You may know of Reed College in Portland, OR as one of the most intellectual colleges in the country. It is known for its "high standards of scholarly practice, creative thinking, and engaged citizenship." As a kid growing up in Portland, it never occurred to me I might be smart enough to consider Reed. I've wondered about that since.
But as a native resident, and avid walker/hiker I know Reed campus best for the trail in the canyon that separates its academic buildings from residence quarters. Located within a 28-acre watershed known as "The Canyon," Reed is in its midst of a riparian landscape and birders paradise.
Though the college was established in 1908 and the first block of residence halls was built in 1912, the first bridge built to carry those 1st year dormies across Reed Lake was a flat wooden one that wasn't constructed until the 1930s. The Arthur M. Churchill Memorial Bridge replaced it in 1959 (an interesting design with a canvas top), and the current Blue Bridge or Canyon Bridge was completed in 1992 via the Zimmer Gunsul Fresca Partnership (known now as ZGF Architects LLP).
It's not surprising that this passageway that welcomes, this place designed to invite, with its curvy lines and hidden destinations, has attracted two movie scripts, is the go-to shot for catalogs and displays to attract students to the campus, and it serves as a meeting place and favorite location by students and faculty.
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