redbird west wing.

The typical suburban mall surrounds the entries with parking to minimize the distance between one’s vehicle and the interior retail experience. The design of a new entry to a retail mall undergoing a transition to a mixed-use development calls for a rethinking of the arrival experience. The new West Wing offers a distinctly different approach which extends the arrival sequence and creates an engaging, pedestrian-friendly experience.

The West Wing of RedBird mall sits nearly a level below the adjacent sidewalk due to previous demolition of an anchor tenant. Arcing paths capture pedestrian movement from numerous adjacent programs including retail, grocery, multifamily and hotel, and slowly navigates this elevation change. Breaking from the traditional axial arrival sequence, the path draws visitors along an extended journey around a vegetated grove to the entry via an angled, inset section of the façade. The organic layout of the “grove” contrasts with the development’s primary landscape space – the “lawn”, creating a softer, private transition zone from exterior to interior.