The James Beard Public Market has been on the drawing board for the better part of two decades, envisioned as a year-round, indoor/outdoor marketplace for community gathering to rival Seattle’s Pike Place. This week, Portland finally gets of glimpse of what the place might look like, courtesy famed Norwegian design firm Snohetta.

As we've covered here before, Snohetta's portfolio includes the Oslo Opera House and the Great Library of Alexandria, and they are currently redesigning New York’s Times Square. The operation's noted expertise at transforming troubled sites will be needed at the Beard Market's current proposed site, a grim patch of asphalt at the west end of the Morrison Bridge (that's it, above).

This week, Snohetta will unveil its proposed design at a booked-solid public forum at OMSI. (It's June 25, 5 pm, and free, but currently accepting only waiting list sign-ups.) We'll cover the event, the design, and the evolving concept behind the Public Market, named in honor of the most legendary Portland-born foodie here. Get ready.