Just south of downtown, the
convention center (top, 1 on
site plan) backs up against I-94
and jogs around Wesley
Church (3). Though scaled back
from the architects' original
designs, a plaza (middle, 2 on
plan) sits atop an under-
ground garage and helps open
up views to the city. Three en-
try rotundas along the center's
north facade provide second-
story lounge space (opposite).

sculpted and lushly planted terraces to street level, creating outdoor pedestrian pathways to augment interior circulation through the project. The primary corridor is a galleria that joins a street-level shopping arcade with the upper lobby, tying in parking and

other functions along the way. The galleria's upper-floor spaces, originally reserved for retail, are now being converted to provide additional meeting rooms, but shops and other pedestrian-oriented services continue to animate the center's street-level perimeter.

Truck and car traffic are segregated by placing truck access at freeway level and the garage access one level up, entered from 8th Avenue. Other vehicular entries also maintain existing streets while extending their reach into the complex. The principal convention

facilities occupy the two top floors facing the park. The 100,000-square-foot exhibition area can be divided into up to three halls for concurrent displays; the 50,000-square-foot meeting space above is flexible enough to accommodate groups of from 50 to 4,000 people.

1. Retail

2. Galleria

3. Future retail

4. Meeting rooms

5. Parking

6. Maintenance/mechanical

7. Truck ramp

8. Prefunction

9. Exhibition hall

10. Truck access/service

11. Lobby

12. Terrace

13. Open to freeway

14. Loading dock

15. Banquet service corridor

16. Meeting/exhibition

17. Kitchen

**CROSS SECTION** (Looking North)