RDC, an award-winning architecture and interior design firm, is proud to celebrate the success of the reimagined shopping and lifestyle center, Del Mar Highlands Town Center, which was honored with a 2023 Gold Nugget Grand Award for Best Commercial project at the recent Pacific Coast Builder’s Conference (PCBC) in Anaheim. The prestigious award recognizes those who improve communities through exceptional concepts in design, planning, and development.
“RDC collaborated with our client to create a thoughtful vision for reimagining, expansion and revitalizing the 30-year-old shopping center into an experiential, memorable and vibrant place for the community to shop, play and work,” said Mitra Esfandiari, AIA, Partner, RDC. “SkyDeck is a brand-new anchor in phase four of the decade-long repositioning, conceived as a bookend at the south end of the property. A unique gastronomic destination, SkyDeck is an innovative concept offering various experiential culinary zones on multi-levels, in airy and al-fresco environments. The architecture, interior design, and handcrafted curation of art, signage, and sculptural elements throughout the space echo the overarching story of a‘nautical industrial’ concept, inspired from its adjacent coastal environment.”
The repositioning of Del Mar Highlands Town Center was undertaken by Donahue Schriber Realty Group (DSRG), beginning in 2012, and completed in 2021 with the opening of the Sky Deck, acc. The property was acquired by First Washington Realty in 2022.
A Multi-Phase Repositioning
Del Mar Highlands Town Center is a $120 million repositioning, expansion, and revitalization of an open-air shopping center developed in the mid-1980s. The expansion has been designed and constructed in four phases that include experiential retail, entertainment, dining, and multi-level parking uses. The multi-phase approach allowed the center to remain open and continue offering diverse options for dining, shopping, and entertainment.
A variety of landscaped multi-level promenades, lined with small boutique shops and services, create pedestrian links throughout the center and connect larger anchor spaces. Located along the walks are nodes of activity, surrounded by vibrant shops and well-appointed with site furnishings, lighting, water features, art, and games. These public spaces create outdoor living rooms where the community gathers to enjoy food, fun, and lounging. The final phase of the renovation was Sky Deck, a culinary collective that offers eight different dining experiences by local chefs.
“Gold Nugget Award winners reflect our industry’s best, brightest and most innovative architects, planners and builder/developers,” said Judging Chairman and Gold Nugget Ceremonies Administrator Lisa Parrish.
Now in its 60th year, the Golden Nugget Awardis the largest and most prestigious competition of its kind in the nation. It honors design and planning achievements in community and home design, green-built housing, site planning, commercial, retail, mixed-use development, and specialty housing categories. Winners this year were chosen from over 600 entries from around the world.
About RDC
Founded in 1979, RDC is a full-service, award-winning architecture firm dedicated to making everyday places extraordinary. Practice areas include interior design, branding, hospitality, retail, entertainment, workplace, residential, and procurement. Headquartered in Long Beach, CA, the firm has 200 staff members and offices located in Washington DC, Northwest Arkansas, and San Diego CA. For more information, visit www.rdcollaborative.com.