Designs for Mesa City Center Competition Unveiled 28 August 2014
On Thursday 28th of August the final concept designs for Mesa City Center were presented to the public in a reveal event held in downtown Mesa, Arizona.
Three design teams- Colwell Shelor+West 8+Weddle Gilmore; Woods Bagot+ Surface Design;and Otak+ Mayer Reed– were selected to participate in a design competition process which kicked off in April of this year. The unveiling of the designs marks the first step in the development of Mesa City Center into a distinctive place, which will capture and enhance the urbanizing momentum of Mesa’s downtown core.
The City Center project aims to create signature public spaces that accommodate programmed and passive uses, as well as being able to serve as event space. City Center will bring more activity to the downtown core and serve as a catalyst for high intensity redevelopment with a variety of uses. City Center will benefit the entire City and improve the quality of life for Mesa residents, businesses and visitors.
The reveal event will be the first step in the selection of the top design concept to be considered for further detailing and refinement. The design concept process is funded by the voter approved 2012 parks bond.
Additional information and event details can be found here.
Questions or comments on the project may be directed to Development and Sustainability Project Manager, Jeff McVay at (480) 644-5379 or jeff.mcvay@mesaaz.gov.
ABOUT COLWELL SHELOR+WEST 8 + WEDDLE GILMORE TEAM’S DESIGN
Colwell Shelor+West 8+Weddle Gilmore team’s Mesa City Center design combines the City and community’s wishes for a setting for its major events and festivals; a shady, green welcoming setting; and an iconic, world-class space. Conceived as a “town square with a twist,” the design makes City Center an events space that will be the City’s ‘green heart’ and catalyst for the next 100 years of urban growth in downtown Mesa.
The design features a central gathering space, the Events Plaza, which encompasses the centerpiece and icon of the project, a beautiful copper shade structure, called The Wind Dancer. The Mesa City Center design creates a destination that during different seasons, events, and times of day will feel like a lively downtown hub and an inviting public place.
Our design is not development-dependent to make it activated, can be built in one phase, can be built quickly and will cost the public less than a design that has multiple phases. This strategy will leverage City Center project in a way that is similar to the way other great cities have grown around great public spaces.
Check out Team Colwell Shelor +West 8+Weddle Gilmore design here and the project animation here
West 8 is an award-winning international office for urban design and landscape architecture founded in 1987. Over the last 25 years West 8 has established itself as a leading practice with an international team of 70 architects, urban designers, landscape architects and industrial engineers. West 8 developed projects all over the world in places such as Copenhagen, London, Moscow, New York, Madrid, Toronto and Amsterdam. The office gained international recognition with projects such as Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam (NL), Borneo-Sporenburg in Amsterdam (NL), Chiswick Park in London (UK) and Expo \’02 in Yverdon-les-Bains (CH). Many of the projects are the result of groundbreaking entries in important international competitions. Recently won competitions include Toronto Waterfront in Toronto (CA), Governors Island in New York (USA) and Playa de Palma in Mallorca (ES).
Amongst the numerous awards received by West 8 are the Honor Award of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Lifetime Achievement Award for Architecture 2011, Mondriaan Fund (formerly BKVB), the International Urban Landscape Gold Award (IULA), the Prix de Rome, the Dutch Maaskant Award, the Bijhouwer Award, the Rosa Barba First European Landscape Prize, the Green Pin and the Veronica Rudge Green Prize for Urban Design.
For press materials or information about the team’s design, please contact:
• Lydia Franken, Public Relations, West 8 l.franken@west8.com +31 (0) 10 485 5801
• Michele Shelor, Principal, Colwell Shelor Landscape Architects 602-363-1130 mshelor@colwellshelor.com
