Submitted by DPR Construction and SmithGroup

The City wanted an urban structure balancing functional needs with innovative design. Despite tight budget constraints, the project team more than delivered.

An elegant blend of three basic copper panel profiles—smooth, dimpled, and double-dimpled—creates a stunning exterior envelope. Copper was chosen for its sustainability, aesthetic appeal and its legacy as a key export for the state of Arizona. One of the fire stairs is crafted into a glowing vertical volume that becomes a lantern at night and helps create an entry gateway to the campus. Shooting for LEED silver, the project could attain gold.

One judge said “They’ve done a great job with the entire downtown campus to attract students, and now this top-notch building fits into that whole as part of the urban fabric.”

Owner: City of Phoenix
General Contractor: DPR Construction
Architect: SmithGroup
Engineers: Dibble Engineering; Paragon Structural Design; SmithGroup
Landscape Architect: GBtwo
Subcontractors: Able Steel; Bel-Aire Mechanical; Kearney Electric; Western States Fire Protection; Diversified Roofing; Kovach; K.T. Fabrication