Designers were asked to use Engage to gather community feedback on their proposal. See that people said
For Stage 1, designers were asked to use Engage to gather community feedback on what they would like to see in the select site.
Here is your chance to provide design feedback to the designer. Please be respectiful.
Pivot North Architecture is excited to present our proposal to improve an underutilized traffic island at the confluence of three streets in Boise into a community asset. The goal was to create an identifiable landmark for the West Downtown neighborhood that expands public art West from downtown while encouraging residents to safely circulate. Our team engaged in a handful of meetings, multiple design options, and engagement with end users, and enjoyed collaborating with the community.
The proposal is an organic bent tube creating a physical divider from vehicles protecting pedestrians wishing to cross to the south and east. This allows residents to safely cross a confusing intersection and connect West Downtown with nearby neighborhoods. The playful shape alternates between at-grade barriers to protect pedestrians and raised portals to pass beneath. The iconic shape, vertical height and luminous color combine to create a clear beacon while remaining unobstructive to vehicular traffic.
The vibrant pink color plays off existing public art currently in downtown Boise. As an initiative to engage local artists and establish community ownership, our aspiration is to invite artists to propose [annually] and install new designs on this sculpture. This effort will ensure appreciation and continued awareness of the space within the community. Lighting at the bends allows for security at night and is sympathetic to night-sky ordinance.
We embraced the comments received from the original engagement, which were invaluable in developing a design solution incorporating public feedback. Multiple comments expressed the desire for connection through the intersection to extend the neighborhood to the nearby river and Greenbelt, a sentiment mirrored by representatives from the West Downtown Neighborhood Association. The thin profile protects users from vehicular collisions and ensures no obstruction of view of pedestrians. The playful color and evolving aesthetic were inspired by requests for a colorful sculptural element that could tie into a Western Boise identity.
Our team also envisioned rolling out similar concepts in other neglected areas around the city. It was exciting and rewarding to engage the community and develop thoughtful design solutions based on real-world feedback.
