It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: MGM Resorts International - Project Partners: Cooper Robertson, Marnell Architecture, AIP Partners, Barker Structural - Awards: 2018 Architecture Master Prize in Public Space; 2018 Natural Stone Institute Pinnacle Award; 2017 International Design Award Honorable Mention; 2018 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Atheneaum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies; Water Hero Award by the Nevada Water Authority Water Conservation Coalition; AL Design Award for the Best Use of Color for the Shade Structures - Photography: Hanns Joosten
Las Vegas Strip Public Realm - Las Vegas
Project Info
For the Las Vegas Strip, the most visited tourist destination in the world with over 40 million visitors annually, !melk delivered a public realm master plan that included the design for the streetscapes and the overall public space network. This effort included the re-configuration of the hotel/casino frontages with a variety of new restaurants, sidewalk cafes and retail outlets, as well as the integration of a new 20,000-seat arena, all embedded within a cohesive, continuous public realm. The project also included the first-ever public park along the Strip, becoming the most trafficked park in the world!
“The Park” undoubtedly sets a sustainability precedent for design in arid climates. Its xeriscape consists of more than 250 trees and 7,000 individual plants featured in dramatic botanic displays. Central to what is now referred to as “the Strip’s first neighborhood,” The Park is essentially a town square with many food and beverage offerings, as well as a staging area for large civic events and community meetups, creating opportunities for flexible programming and the integration of public art.
The !melk-designed award-winning shade structures and bespoke water features are integrated to help temper the Las Vegas heat. In addition, strategically placed zones of microclimate mitigate the extreme challenges of the location, all to create the most enjoyable and sustainable urban experience possible. Tranquil seating areas are tucked into large planters providing areas for respite throughout The Park.
Of great priority for !melk was an innovative water management strategy for the project. The Park utilizes “best management practice” guidelines for water use, whereby only sustainably sourced water is utilized for irrigation and the water features - bearing no burden on the larger Nevada State water network.
The cutting-edge design of The Park celebrates the context of the Mojave region and reinstates what Las Vegas once was - an oasis in the desert.
For the Las Vegas Strip, the most visited tourist destination in the world with over 40 million visitors annually, !melk delivered a public realm master plan that included the design for the streetscapes and the overall public space network. This effort included the re-configuration of the hotel/casino frontages with a variety of new restaurants, sidewalk cafes and retail outlets, as well as the integration of a new 20,000-seat arena, all embedded within a cohesive, continuous public realm. The project also included the first-ever public park along the Strip, becoming the most trafficked park in the world!
“The Park” undoubtedly sets a sustainability precedent for design in arid climates. Its xeriscape consists of more than 250 trees and 7,000 individual plants featured in dramatic botanic displays. Central to what is now referred to as “the Strip’s first neighborhood,” The Park is essentially a town square with many food and beverage offerings, as well as a staging area for large civic events and community meetups, creating opportunities for flexible programming and the integration of public art.
The !melk-designed award-winning shade structures and bespoke water features are integrated to help temper the Las Vegas heat. In addition, strategically placed zones of microclimate mitigate the extreme challenges of the location, all to create the most enjoyable and sustainable urban experience possible. Tranquil seating areas are tucked into large planters providing areas for respite throughout The Park.
Of great priority for !melk was an innovative water management strategy for the project. The Park utilizes “best management practice” guidelines for water use, whereby only sustainably sourced water is utilized for irrigation and the water features - bearing no burden on the larger Nevada State water network.
The cutting-edge design of The Park celebrates the context of the Mojave region and reinstates what Las Vegas once was - an oasis in the desert.