Optima Camelview Village
Drawing inspiration from the surrounding mountains and Native American desert communities, Optima Camelview Village is a 700-unit mixed-use development. Comprised of eleven terraced, bridge-linked buildings, it responds to the desert climate of urban Scottsdale, Arizona by creating a pedestrian friendly shaded environment of interconnected landscaped courtyards.
Design
Optima Camelview Village is built on a structural bay with varying cantilevered landscaped terraces, creating a rich urban experience where no two buildings are the same.
The architectural design embodies a site-sensitive vocabulary of deep-layered shades, shadows, colors, textures and transparency. Overlapping forms and voids create a diverse and provocative composition of space. The transparent, modular facade is an interchangeable system of high-performance glazing, floating sandstone panels and textural sunshades.
Each dwelling is a dynamic combination of layered interior space expanding into lushly landscaped private terraces. Landscaping is a critical element of the architectural composition; 23 acres of roof gardens were constructed on the 13-acre site. Through extensive design exploration, engineering and a multi-year research collaboration with Arizona State University, a terrace planting system provides a haven for urban wildlife, promotes evaporative cooling, re-oxygenates the air, reduces dust and smog levels, reduces ambient noise, detains stormwater and thermally insulates and shields residents from the desert sun, all of which contributes to a sustainable urban environment.
Optima Camelview Village is built on a structural bay with varying cantilevered landscaped terraces, creating a rich urban experience where no two buildings are the same.
The architectural design embodies a site-sensitive vocabulary of deep-layered shades, shadows, colors, textures and transparency. Overlapping forms and voids create a diverse and provocative composition of space. The transparent, modular facade is an interchangeable system of high-performance glazing, floating sandstone panels and textural sunshades.
Each dwelling is a dynamic combination of layered interior space expanding into lushly landscaped private terraces. Landscaping is a critical element of the architectural composition; 23 acres of roof gardens were constructed on the 13-acre site. Through extensive design exploration, engineering and a multi-year research collaboration with Arizona State University, a terrace planting system provides a haven for urban wildlife, promotes evaporative cooling, re-oxygenates the air, reduces dust and smog levels, reduces ambient noise, detains stormwater and thermally insulates and shields residents from the desert sun, all of which contributes to a sustainable urban environment.
FEATURES
The elegant centerpiece of Optima Camelview Village is the grand courtyard promenade filled with countless indulgent resort-style luxury amenities. Among dramatic waterfalls, reflective pools and lush landscaping are amenities such as three swimming pools, outdoor putting green, racquetball and basketball courts, fitness center with separate workout studios, plus a spa, sauna facilities and locker rooms. Monumental public art activates the space—two original sculptures were placed, Sundance and Windsong, in warm-toned hues that accentuate the village’s design details.
CONSTRUCTION
The geometry of Optima Camelview Village’s stacked layout made landscaping challenging. But a unique problem calls for unique solutions—planting each unit’s terrace required them to be studied, getting individualized and accurate photometric readings that could determine which plants would survive in the specific conditions. A special vacuum device was even created in order to lift and place all of the dirt that would go on the terraces.
Condominium
Completed: 2010
