East Civic Tower

Serving a Growing Community

Designed to reflect Raleigh’s status as a 21st Century City of Innovation, the new civic tower aims to provide high-quality public service and healthy workplaces in a culturally inclusive urban space. Conceived as the first phase of the Civic Campus Master Plan, it embodies Raleigh’s civic identity through close community collaboration and contemporary design, offering a landmark destination for generations to come.

This 17-story, 370,000 SF civic office tower in historic Nash Square will unify 1,100 staff members, enhance public services, and offer vital government functions. Drawing inspiration from Mount Airy granite and Raleigh’s oak-lined streets, its design seamlessly merges nature with the urban environment, creating a striking landmark. The transparent podium façade and stepped terraces invite engagement and seamlessly integrate the surrounding landscape, fostering a dynamic connection between indoors and outdoors.

Today’s city halls must reflect their communities equitably, prioritizing intuitive, welcoming spaces and embracing their roles as cultural hubs. Rooted in local vernacular yet aspirational, this design champions transparent government, fostering democracy and community identity in Raleigh.

The design champions extroverted functions at ground level, cultivating community engagement and fostering a vibrant public realm that welcomes people to participate and linger. Through intuitive navigation, technological integration, and personalized assistance, the public service model ensures efficiency and effectiveness. Bright, welcoming spaces, tailored to the public experience, contribute to the emergence of a dynamic urban hub.

The council chamber embodies the essence of democracy, serving as a hub for engaged discussions, spirited debates, and consensus-building for Raleigh’s future. Its open, inviting design fosters a warm, dignified atmosphere, enhanced by a double-height space and curved wall that promote sound transmission and create an airy ambiance. At the heart of it all, the council’s table stands as a focal point, surrounded by rows of public seating that symbolize the forum of civic life.