City-County Building Plaza Competition Indianapolis, IN

2014 

This project reimagines the civic plaza as a truly public landscape, one designed for participation as much as presence. It is a place where art, music, play, and everyday life converge, inviting citizens to engage with one another and with their city.

The design transforms the City-County Building plaza into a layered sequence of interactive green spaces. Movement is intuitive and deliberate, drawing visitors toward both the public square and the building’s primary entrance. At its core, the commons is programmed for year-round use: an amphitheater anchors performances and gatherings; a convertible fountain becomes an ice rink in winter; and a great lawn supports everything from films to civic events. Interactive art installations, a gallery for local artists, and a café rooted in regional culture extend the experience, while an Indy 311 outpost brings direct access to city services into the landscape itself.

Common Good Commons makes governance tangible. It is not just a setting for civic life—it is an instrument of it. Here, citizens gather, exchange, and participate in the systems that serve them. The spatial framework reinforces this ambition through a composition that is both economical and ecologically responsive. The asymmetrical placement of the fountain, lawn, and rink creates a dynamic center, encouraging movement while maintaining clear views to and from the City-County Building. Surrounding architecture frames the commons and establishes a civic threshold at the intersection with the Cultural Trail.

At the building’s edge, existing totems are reimagined as carriers of meaning, wrapped in an allegorical work titled Good Governance. Nearby, a luminous, interactive Culture Cube broadcasts city information, events, and real-time public input—making civic presence visible and collective. Common Good Commons is a contemporary civic ground—where culture thrives, and the work of government is made open, legible, and shared.

Will led the design submission of the CCB Plaza Competition while at Land Collective.