Papago Portal: Lightrail Station
Tempe Arizona 2009
Papago Portal Light Rail Station: Pennies from Heaven Polish the Desert.
Located at the intersection of Priest Drive and Washington streets just north of the Grand Canal, this is the stop for Papago Park and the Salt River Project (SRP) headquarters. SRP is the utility responsible for regional canals.
The design of the station entry references the canals that sustain life in the Phoenix Metro area.
In recent decades the southern edge of Papago Park has evolved from a rocky desert floor to a polished corporate corridor due to economic growth fueled by the availability of water and power.
Pennies hanging overhead and embedded in the polished granite sidewalls refer to the idea of water as currency.