A Theatre of People
This new parking garage structure turns its vehicle nature inwards, keeping its stairwells outwards to create a permeable landscape “skin” of shadow and light, which is activated by the pedestrian circulation contained within it. INTERSTICE designed the corresponding streetscape to received the various activities of its surroundings, on sidewalks & plazas, the restaurants and local community animate the edges. INTERSTICE created a streetscape of smart infrastructure deploying custom precast seating that matched the terra cotta screens of the structure, and leveraged the required storm water bio-retention planters to create deep edges along the buildings periphery where people can occupy the “working” landscape, that provides habitat and larger plantings to frame and complement the future public plaza across the street.
Location: Palo Alto, California
Owner/Client: City of Palo Alto / RossDrulisCusenbery ARCHITECTURE
Scope: Landscape & Streetscape
Status: Completed 2020
Photography: Kyle Jeffers