Projects

This private small-scale backyard measures a mere 4,000SF yet still boasts a swimming pool, sunken seating garden, adjustable shade structure, fire feature, master suite seating garden, and outdoor shower. Diverse desert gardens tie it all together, providing stunning visual interest. A diving board salvaged from the previously over-scaled and demolished pool is stood on end, nestled among the various yucca and cactus. This garden, with its incredible attention to detail, was finely crafted by the irreplaceable Julio Taboada.

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Contractor: Julio Taboada with Desert Coyote

Photography: Caitlin Atkinson

The newest addition to the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Building C is a state-of-the-art research building that helps to anchor the eastern gateway into the overall ASU Tempe Campus. The site expands upon the neighboring landscapes of the Institute and James Turrell’s Skyspace with a richly diverse palette of both the upper and lower Sonoran Desert biomes with moments of riparian species at location of passive water collection from the building. An emphasis upon variously scaled spaces with varying seasonal comfort encourage social gathering.

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Architect: ZGF Architects and BWS Architects

General Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.

Owner: Arizona State University

Photography: Bill Timmerman and Above AZ

The Arizona Center renovation project was reimagined to embrace the City’s need for an enriched retail experience. The original Arizona Center was a landmark retail experience and urban renewal project completed in 1989, and had begun to show signs of aging both in its material selection and overall landscape. Significant renovations included all streetscape frontages, all pedestrian zones, patios, and the central grotto. Lowering SRI values, locally sourced pavers were used extensively to better knit the architecture to the overall site. Increased flexibility for social gathering spaces encourage visitors to enjoy outdoor activities including dining, outdoor working, and facilitating performance spaces within shaded and inviting comfortable spaces.

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Architect: Gensler

General Contractor: Skanska

Owner: Parallel Capitol Partners

Photography: Bill Timmerman

Originally constructed in 1966, a significant transformation of the Hayden Library at the heart of Arizona State University’s Tempe Campus was undertaken to make the library more engaging, welcoming, and user-friendly. Historical library entries were re-opened after being shuttered for decades, while a new glazing and metal panel system replaced towering granite slabs at the 1st floor. The entirety of the granite was repurposed as retaining and planter walls at all levels of the exterior gathering areas. Large existing trees were protected and numerous new shade trees were introduced to replace what had become a landscape defined by tall obsolete palm trees. To alleviate urban heat island and mitigate the effects of storm water, large areas of permeable pavers were used at areas of social gathering. This project exemplifies the practice of repurposing and reinventing sites and buildings and brings new vibrancy to the heart of the campus.

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Architect: Ayers Saint Gross

General Contractor: Holder Construction

Landscape Contractor: Brightview

Owner/Developer: Arizona State University

Photography: Caitlin Atkinson and Bill Timmerman

The Quad, located in Scottsdale, Arizona is a 14.5 acre office campus originally built in 1984. The renovation of the campus which includes 14 office buildings located in four individually distinct clusters was extensive including all new pedestrian circulation, work friendly patios, dog play areas and bike-friendly amenities. The landscape design retained numerous large existing trees from the 1984 construction, while incorporating new shade trees where needed along with simple yet lush planting beds composed with drought tolerant varieties.

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Architect: Gensler

General Contractor: RSG Builders

Developer: George Oliver Companies

Photography: Ryan Gobuty/Gensler

Nestled to south of the Echo Canyon area of Camelback Mountain, this modern residence satisfies the clients love of outdoor living and entertaining. The front yard includes a courtyard wall that focuses views to the nearby mountain and a new swimming pool and spa. A richly textured and diverse native plant palette is composed around each of the variously scaled and programmed outdoor spaces. A water harvesting garden including a dynamic architectural rain scupper serves as the foreground from the dining areas to the mountain view.

Architect: 180 Degrees design+build

Photography: An Pham

The Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, an iconic hotel located on historic Adams Street in the heart of downtown, underwent a significant renovation that included a new modern street level façade, the relocation of valet and taxi operations, a new restaurant and bar, updated lobby, renovated retail spaces and a fully reinvented streetscape. Streetscape renovations include reduced impervious surfaces, enhanced street paving, refined sidewalk paving, and on-street water harvesting via curb cuts. As part of the Low Impact Development (LID) strategy, 300 linear feet of bio-swales capture storm water from the street, sidewalk as well as from an upper terrace on the hotel building, which have, by all accounts, eliminated flooding along Adams Street. Pedestrian access points between the sidewalk and street at mid-block promote street festivals and block parties related to major events including Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours and smaller community events including culinary and craft brewing festivals.

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Architect: Gensler

General Contractor: Holder Construction

Photography: Ryan Gobuty/Gensler and Janet Scott

This update to a 1966 modernist masterpiece by architect Al Beadle includes a master suite addition and enhancements to outdoor spaces that are respectful of the past while thoughtfully integrating environmentally responsible strategies appropriate for the arid southwest. Views of Camelback Mountain to the north dominate nearly every experiential aspect. Restraint in design, including orderly arrangement and minimal materialization, ensures this landscape will fit contextually with and mature alongside this legacy piece of Phoenix architecture for decades to come.

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Original Architect: Al Beadle

Renovation/AdditionArchitect: 180 Degrees design+build

Photography: Matt Winquist

A new 76 acre corporate center with sweeping views of Camelback Mountain and Papago Buttes is situated on the banks of the Salt River west of Tempe Town Lake. A desert riparian plant palette sets the tone for the project that reinforce sits Sonoran Desert context. The use of durable materials with warm tones and textures are composed along pedestrian connections and variously scaled gathering areas along with river rock salvaged from the site to create gabion walls for screening and grade change transitions. Public art elements are thoughtfully integrated into the overall site design.

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Architect: RSP Architects

General Contractor: Wespac Construction

Owner/Developer: Liberty Property Trust

Photography: Winquist Photography

Tooker House at Arizona State University’s Tempe Campus is a new seven-story, 1,600 person, co-ed living and learning community designed for undergraduate students in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Much of the building’s infrastructure has been purposefully exposed so that engineering students may study the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and Civil systems within and outside the building. Variously scaled outdoor rooms engage garden spaces that are partly irrigated by water harvested from the building roofs, reinforcing the intimate connection between the built world and the natural environment while encouraging social gathering and learning opportunities.

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Architect: Solomon Cordwell Buenz

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Landscape Contractor: Brightview

Owner/Developer: American Campus Communities

Photography: Bill Timmerman

This Scottsdale, Arizona residence is a series of architectural abstract canyon walls and spaces that rest upon a south facing desert site. Restorations to the landscape nearly 20 years following the original 1998 construction include the removal of non-natives, the introduction of a desert pathway, and enhancements to a slot canyon stairway. The authentically native landscape both embraces and compliments the organic architecture.

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Architect: Will Bruder Architects

Photography: Bill Timmerman and Martha Bills

This residential renovation transformed a once water intensive landscape dominated by lawn and seasonal flowers to a lush yet ecologically responsible low-water use landscape. The simple planting selections, complimented with a new sidewalk connection constructed of repurposed concrete, and an updated modern color scheme allows the home to fit comfortably within this Central Phoenix historic neighborhood.

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Photography: Garret Cook

The evolution of a once iconic 1980’s Class A office tower plaza in the heart of uptown Phoenix exemplifies restraint in design making impactful changes to reinvigorate an existing urban plaza. The central plaza is now anchored by a new shade canopy and elevated seating area ideal for social lunch gatherings. Other improvements included enhanced lighting and simple yet bold plantings of desert canyon inspired vegetation.

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Architect: Gensler

General Contractor: Willmeng Construction

Owner/Developer: LBA Realty

Photography: Ryan Gobuty/Gensler

The landscape at the Agave Hall renovation on the Chandler Gilbert Community College campus aims to both enhance and encourage multiple outdoor uses associated with the building programs including performing arts and a community meeting space. Outdoor spaces rich in texture and varied in size provide comfortable, flexible and inviting spaces for socializing and various events. New concrete paving with texture and pattern improve accessibility and cue thresholds, while stabilized decomposed granite paths and gathering areas reduce storm water run-off and aid in reducing ambient heat gain from solar exposure. Demonstrating the importance of water in the desert, roof run off is directed into cisterns, thoughtfully and strategically directing rain water to nourish newly planted landscape areas. Native trees shade gathering and walking areas, while drought tolerant plantings provide visual interest. The landscape is irrigated via re-claimed water provided by the City of Chandler.

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Architect: Dick and Fritsche Design Group and Opsis Architects

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Owner/Developer: Maricopa Community College District

Photography: Winquist Photography

This urban infill project located in the uptown neighborhood of Central Phoenix is a shining example of a restaurant concept located within a sprawling urban garden context. To maximize the full potential of the one (1) acre site, Trueform worked closely with the project architect and head chef to develop a restaurant and drink service program that allowed for variously scaled and purposeful structures to create comfortable human space. What began as a standalone restaurant concept evolved into a site that includes numerous outdoor patios, a beer garden, a detached outdoor service bar, and a coffee and pastry shop. The strategic placement of buildings along with a gabion wall enclosure creates a garden court yard that intricately weaves landscape into and around dining and event spaces. Abundant native trees shade the entry walks and patios while richly textured and diverse understory plantings provide visual interest. Water harvesting is passively optimized in micro-basins and focused along walkways where trees benefit from the additional rain water. To help meet local storm water retention requirements, a sunken lawn also hosts various live performance musical acts, weddings, play space for children, and encourages casual lounging.

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Architect: Labahn Ryan Architects

Photography: Winquist Photography

The Chandler Gilbert Community College has seen an increase in student enrollment which has created a surge in student and campus life and pride. The Coyote Center project brings together two unique campus programmatic elements including a new student portal and enrollment center that brings new students into the campus and an athletic fitness center. These two prominent elements were strategically positioned to create a new front door experience for campus, transforming 12 acres of underutilized retention basins and knitting the building into the land. The landscape includes a new vehicular arrival point, flexible gathering spaces and enhanced circulation all set within a vibrantly native landscape.

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Architect: Dick and Fritsche Design Group and Opsis Architects

General Contractor: Sundt

Owner/Developer: Maricopa Community College District

Photography: Winquist Photography

The 2.6 acre campus for ViaSat Inc. at the Arizona State University Research Park in Tempe, Arizona includes a manufacturing building, a two-story office building and both indoor and outdoor amenity areas. A formal entryway shaded with Palo Brea trees accompanied by an appropriate native Sonoran landscape welcomes visitors to the advanced communication, radar and cybersecurity design and manufacturing facility. Outdoor gathering spaces encourage social interaction and team building opportunities including a shaded dining and multi-purpose patio, barbeque, sand volleyball and basketball.Architect: Gensler

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General Contractor: PCG Construction, Inc.

Landscape Contractor: Caretaker Landscape

Photography: Ryan Gobuty/Gensler

A once obsolete manufacturing facility, this project located in Tempe, Arizona, this project exemplifies the best in adaptive reuse in order to extend the life of an existing building and site. The re-imagining of the site results in a modern and dynamic Class A office work environment that sought to repurpose various materials from the original building and landscape including structural steel beams and vast amounts of site fencing. Several beams are repurposed as seating elements while site fencing helps to define gathering areas and rain gardens throughout the site. Simple and bold planting beds including aloe and yucca species along with alternating river stone panels were introduced to reinforce the new overhead canopies and amenity spaces. Expansive beds of drought tolerant and fragrant Arabian Jasmine were planted at amenity spaces including outdoor patios, bike parking and bocce ball courts. Rain water harvesting gardens are placed at both pedestrian areas and the front door of the site, providing the opportunity for a more lush garden environment that fits contextually with this more verdant and mature area of Tempe.

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Architect: Gensler

General Contractor: RSG Builders

Owner/Developer: EverWest Real Estate Partners

Photography: Ryan Gobuty/Gensler and Trueform