The Niagara International Plaza

Transforming an overlooked civic lawn into a vibrant public gathering place grounded in sustainability.

We transformed the underutilized front lawn at the Niagara Region Headquarters into a welcoming, inclusive civic plaza designed for gathering, events, and everyday public life. The space invites people to pause, connect, and engage, strengthening the relationship between the building and the broader community it serves.

Sustainability is embedded throughout the design. An extensive bioswale manages stormwater on site, while a large pollinator garden supports biodiversity and seasonal change. These landscape strategies reflect Niagara Region’s commitment to environmental stewardship while enriching the experience of the space for those who use it.

The result is a flexible, multi-purpose public plaza that balances civic presence with human-scale comfort, creating a place where community life can unfold naturally.

Sign reading 'Niagara' with the phrase 'Everyone Welcome' below, in front of a modern building early in the morning or late in the evening, with trees and landscaping around.
Aerial view of a modern building with a rooftop solar panel installation, surrounded by pathways, landscaped area with small trees, benches, and plants.
Urban park with concrete walkways, landscaped with grasses and shrubs, near a street with traffic lights and buildings in the background.
An aerial view of a landscaped outdoor area with young trees, a grassy section with stone benches, and a large concrete patio. There are lampposts along the pathways leading to a nearby road.
A row of flags on tall flagpoles outside a modern building, with a bright blue sky and landscaped garden in the foreground.
Modern outdoor pavilion with white supporting columns and a flat roof illuminated with strip lighting, surrounded by small trees and stylized white stone seating, during twilight with an urban building in the background.
Modern outdoor walkway with wooden and metal pergola, concrete barriers, and landscaped plants on a sunny day with blue sky and clouds.
Aerial view of a modern outdoor plaza with pathways, green spaces, trees, benches, and a shaded structure, adjacent to a large complex with multiple buildings and a parking lot, with a cloudy sky overhead.
A park with a modern sculpture displaying the word 'UMCH' in large white letters, concrete benches, and green landscaping under a partly cloudy sky at sunset.
Modern building entrance with a large, flat roof supported by white columns, illuminated at dusk, with trees and landscaping around.
Open plaza with large white stones used as seating, a young man in a yellow shirt sitting on one of the stones, small trees along the background, a modern building to the left, and a shaded structure overhead, all under a clear blue sky.
Aerial view of a modern municipal building with a landscaped garden, flagpoles, and parking lot in an urban area.
Empty outdoor public space at sunset with modern pavilion structure, flagpoles with flags, benches, trees, and streetlights.