Project Description
Concept Statement Located on the new modern streetcar line in Tucson Arizona, the 20 E. Congress building re-purposes an 1890s building into multi-tenant creative work space in the burgeoning downtown core. The design approach opens the windowless façade added in the early 1960’s and perforates the east facade to create views with natural light from all three floors. Inside, all levels, including a full basement, are connected with access and natural light from a sky-lit, internal stair that serves as a social mixer for the tenants. The existing materials of brick and rough sawn wood are exposed throughout and contrasted with new, precise steel elements and smooth surfaces. Originally built as the Western Union building in the late 1890’s with retail on the ground floor, the building façade was concreted over in the 1960’s when a third floor was added to accommodate accounting space for the adjacent Valley Bank. The building sat vacant for decades till its rebirth in 2016. The project concept crystallized when Owner, Architect, Structural Engineer and Demolition Contractor walked through the building and collectively realized it was possible to cut out a substantial portion of the 1960’s concrete façade without adding new structural elements to the overall framework. Centrally positioned in the center of downtown, the project injects new life into one of the oldest parts of urban Tucson.