Year: 2017
Location: Chandler, Arizona
Client: DMB / Circle Road Companies
Type: Retail / Neighborhood Commercial
Size: 6,000 SF Retail Shops
Status: Completed and operational
Role: James Easton, AIA, NCARB, Project Architect – Conceptual Design and Development
Firm: Butler Design Group, Architect of Record

The Shops at Ocotillo

Retail Architecture for a Multi-Tenant Commercial Development

The Shops at Ocotillo is a multi-tenant retail building located at Alma School Road and Ocotillo Road in Chandler, Arizona. Designed as part of a larger commercial development, the project establishes a contemporary retail presence while working within the practical requirements of tenant flexibility, visibility, signage, and efficient construction.

The building is organized around a continuous storefront system framed by strong horizontal architectural elements. Deep canopy lines, projecting parapets, and clearly defined sign bands create a consistent framework that allows individual tenants to establish their own identity without fragmenting the overall composition.

Vertical tower elements provide contrast to the building’s predominantly horizontal character and establish identifiable corners and entries within the development. Wood-toned accent materials, masonry, stucco, dark metal, and expansive storefront glazing are layered to give the relatively simple retail building depth, scale, and visual interest. The architectural elevations show this material strategy carried consistently around all four sides of the building rather than concentrating design exclusively on the primary storefront elevation.

The material palette was developed around durable, readily constructible systems appropriate for commercial development. Masonry bases, stucco wall planes, metal framing, wood-look accents, and storefront glazing create a restrained composition that could be executed economically while still giving the project a distinct architectural identity.

The project reflects a straightforward approach to retail architecture—using proportion, material, shade, signage, and a clear architectural hierarchy to transform a conventional multi-tenant building into a cohesive part of the larger commercial environment.

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