ACEC Honors City Creek Center Project

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Hobbs + Black Associates Inc., an architecture firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, recently received the Honor Award in the 2013 Engineering Excellence Awards from The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for its work as the architect of record on the $1.5 billion City Creek Center in Salt Lake City.

The 23-acre, 5.5 million-square-foot City Creek Center opened on March 22, 2012 and combines retail, residential, office and public spaces across 20 structures ranging from two to 30 stories tall.

The design features several sustainable highlights including the nation’s first retractable skylight roof in a shopping center. During the summer months, the roof can be opened to let in more sunlight and airflow, reducing the need for air conditioning. It was also built on the site of two former shopping malls, and more than 80 percent of the materials from the previous malls were reused in the current facility. Plus, the exterior of Nordstrom includes a two-story, translucent glass wall of LED lights that glow and change color.

Other highlights that pay homage to the Salt Lake City surroundings include the skybridge over Main Street, which spans 140 feet and connects the retail shops. In the center of the bridge is an observation deck, which enhances views of Main Street and Ensign Peak. Plus, the underside of the bridge is made to look like the bottom of a streambed, creating a sort of virtual creek between the blocks.

Created to look like the historic City Creek, an iconic, 1,200-foot-long “creek” flows through the shopping center. It was created as a tribute to the south fork of the creek that once flowed through downtown and was an original water source for early farmers. It includes three waterfalls and 420 tons of boulders, which are supported by the below-grade parking structure. The center also features animal tracks sandblasted into stone throughout the facility, as well as sculptures that highlight the state’s wildlife.