Plaza Shade Canopy

We care a lot about ensuring our public areas are both beautiful and functional. Earlier this summer, we installed a major—and stunning—focal point at Culdesac Tempe with that multitasking perspective in mind. This uniquely crafted art canopy went up over our main plaza in August—a series of jutting textured steel peaks with cutout text details. Don’t forget to look up, because alongside providing shade and style to our site’s central gathering spot, it's a piece of art!

Matt Salenger, one of our art partners, created this multidimensional, textural piece. Matt is an artist, architect, and co-founder/managing partner of coLAB studio. He uses his skill set—alongside his studies in Biophilic Design, Integral Theory, and Sociology—to find and create repeatable solutions for regenerative design. His purpose for creating incredible art pieces like this is to “[provoke] people to further question human connections between nature and technology.”

Our main plaza ties the western commercial and residential areas of our site together. Once completed and furnished, it will be a great place for visitors to enjoy their treats from the coffee shop, marketplace, or restaurant just paces away. The art canopy will help keep residents and guests comfortable year round while also providing an excellent spot for hosting events and gathering with dear ones. We are so grateful to Matt for helping us make our mindful approach to shade a stunning and functional reality.