SCOPE: Plaza Design, Site Furniture, Urban Landscape

DESCRIPTION: This iconic building in Spokane’s Urban Core was once overshadowed and by a mid-century landscape element indicative of the once popular “Cubert” game of the early 80’s. Although relevant at the time, years of maintenance oversight and a growing urban population, caused degradation of the landscape and invited overnight camping and shelter for the community’s transient population.

Like many of Spokane’s commercial buildings, this plaza was built on top of a subterranean level housing mechanical rooms, storage, and maintenance access. The elevated landscape structure was leaking, and the building owner decided replacement was the most cost-effective long-term solution.

The pedestrian plaza re-design opened up much of the building’s architecture. The primary entrance was now visible from the street and an entry archway was designed to announce arrival to visitors and building tenants. Movable urban landscape container gardens were introduced to provide a dynamic, fluid solution that could be modified to accommodate civic events. Site furniture was selected for its fresh, modern style, and the raised planters were designed to facilitate public seating around the plaza. Street trees and supporting landscape provide shade during the summer months. Recycled granite slabs were utilized as part of the elevated plaza deck design.

PROJECT COLLABORATORS: BWA