The City of Durham envisioned diversifying the area’s economic development by creating an iconic ‘gateway’ project to attract innovation-oriented companies. Actually a complex of two buildings, the new Durham.ID strengthens and rebalances the city’s flourishing and rapidly growing downtown revitalization. Its progressive modern architecture encourages pedestrian pathways to neighborhoods near to, but not previously connected to, Durham’s urban core. The project also forms a new downtown life sciences research hub and provides space for researchers from area universities and companies seeking a collaborative community. A courtyard plaza between the two buildings has evolved into an central public space featuring the work of local artists. Together with the project’s ground-level retail and restaurant space, this park extends the vitality of the downtown district. An architecturally screened 8-story deck provides supplemental public parking for the community.