The new owners of the Vallco Shopping Mall in Cupertino, Calif., have announced that they intend to transform the outdated shopping mall into a multi-purpose complex, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
The Sand Hill Property Company's $3 billion plan, called The Hills at Vallco, includes constructing downtown-style retail buildings, office buildings, and rental homes on a street grid, all contained by a man-made open space reserve. The plan calls for 625,000 sf of entertainment space, two million sf of office space, and 800 apartments.
The highlight of the design is the what the Mercury News calls the "largest green roof in the world": a 30-acre park that will be built above the mall. The $300 million roof will start at street level and gradually rise and spread across bridges and onto the new buildings. The park will have a 3.8-mile trail, vineyards, orchards, and gardens, and may eventually get an amphitheater and playground.
Sand Hill chose Rafael Viñoly Architects and OLIN Landscape Architects to lead the project. Development plans will be submitted to the city in a few weeks, and the proposal could go up for review by the city council in the summer or fall of 2016.
Related Stories
| Jun 30, 2014
4 design concepts that remake the urban farmer's market
The American Institute of Architects held a competition to solve the farmer's markets' biggest design dilemma: lightweight, bland canopies that although convenient, does not protect much from the elements.
| Jun 20, 2014
Sterling Bay pulled on board for Chicago Old Main Post Office project
Sterling Bay Cos. and Bill Davies' International Property Developers North America partner up for a $500 million restoration of Chicago's Old Main Post Office
| Jun 19, 2014
First look: JDS Architects' roller-coaster-like design for Istanbul waterfront development
The development's wavy and groovy design promises unobstructed views of the Marmara Sea for every unit.
| Jun 18, 2014
Study shows walkable urbanism has positive economic impact
Walkable communities have a higher GDP, greater wealth, and higher percentages of college grads, according to a new study by George Washington University.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
Bill signing signals approval to revitalize New Orleans’ convention center corridor
A plan to revitalize New Orleans' Convention Center moves forward after Louisiana governor signs bill.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
