Cultural landmark along the
Magnificent Mile

Plaza of the Americas

Location	Chicago, Illinois
Client	GNP Realty Partners
Expertise	Horticulture & Arboriculture, Community Collaboration
Size	0.15 acres
Completion	2022

The Plaza of the Americas is located on the Hubbard Street Pedestrian Overpass between the Wrigley Building and the Realtor Building, occupying a prominent position along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. Set within one of the city’s most recognizable pedestrian corridors, the plaza serves as both a gathering space and a cultural landmark.

Plaza of americas chicago planting design site design group

We partnered with GNP Realty Partners to redesign and renovate this historic space. Upgrades included multi-tone granite paving that defines circulation and supports pedestrian movement, along with custom granite planters with integrated seatwalls that encourage pause and gathering. Within the planters, a lush ornamental perennial palette establishes a cohesive landscape character, complemented by vibrant rotating seasonal annuals that bring color and change throughout the year.

Plaza of americas chicago sculpture site design group

The plaza is home to the Benito Juárez sculpture by Julián Martínez, honoring Juárez as the first and only Indigenous President of Mexico. Originally dedicated in 1963 by the Mexican Consulate General, the plaza celebrates the member nations of the Organization of American States and the Latin American cultures represented throughout Chicago. Flags from each of these countries line the space, reinforcing its role as a place of cultural recognition, history, and civic pride along Michigan Avenue.