The project stems from an ecological and cultural will, and goes beyond an innovative storm water collection solution to engage larger issues pertaining to the site typology. The need to collect, filter and store large volumes of storm runoff generated by impervious surfaces is inherent to the more universal issue of recycling over sized parking lots into a sustainable green city.

The storm water management strategy introduces architectural elements, the collectors. The parking function, essential to the shopping mall is maintained, but the collectors offer opportunities for overlapping spaces and scales. The collector’s canopy articulates the site and accommodates programs and activities that generate revenue when parking needs are minimal. The result is a flexible hybrid space that engages the community and allows it to play a role in reshaping the neighborhood.  Once transformed into a public space the site restores the neighborhood’s relationship to the river and the city.