if I needed to, and I'll always remember it as a home. And the "something large and beautiful" that you are looking for, if you look closely, could just be the square itself.
09/24/07 iain more said:: HI milli and damon
11/10/07 Suzanne Thomas said:: Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for your perspective. You are right, I don't like huge open spaces. I am sorry for the impression my comment left that I don't like Pioneer Square because it is a magnet for homeless people. That is not what I meant although I can see how it sounded that way. Homeless people, all people need safe public places to hang out and I'm glad the square works for that. For me it is too open, loud and bare a space to feel comfortable-I much prefer the park near Jefferson and 3rd which is also a space where homeless people sit. It's a personal preference to be in a place with trees, cover, comfortable seating. However, it was putting it too strongly to say Pioneer square should be in the Hall of Shame.