sol block
26,200 SQ. FT. | tucson, arizona
architect: repp + mclain design and construction
general contractor: repp + mclain design and construction
materials: rusted metal, block, glass
photographs: Roehner
The sol block project involves the meticulous restoration and exterior remodeling of a historic retail shell, adapting to the significant urban changes brought by the widening of Broadway Boulevard in Tucson, Arizona. To accommodate the new streetscape, the site’s logic was entirely inverted—relocating the primary parking area from the south to the north side of the building.
This project focuses on the adaptive reuse and shell restoration of an existing historic retail building. The scope was largely driven by the Broadway Boulevard expansion, requiring a complete reworking of site circulation and access.
Project Highlights:
- Site Inversion: Relocated parking from the south to the north via a new western access drive.
- Connectivity: Integration of comprehensive pedestrian access throughout the site.
- Architectural Additions: New structural steel shade canopies added to the north and south elevations to enhance the building’s thermal performance and aesthetic profile.
Adapting a historic retail icon to a changing urban corridor, the sol block project navigates the widening of Broadway Boulevard in Tucson, Arizona through strategic site reworking.
By shifting parking to the north and introducing a series of steel shade canopies and pedestrian links, the design restores the building’s exterior shell while ensuring its continued relevance and accessibility in a modernized transit environment.
Media coverage from the Arizona Daily Star about this project.
