SPOKANE, Wash. – A panel of Inland Northwest architects has chosen River Park Square as a winner of the Masonry Industry Promotion Group’s masonry excellence award.

River Park Square and the design firm of Callison Architecture, Inc. received the Excellence in Masonry Award from the Masonry Industry Promotion Group for its Phase I work. The Spokane-based masonry group recognizes projects that display outstanding use of masonry, presenting its excellence award every two years.

Masonry competition judges chose River Park Square, a regional shopping, dining and entertainment center, for its illustration of the “versatility of masonry,” said Kevin Krebs, executive director of the Masonry Industry Promotion Group. The judges also were impressed by the color, detail and imaginative presentation of the masonry work.

“The colors, the textures and the strategic placement of each unit have resulted in a two block edifice Spokane can be proud of,” one judge wrote. “The creators have delivered to this city a structure which has revived the spirit and economy of the downtown area.”

River Park Square was one of four projects chosen from 20 nominations. Projects were nominated by architects, masonry contractors and brick and block manufacturers and were judged on their imaginative incorporation of masonry in their design, Krebs said. The projects had to be completed in 1999 or 2000, located in eastern Washington or North Idaho and have incorporated masonry as a dominant design feature to be considered. 

“Callison and all of the project’s partners worked together to achieve a shared vision of creating a warm, inviting shopping, dining and entertainment center, and we are proud to be recognized for our architectural accomplishments,” said Bob Robideaux, River Park Square project director. “The masonry work really creates a friendly and engaging atmosphere.”

Callison, based in Seattle, is recognized as one of the world’s leading retail architectural firms. The goal in designing the 380,000-square-foot River Park Square project was to create an inviting neighborhood environment that encourages people to slow down, explore, shop and enjoy Spokane, according to Callison President Bob Tindall.

“We wanted the brick work to give River Park Square the feel of an engaging streetscape with individual storefronts, arched windows and other interesting architectural features unique to Spokane,” Tindall said. “We think it turned out wonderfully, and the masonry work is a big part of that.”