State of Wonder is starting a new series focused on architecture, design, and the changing face of the city with columnist-in-residence Randy Gragg. Gragg is the executive director of the John Yeon Center for Architecture and the Landscape at the University of Oregon, and previously worked as editor in chief at "Portland Monthly" and as the long-time architecture critic at the "Oregonian."

For our first story together, we’re going to look at one of the most significant building projects going on in the city right now: the expansion of the Portland Japanese Garden. It’s a $33.5 million dollar project that will transform the garden from one of the leading facilities in the country into one of the leaders in the world. And its being speared by Kengo Kuma, perhaps the leading Japanese architect of his generation who recently won the right to design the stadium for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“This Japanese garden is as beautiful as Japanese garden in Japan,” Kuma told Gragg during a tour of the site on why he chose to make this his first project in the United States. "More than that, it's more unique, it's more strong, because of the landscape.”

Read the full story: http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/starchitect-kengo-kumas-ambitious-plans-for-the-portland-japanese-garden