THE VISION

Today, the space in front of Idaho’s Capitol functions primarily as a traffic distributor, prioritizing vehicle throughput over civic presence. This vision restores the Capitol’s front door as a true public square. By calming traffic, consolidating movement at the perimeter, and re-centering the space around trees, water, and pedestrian life, the grounds become a place of arrival rather than passage. The result is a civic room worthy of the institution it serves: legible, humane, and oriented toward gathering.

Currently, the Parkcenter bridge is a utilitarian necessity. It’s a loud, asphalt artery designed solely to move vehicles across the Boise River, severing the natural flow of the riparian environment. This vision heals that divide by submerging vehicular traffic into a concealed tunnel beneath a terraced park lid. In a bold move of adaptive reuse, the existing elevated bridge structure is transformed into a landscaped garden crossing exclusively for pedestrians, animals, and cyclists. By burying the noise and elevating the lived experience, a mere roadway becomes a world-class riverfront landmark connecting the Greenbelt.

Currently, Boise’s most iconic overlook is defined by trampled dirt and utility infrastructure. This vision transforms the summit into a world-class high desert sanctuary. By replacing the barren ground with terraced stone pathways, water features, and native botanical gardens, we create a destination that is finally as beautiful as the view it overlooks.

Broadway carries one of Boise’s strongest corridors of daily life, yet the experience at street level is shaped by wide lanes, fast traffic, and a hard boundary between the roadway and the surrounding districts. This concept lowers a central stretch of Broadway into a contained channel and restores the surface as a walkable civic spine. With narrower lanes, sound-softening walls, generous sidewalks, and pedestrian bridges linking both sides, the corridor becomes a place to spend time rather than pass through. By pairing transportation flow with a humane public realm, Broadway gains the character and coherence its role in the city deserves.

Much of Boise’s recent housing boom has relied on box-like massing, thin exterior treatments, and layouts that maximize density while minimizing the experience of home. This concept contrasts that approach with a pattern that restores dignity to multifamily living. Vertical townhomes create a sense of personal domain. A shared internal courtyard offers light, safety, and community. Layered landscaping softens the edges. A clear perimeter wall defines a threshold between the public street and the place residents inhabit. By assembling these elements, the development becomes a setting where people can live with coherence, privacy, and connection.