Beyer Blinder Belle Architects

BBB's vision for Colony Square transforms a mid-century office complex and covered mall into a dynamic open-air, mixed-use hub interwoven with new buildings and public spaces designed for the pedestrian experience.

Renewal of Colony Square, Atlanta's original mixed-use development, pulls retail and dining closer to the street with new contemporary additions, repurposes underperforming spaces, and invites the public into the previously insular site. Two new office buildings, a food hall, and theatre will reestablish the site as "Atlanta's living room." Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, Colony Square is poised to become a cultural and entertainment destination within a burgeoning commercial, residential, and arts district.

A central challenge is to soften the hard edges and seemingly impenetrable buildings that make circulation through the complex difficult. Our approach is to dissolve the barriers between Colony Square and the adjacent community by creating new physical and visual pathways — from the outside in and inside out — that will reinforce connectivity and promote an engaging pedestrian experience. These pathways are punctuated by new outdoor areas with varied seating and spatial configurations, most notably The Plaza, which formerly housed an enclosed shopping concourse with limited gathering spaces and low retail visibility. Phases 1 and 2 of the project concluded with the opening of The Grove, a 10,000 SF urban park, and revealed newly revitalized lobbies and retail identities for Buildings 100 and 400. Phases 3 and 4 add a dine-in cinema, food hall, new office buildings, and additional retail to Colony Square. BBB is undertaking the project in collaboration with Atlanta-based architect Lord Aeck Sargent.