Downers Grove Civic Center

The new Civic Center for The Village of Downers Grove, Illinois includes a new Village Hall and Police Department. Envisioned as a community gathering place, the project includes a community walk that commuters will use to connect to nearby neighborhoods and a plaza to honor the civil rights movement and Isrel Blackburn, one of the founders of Downers Grove. Using only native plantings, without using turf or non-native ornamental plants, we were able to balance sustainable approach with the practical realities of the function of an active public space.