west 8 + colwell shelor + weddle gilmore win mesa city center competition

west 8 + colwell shelor + weddle gilmore win mesa city center competition
all images courtesy of west 8 + colwell shelor + weddle gilmore

a team comprised of urban planning and landscape architecture office west 8 and local practices colwell shelor and weddle gilmore has won an international competition with their concept designs for mesa, arizona’s redeveloped city center. the entry has contended with two other teams – woods bagot with surface design and otak with mayer reed – seeking to complete the new downtown square. 

video courtesy of west 8

conceived as a ‘town square with a twist’, the project intends to create identifiable and flexible public spaces programmed for organized and passive uses that catalyze future development within the region. this will be done through inviting landscapes that honor the sonoran desert and ground floor amenities that draw people towards the civic hub to main street, the arts center, convention center, and residential neighborhoods.

the project intends to create identifiable public spaces programmed for both organized and passive uses

the promenade integrates seats into the landscape below the treetops

the scheme is organized around the events plaza, a central gathering point that boasts a sinuous copper shade structure titled ‘the wind dancer’. the state-of-the-art water feature below celebrates both the precious quality and playfulness of the liquid, transforming into an ice skating rink during the winter. the upper terrace has a more relaxed atmosphere, with pockets of desert-themed gardens and small-scale zones for food markets, concerts, and art shows. the leisure promenade is a linear path that ties the patio above with integrated seating underneath the treetops so that visitors can observe the environment around them.

the central gathering space boasts a sinuous copper structure titled ‘the wind dancer’ 

during the summer, the residents and visitors can play in the water

the water feature as an ice skating rink during the winter

the design repurposes and renews existing structures on site to retain a critical mass of users and to create a focal point from which new development will grow outside of the project boundaries. these buildings will house food and drink venues with balconies that engage the public realm. meanwhile, the city hall will be re-skinned with vertical fins to change the architecture and improve its overall energy performance. the lively hub can be built quickly and efficiently in a single phase, consequently saving money.

the lively hub can be built quickly and efficiently in a single phase

the work combines the city’s desires for a venue for its major events and festivals; a shady, green welcoming setting and an iconic, world-class space announcing mesa as a leading city for innovation, arts, business and community. the winning team’s design is a destination that will be a lively downtown location and an inviting place during all seasons and times of day.

more secluded areas are found among the project’s generous plantation

the scheme is intended to catalyze future development within the region

a projection displayed underneath the copper installation sets a romantic mood

the space can hold a variety of public events

at night the plaza becomes a lively destination for social interaction

site plan indicating the scale of the project

project info:

client: the city of mesa, arizona
partners: weddle gilmore, colwell shelor
consultants: dibble engineering, pfocus, HR&A, ETM associates, rider levett bucknall, pentagram, fluidity, schlaich bergermann and partner lp