Peace Plaza Re-Imagining (Winter 2024)

Salem's Civic Center is compromised of two Brutalist volumes, one serves as city hall and the other as the City's main library. The volumes are separated by a plaza, named Peace Plaza. The plaza's centerpiece is a sculptural metal and concrete fountain that no longer functions. Budget cuts have taken their toll. The landscape is poorly maintained and the fountain is unlikely to be restored. This picture imagines the fountain replaced by a circular bench containing a raised planting bed that supports Oregon's iconic white oak and native prairie flowers. The flags poles again add color and interests with flags and banners appropriate to the space.