The streetscape design focuses on a shaded pathway linking the ASU Downtown Campus from its eastern end at the Arizona Center to the western perimeter that
encompasses the proposed Civic Space design.
The design not only gives essential shading, it also harkens back
symbolically to the historic canals that once ran along Taylor Street and the necessity for water
in the desert. The swale that has been
created on the north side of Taylor
Street symbolically emulates the once-flowing
canal. This swale continues on the
south side of the middle block and moves again to the north side of the last
block of Taylor,
just as the canal once meandered along this pathway. The artist-designed concrete form benches
also tell the story of water. There are
three benches on the north side of the street, with the western-most bench
being a zigzag form. The acrylic insets
purposely have the color of water and are subtly lit from behind. Water in the desert and the story of water in
downtown Phoenix
is an important one to understand. Water
provides the reason the first inhabitants were here. It continues to provide, even as a small
amount or a sound of a trickle, the critical interlude from the intensity of
the sun and the desert surroundings.
To keep a piece of history with the project Mackie combed
the area looking for items to reuse with the mosaic tiles. The
mosaic pavers that are set as a pattern of four on the north side and three on
the south side provide a visual break from the concrete sidewalk and are a
delight to happen upon. The Taylor Street
public art project is a joint City/ASU project funded through the Percent for
Art funds. The overall street enhancements include a narrowed street of
24 feet, widened sidewalks of 12 feet, double rows of shade trees, mosaic
pavers, seating in the form of concrete benches with acrylic inset designs
through which LED lights provide pedestrian level lighting. In addition the eight parking bays along this
first block have permeable pavers. The
overall design reflects a thoughtful approach to sustainable amenities while
demonstrating viable materials for urban design in desert cities. It also presents the oasis concept that the
Public Art Program has been fostering to provide connectors and links between
streets and downtown neighborhoods and between transit stops.