Livermorium Plaza
Livermore, CA
In 2019, the City of Livermore hired GATES in partnership with local firms BKF Engineers, BSK Associates, Interface Engineering, SGH Inc., and Radius Design to lead the visioning, design, and implementation of Livermorium Plaza - a new community gathering space in Livermore's Downtown Core. The intersection of art and science was integral to the plaza's design, as educational text and images are featured on signage, paving, and the interactive fountain orb.
Located at the former Mills Square Park site, Livermorium Plaza commemorates the creation of the element Livermorium, which was named for the City and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The plaza's central feature, a 5-foot diameter granite water ball fountain representing the nucleus of the Livermorium atom, is surrounded by 116 sandblasted or tiled protons, which are symbolized by reflective and engraved markers, lights, and tree wells in the ground within 7 stainless steel shells. Key features of space include large shade trees, locally-adapted low water use plants, a turf area bordered by curved landscape walls, educational signage, creative new lighting, and a preserved historic brick wall which provides a stage backdrop for events.
Completed in 2022
The paved plaza is in the form of the “Livermorium” element, with the focal interactive water feature illustrating the nucleus and 116 sandblasted or tiled protons within 7 stainless steel shells. It commemorates the creation of the livermorium element by a team of scientists, including those from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Key features also include large shade trees, locally adapted low water use plants and a turf area bordered by curved landscape walls, an outdoor seating area extended from the adjacent Peet’s Coffee, a preserved historic brick wall as the stage backdrop for events, and adequate site lighting and security cameras for safety. A shade study ensured that the proposed trees maximize shade for the plaza. Visitors can learn about the Livermorium element through engraved text on the water feature, 12 inlaid plaques, and interpretive signage.
From Ideas to Realization
Illustrative concept site plan and perspective rendering (below)
A shade study ensured that the proposed trees maximized shade for the plaza
Project Details
Lit plaza and signage at night
Seatwalls with custom "LV," which is the element code for Livermorium
Plaza view facing the historic Bank of Italy building at the intersection of First Street, which now houses The Independent newspaper
The central interactive granite water ball fountain, which is engraved with educational text about the history of Livermorium
Preserved historic brick wall and turf bordered by curved landscape walls, which include a commemorative plaque
Colored lit "protons" surround the central water feature
View of the plaza from the intersection at First Street
Rings and lights demonstrate the structure of the element