Avondale Civic Center

Avondale Civic Center was designed to provide a sustainable facility that is as aesthetically beautiful as it is functional.

The landscape design process studied optimal orientation of viewsheds to the Estrella mountains, public open space areas, shade patterns, water harvesting areas, daylighting, and native landscaping. Contextual reference to blossoming cotton and agricultural lines helped inform decisions throughout the entire design. The facility emphasizes physical and visual connectivity between indoor and outdoor spaces, blurring the lines between the two. Community meeting rooms open to the entry plaza for larger events. At the building entry, an artful metal panel and planter penetrates the building from exterior to interior.

Native and desert plant materials connect with regional identity. The building and site work together on stormwater collection. Rain gardens reflecting the agricultural character of Avondale allow for a softer edge to the entry plaza. All stormwater is directed to gardens or bioswales in the parking areas, eventually entering infiltration tanks to replenish ground water.