Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Selected to Design Downtown Yakima Central Plaza

March 27, 2014 - Today the City of Yakima announced that Seattle-based landscape architect Gustafson Guthrie Nichol is designing the Downtown Yakima Central Plaza in Yakima, Washington. The plaza will transform a parking lot into a welcoming, interactive public space at the heart of a vibrant community.
 
GGN’s design effort will be led by founding principal Kathryn Gustafson and principal Bernie Alonzo, who will work closely with Graham Baba Architects (GBA) and Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA). The team has local roots and international experience.
 
“As someone who grew up in Yakima, I want to do an absolutely stellar piece in my home town,” said Kathryn Gustafson. “For me, this project is about the place where I was born and raised before I went out into an international realm. What can that international realm bring back to the vernacular of the local? That’s my challenge and what I find fascinating about this project.”
 
Brett Baba, founding principal of Graham Baba Architects, is also from Yakima. City Manager Tony O’Rourke remarked, “The Downtown Central Plaza design will combine the insights and experience of world-renowned architects with a truly unique hometown Yakima connection. Our community is incredibly fortunate to have GGN, GBA, and MKA as our plaza design team.”