Located on the promising corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue, Culver Public Market is the right retail destination to guide this California neighborhood to its full potential. The design places a parking structure and experiential retail plaza on a formerly vacant lot and, with key placemaking touches, transforms it into a memorable Culver City destination. KTGY’s design team worked to obscure the parking garage from pedestrian view and highlight retail, bringing it to the front of the lot. The two-story corner building with its rooftop plaza commands the intersection; above, the restored neon theater sign reading “Culver” is unmissable.
In the plaza below, an antique Helms Bakery delivery van makes for a sculptural gathering point. Communal seating groups reinforce the ground floor food hall. Touches like a community lawn, event stage and popup area give this space a dynamism and personality that neighbors and visitors will want to return to. Each element connects to the community and history of Culver City, meeting playful touches with the practical concerns this neighborhood needs to energize itself.