Location

Raleigh, NC

Speakers

Jim Thompson, Garret Herbst, Hannah Barefoot

Reframing Resilience: How Design Transformed a Corporate Plaza into a Civic Catalyst

What began as a waterproofing replacement project for a 47-story tower in Uptown Charlotte evolved into a model for resilience, stewardship, and civic collaboration. Through close partnership with the client team, the design process uncovered an opportunity to reimagine the project’s scope, not simply restoring infrastructure, but redefining the site as a welcoming front door to the headquarters and an active public space that contributes to the life of the city. The reimagined Truist HQ Plaza & Lobby demonstrates how interdisciplinary design can merge infrastructure renewal with environmental and social impact in new and meaningful ways.

Sited atop an active electrical vault, the project integrates stormwater management, drought-tolerant planting, and permeable granite paving to address climate and heat risks. The plaza now functions as civic infrastructure, hosting public events, connecting pedestrian corridors, and advancing Charlotte’s 2040 Vision Plan goals.

This session reveals how landscape architects, architects, engineers, and contractors collaborated within a large, cross-disciplinary team to balance technical constraints with civic vision. Attendees will gain insights into the project’s planning and coordination strategies, showing how innovation, flexibility, and teamwork can transform a maintenance challenge into a resilient, inclusive urban landscape that elevates the Southeast’s public realm.