This two-story mixed use cultural building with art galleries and restaurant/café seeks to transform an underdeveloped urban traffic corridor into a pedestrian-friendly arts and entertainment district. Visitors enter the building through a circular courtyard designed to support a variety of arts-related events—lectures, art and music performances and other events. The courtyard provides a quiet outdoor seating area away from the rush of traffic along the busy thoroughfare outside; glazing on the courtyard walls brings daylight deep into the gallery spaces inside.