Type: Commercial
Services: Urban Design and Landscape Architecture
Principal In Charge: Michael A. Cook, PLA
Client: SZFM Architects, Sudish Mohindroo

Lafayette Mercantile is a vibrant two- and three-story office and commercial complex with structured parking, located along Mt. Diablo Boulevard in downtown Lafayette. The landscape design maximizes every part of the site, creating inviting streetscape frontage and elevated rooftop plazas above the underground parking structure.

In close collaboration with the architect and structural engineer, the design integrates large planters, decorative pots, and a water feature within the central breezeway, bringing texture and movement to the urban environment. Michael Cook, while with another firm, led the landscape design, planting, irrigation, and lighting. Careful coordination ensured that irrigation and drainage systems were seamlessly integrated with the building’s structural framework.

Developed through a public-private partnership between the City of Lafayette and the developer, and designed with SZFM Architecture, this project transformed a neglected site into a thriving mixed-use destination that reflects and enhances the character of downtown Lafayette.