Locally quarried hornblende stone adorns Pablo Center
The new Pablo Center at the Confluence in Eau Claire, WI, features locally quarried Aqua Grantique hornblende stone to reflect the natural and artistic beauty of the area
With a population of nearly 66,000, Eau Claire is the ninth largest city in the state of Wisconsin and it takes its name from the original French name, “Eaux Claires,” meaning “Clear Waters.” This is an appropriate reference, as it sits at the junction of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers. As part of the city’s recent revitalization project, the Pablo Center at the Confluence, a local arts venue designed by Holzman Moss Bottino of New York, NY, was erected and its architecture is a striking representation of local building materials, including hornblende stone.
The arts center is only a portion of a larger redevelopment effort to unite the arts, enterprise and education to the site, rejuvenating the historic downtown while elevating the quality of residents’ life. Project Manager Gilbert Oh, AIA, LEED AP of Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture explained that the design objective was “to create an active center for entertainment and cultural enrichment that reflects the natural and artistic beauty of Eau Claire.”