Scottsdale Civic Center

The City of Scottsdale made a visionary investment in revitalizing a historic civic downtown green space. To guide design decisions, Dig Studio with Ardurra and Lake Flato developed an approach of preservation, enhancement, and transformation. These themes applied not only to physical attributes of the park, but environmental and social considerations as well: preserving an active space, the soothing sound of water, and legacy shade trees. Design components carefully balanced the community’s desire for a day-to-day public space that’s welcoming and park-like with new family amenities within a context of creating a magnet for tourism and events. Modernizing the park to align with Scottsdale’s commitment to water conservation was also a key component of the design, with the design solution slashing the City’s water usage by 5.8 million gallons every year.

The result: a harmonious blend of heritage preservation, environmental sustainability, and innovative design. Seamlessly integrating old and new, the space honors the past and embraces the future. In its first year the Center received 1.1 million visits, up from the prior year by 17.2%.