What will the Valley of the Sun look like in 2035?

Mike Davis

Submitted photo/DAVIS

The challenge over the next decade will not simply be accommodating more people as Arizona continues to attract new residents and investment. It will be creating places that remain livable, connected and distinctive as the region grows. If we do that well, the Phoenix of 2035 will not simply be a larger version of the city we know today. It will be a more connected and dynamic place that reflects how dramatically the Valley itself has evolved.”

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OPINION — Greater Phoenix’s architectural landscape is ever-changing. For decades, we’ve seen business developments, lifestyle hubs and communities sprout up across the desert. But as we look toward 2035, the next chapter of Valley growth may look very different from the last.

Among the biggest shifts we’ll see is toward a more concierge-oriented, amenity-driven approach to development. Rather than thinking about mixed use simply as different uses located next to one another, the focus will increasingly be on how those uses work together to create a more seamless experience for the people who live and work there.

In residential development, that could mean apartments and senior living integrated with retail and hospitality, with residents sharing services, amenities and gathering spaces that make daily life more convenient and connected.

In the workplace, it means office design increasingly borrowing from hospitality: comfortable shared spaces, thoughtful food and beverage offerings, wellness amenities and other features that make the workplace feel less transactional and more like a place people choose to spend time. That is the next evolution of our “Life in Place” philosophy: not simply putting multiple uses together, but designing them to complement one another and create a richer experience.

Phoenix is also becoming an increasingly global city. As companies and industries choose Arizona, they bring new ideas and influences from around the world. We will see those influences reflected not only in the businesses that open here but also in our dining, culture and the way our communities are designed.

Phoenix’s identity will continue to evolve from that of a rapidly growing Southwestern city into one of the country’s major metropolitan centers. Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the U.S., with more than 1.6 million residents, and experts predict the Phoenix metropolitan area could grow to roughly 6.2 million residents by 2035.

Perhaps most interesting will be where that growth will happen.

For years, conversations about the Valley’s development focused on Phoenix, Scottsdale and the East Valley. In the next decade, some of the most transformative growth could happen in places that have received less attention. The West Valley continues to attract major development, while areas such as Deer Valley are emerging as increasingly important employment and commercial centers.

That growth will reshape how we think about Greater Phoenix. Instead of one traditional urban core surrounded by suburbs, the Valley is becoming a collection of interconnected hubs, each with its own identity and opportunities.

The challenge over the next decade will not simply be accommodating more people as Arizona continues to attract new residents and investment. It will be creating places that remain livable, connected and distinctive as the region grows.

If we do that well, the Phoenix of 2035 will not simply be a larger version of the city we know today. It will be a more connected and dynamic place that reflects how dramatically the Valley itself has evolved.

Mike Davis is founder of a Valley architectural firm, with an emphasis on population growth, changing lifestyle habits, rising land and construction costs, and demand for more connected communities. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.