VICTORIA GARDENS

A sense of democratic individuality

“Ten years and Victoria Gardens continues to be incredibly sucessful, in part because the urban design framework allows for constant change and improvement. It has remained relevant because it continues to evolve as the community does.”

Rather than a conventional retail center, Victoria Gardens was conceived as traditional downtown for the growing the Inland Empire city of Rancho Cucamonga. The orthogonal grid of 12 open-air blocks is home to the retail, residential, and office facilities commonly found in contemporary lifestyle centers. What sets it apart is a complement of new civic uses that include a large performing arts theater, a conference center, and a public library organized around the central town square.

Low-scale buildings define the city blocks and create a comfortable pedestrian environment. Office spaces are located above two-story retail shops that line the urban streets. Local architectural models extending from the turn of the 19th century to the present inspired the design of the buildings. This stylistic variety gives the buildings a sense of democratic individuality and the appearance of having been built over time.

The innovative development established a new model and set the standard for large-scale mixed-use. With its mix of retail offerings, gathering places and civic functions, Victoria Gardens has proven to be popular attraction for residents throughout the region and a catalyst adjacent development.