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Architects: Gensler
- Area: 120000 ft²
- Year: 2019
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Photographs:Bill Timmerman
Text description provided by the architects. The goal of Arizona Center was to create a new vision for the iconic downtown mixed-use center that was originally built in 1990. The redeveloped design increases visibility of the asset and asserts the property as a premiere destination in the burgeoning Downtown Phoenix landscape. The project also creates a powerful 360-degree user experience that communicates the project’s unique attributes in a fresh and authentic way.
The Arizona Center Retail Transformation creates a new model for office, retail and entertainment not found in Phoenix, emblematic of the new era in the history of the young city. The upgrades focus on unveiling the previously introverted development into a vibrant, extroverted experience that connects to the existing urban fabric through the design of gateway features, visible graphic identification, and thoughtful strategic planning.
Multiple urban portals were created to direct pedestrian circulation towards the project’s central core and encourage impromptu social gatherings. With the new open entries, walkability increased dramatically and further activates the public spaces and allows retailers to capture a larger audience. Serving as the new gateways to the center, dramatically patterned perforated metal screens integrate with existing façades. The impactful, light-colored solar screens visually refresh the exterior image and provide a consistent backdrop that compliments the new integrated desert landscape.
