Discovery Walk, led by Coen+Partners, is a visionary 4-block revitalization project that redefines 2nd Avenue in Rochester, MN, home of the Mayo Clinic, from a typical road section into a thriving pedestrian-focused public realm. As part of the Destination Medical Center initiative, this project rethinks the existing urban environment and asks what it takes to make place, and specifically a destination, in the 21st century.
Extensive community engagement was pivotal in shaping Discovery Walk to ensure it adeptly responded to local needs. Unique for a project of this scale, local emerging artists, mentored by the design team, designed integrated art that enriches the cultural tapestry of the parkway, reflecting the local and global communities who visit every day.