Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
The Scottsdale Civic Center is a powerful example of the transformative potential of design to create public spaces that allow for a more vibrant and sustainable future. This ambitious project reimagined a nine-acre civic space in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale into a modern, multifunctional urban oasis that meets a variety of community needs and serves as a nucleus for social, cultural, and recreational activities.
Scottsdale Civic Center by Lake Flato Architects: Designing a Resilient Urban Oasis for Community, Culture, and Climate Adaptation won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Originally designed by Benny Gonzales, the Civic Center complex has long been a treasured public amenity with a rich history. From the outset, the goal was to preserve the elements that made the space so beloved. The landscape design maintains as many legacy shade trees as possible, strategically preserving key water elements and celebrating the desert landscape while addressing functional issues such as accessibility and water use in an increasingly arid climate.
The architectural approach prioritized a “preservation first” approach, assessing each space based on what could be kept, what areas could be enhanced, and which spaces would be transformed. Iconic features like the Marshall Gardens were enhanced, while new, transformative spaces such as the Children’s Garden, a 60-degree performance structure, and a permanent stage were introduced to cater to the needs of a diverse and dynamic community and elevate the center as a hub for the performing arts.
In dense urban areas such as this, environments like Scottsdale Civic Plaza Park are often the only green spaces available, crucial for mitigating urban heat islands and supporting public health. Therefore, the goal became not only creating a comfortable refuge in the desert for residents, but also making sure the landscape would be set up to thrive in an increasingly warming world. The project significantly reduced water usage by 5.8 million gallons annually by eliminating outdated water features, resizing the lagoon, implementing low-water-use landscapes, and minimizing turfgrass.
The total area of lawns within the park was limited to only what was minimally needed in front of performance spaces. A new interactive water and fog plaza creates cooling, and its discharge fills the existing lagoon to accommodate water evaporation and achieve net even water use. Innovative stormwater management techniques, such as the integration of perforated drainage pipes with structural soil, ensure that stormwater supports tree growth, contributing to a healthier, more robust tree canopy.
The Scottsdale Civic Center not only functions as a performance space but also accommodates the day-to-day need for shelter from the sun. The project team worked closely with the park facilities and maintenance teams to develop a low-maintenance material palette that would hold up over time. This focus on long-term sustainability – and, importantly, usability –ensures that the Civic Center will continue to provide both ecological and social benefits for decades to come.
Architects: Lake Flato Architects
Design Team: Matt Wallace, Bob Harris, Sean O’Brien, PK Shah, Sunnie Diaz and Anne Herndon
Landscape Architects: Dig Studio with Ardurra
Original Architect: Bennie Gonzales (1974)
General Contractor: Willmeng Construction, Inc.
Client: City of Scottsdale
Photographers: Alan Karchmer
