Phoenix Civic Space Shade Canopies / Architekton
Architects: Architekton
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Collaborators: EDAW Inc. (landscape designers for the park)
Engineering: Rudow + Berry Structural Engineers
Contractor: Foresite Inc.
Project year: 2009
Photography: Matt Winquist, John Kane, Eric Vollmer
The Phoenix Civic Space weaves together the downtown community with ASU’s Phoenix Campus to create a vital urban center adjacent to the city’s new light rail system. Floating above the park, four canopies create a series of outdoor rooms defined by undulating green planes that reflects the park’s corrugated topography. This rhythmic scrim is comprised of standard electrical conduit and unistrut hangers: a syncopated pattern and variegated color scheme transform these off-the-shelf components into a rich textural surface that appears to constantly change density as it flows overhead. A second layer of shading is provided above the scrim by photo voltaic cells set in transparent panels that follow the warp of the structure and supply enough power to light the park at night.
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- site plan
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- structure axo
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- roof diagrams
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5 comments »
There is no shade from the heat in Phoenix. Its wrath is complete :( On the other hand very nice canopies, especially appreciate the way they flow like palm leaves and that the solar cells bend to the shape. Creative, efficient, everyones happy.
Simple, beautiful and functional
Beautiful detailing…
‘The Phoenix Civic Space weaves together the downtown community with ASU’s Phoenix Campus to create a vital urban center adjacent to the city’s new light rail system.’ And yet there are a whopping total of 3 people in the photos. Downtown Phoenix is a ghost twon because of the oppressive heat, over reliance on autos, and AC, and land use in the periphery. To vitalize downtown you need a more holistic approach that is incredibly broad. A light rail and shades are a step in the right direction, but this seems like another well meaning project that wont get used.
dig it!