From a distance, the new twelve-sided tower rising in Phoenix’s Arts District looks like it belongs in a futuristic cityscape–or maybe in the middle of a very enthusiastic geometry lesson. However, ask the designers and they’ll tell you there’s a wink and a nod to a certain beloved racing game: Mario Kart.
“To build buildings that are unique that people stop and say, ‘Hey, what is that?’ I think is important to any downtown,” said Zac Cohen, creative director at Räkkhaus, the architectural firm behind the project, to Fox 10 in Phoenix. In other words: If you think this building looks quirky now, just wait until you learn what inspired it.
The complex takes its name from a famously chaotic, candy-colored racetrack known for sending players plummeting into the void, Rainbow Road. Obviously, you won’t see any characters or trademarked symbols on the exterior–a strategic choice, given a certain company’s well-known legal enthusiasm–but the references are there if you know where to look and if you look hard enough.
“One of them is that it’s a 12-sided building, which represents the twists and turns of the track,” he explained. “As you progress up, you level up with each floor.” Even the window insets flash a spectrum of colors, a subtle nod to the kaleidoscopic visuals of the legendary course.
“The windows are obviously very dramatic; they are angled in different ways to provide sort of a twisting motion,” Cohen said. “When you’re looking at the building from downstairs, it almost appears to move.” That sense of motion extends to the ground level, where public art elements like bike racks and benches trace the flowing geometry of Rainbow Road. A patterned sidewalk wrap will continue the motif around the block, creating a walkable ribbon of color that locals could recognize even without any game logos.
Inside, the mixed-use complex offers a public fitness area, an indoor-outdoor restaurant, and 36 apartment units, with rents starting at just over $1,900 per month. After 16 months of construction, the project opens on December 1, and Cohen hopes it will energize the neighborhood.
“We were hoping to design something fun and playful and representative of the arts in the arts district,” he said. “There’s a surprising lack of art-focused business here, so we wanted to be the catalyst for higher design.”
If you don’t live in Phoenix and/or aren’t looking to move, you can still enjoy Rainbow Road like the rest of us: by playing Mario Kart World. The game was nominated for a few categories at The Game Awards, and we’ll find out if it wins in just a few weeks.
