Designed in the 1970s, Horton Plaza was in the height of architectural trend with its Post- Modern style. The project serves as a seminal example of post modernism with bright painted facades – and bold formal gestures calling back to Italian architecture.
The renovation and redevelopment of Horton Plaza into a creative tech campus requires breathing new life into a historically significant, but dated piece of architecture. The use of a contemporary material palette clearly juxtaposes new construction from otherwise minimally modified historic facades.
Key strategic subtractions are used to create a more open and welcoming experience for a spectrum of users. Visual barriers, such as the existing ‘aqueduct’ have been modified to allow visitors to see further into Horton Plaza. However, significant figures from the original architecture will be preserved within the heart of the project to act as points of interest along the ‘canyon’.
EYRC partnered with RCH Studios and RDC during the concept and schematic design phases of the project to re-imagine the entry experience, circulation through the project as well as primary urban design considerations in order to better integrate the development into its surrounding context and engage interest from the community.