Our WorkMain Place Mall

Design Brief

Main Place Liberty Group invited Architectural Resources to provide design services for the transformation of Buffalo’s Main Place Mall. This project presents a unique opportunity to reimagine this underutilized asset into a revitalized hub in the heart of Buffalo’s downtown core, an alluring destination to attract talent and innovation to our region. A|r provided concept and schematic design to convert the 250,000 SF mall into Class A office space. The expansive floor plate provides a unique opportunity for open concept collaborative workspaces, while the central atrium and new glazing system optimizes natural light.

Programmatically, the building has been divided into three programmatic zones:
The North end: Capitalizing on the existing infrastructure the new Food Hall acts as a central hinge point in the larger Main Liberty development serving both Main Place, The Liberty Building, and the public.

The mid-section: This larger expanse of the exiting mall is dedicated office space and anchored by a series of new vertical circulation and service cores. Utilizing existing infrastructure as much as possible, the new cores provide an efficient, consolidated solution for building services and occupant movement and provide access to a private roof terrace amenity space.

The South end: The tower base of the mall is dedicated as a mixed-use hub for a variety of immediate and future uses, including small and medium sized tenants and lifestyle amenities.

Additionally the building envelope has been treated with a clean aesthetic, respectful of the original international style building, and features a sculptural ribbon, a continuous interactive art piece, functions both as seating and landscaping elements, as well as building entry canopies.