PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Located in downtown area, Horton Plaza has been occupied by buildings and barren landscape with little activity in the center of San Diego. It has been just a pathway for citizens to get their destination not a space to be in, despite its long history and memory. Horton Plaza should be more active and vibrant space where people meet others, get together, and stay inside like European plazas. Instead of filling the space with buildings and covering it up, Main strategy is to maintain the empty quality of the space and creating a bowl-shape urban plaza which can be used for various events of the city. By lifting up the three edges of the site according to their different urban conditions, a semi-closed space is made, which allows people feel the sense of space while they are in. Especially sharply pointed and sculpturally lifted edge on the south-east corner is function as a landmark. Ellipse and circles are carved onto the ground and they slightly level down toward the circle making stepped and encircled space, which provides sitting area and various event space by its different level and enables people to access more easily inside the plaza. The circle in front of the City Bank building which is the lowest level can be a stage for the various events, and the back wall of the City Bank also can be used for screen. The proposed plaza will be active and vibrant open space where people can easily access from any direction, take a break, play with the water features, and enjoy various public and cultural events.