LAS VEGAS, NEV (Sept. 25, 2025) – The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nevada will honor Symphony Park as the 2025 Place of the Year and Dr. Robert A. Fielden, FAIA, as the Placemaker of the Year recognizing their transformative impact on Nevada’s built environment and quality of life. The awards will be presented at the 5th Annual Placemaking Awards for Excellence on Nov.19 at World Market Center.
“Symphony Park is a dynamic example of how thoughtful planning, world-class architecture, and a commitment to create a transformative destination through visionary leadership can uplift an entire city,” said Debra March, former City of Henderson Mayor and District Council Chair, ULI Nevada. “And Dr. Fielden’s lifelong dedication to architecture and community-building has left an indelible mark on Nevada’s landscape. Both are highly deserving of this recognition.”
Symphony Park, the cultural heart of the valley, demonstrates the city’s ability to turn vision into reality. Once a Union Pacific railyard and brownfield, the 61-acre district is now a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood combining residential, retail, office, hospitality, medical and cultural spaces. It was awarded LEED Gold certification in 2008, underscoring its commitment to sustainability.
Anchoring Symphony Park is The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, an art-deco landmark that has become the region’s cultural centerpiece, hosting Broadway shows, concerts, lectures and performances. Discovery Children’s Museum relocated to Symphony Park in 2013, strengthening its role as a hub for education and family engagement. Looking ahead, the $150 million Las Vegas Museum of Art will break ground in the next few years, introducing a sculpture park and three floors of galleries, forever uplifting and changing the cultural center of Las Vegas. Public art installations, including Tim Bavington’s Pipe Dream, a sculpture of former Mayor Oscar Goodman, and Notes by Domsky, add to the district’s vibrant identity.
The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health adds both groundbreaking medical research and Frank Gehry’s iconic architecture to the area. A 100,000 square foot medical office building adjacent to the clinic was recently entitled.
Symphony Park is also becoming one of Las Vegas’s most desirable residential addresses for those interested in a highly vibrant lifestyle in the heart of the city. More than 600 luxury rental units are now open with ground-floor retail opportunities across Parc Haven and Auric Symphony Park. New construction by Southern Land Company is bringing another 540 units and 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Origin at Symphony Park will add a 30-story condominium tower, multifamily housing and more than 90,000 square feet of retail, grocery and office space. The dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott Symphony Park/Element by Westin, which just opened this month, is adding 441 guest rooms and event space.
Dr. Robert A. Fielden will be honored as Placemaker of the Year for his pioneering career as an architect, educator, and community leader spanning four decades. His portfolio includes approximately1,000 completed projects, 50 professional honors and design awards, and six professional medals representing outstanding contributions to professional achievements, leadership, and award-winning projects across Nevada. His work serves a full range of facilities, including the West Sahara NV Energy Headquarters, the West Sahara Citibank/Citicorp Center, North Las Vegas Municipal Courts Building, Las Vegas, Reno-Sparks and Henderson convention centers, the first phase of Henerson City Hall, multiple projects at Harry Reid International Airport (then McCarran International Airport), and the RTC and RFCD Headquarters Building within the Clark County Government Center.
His early work on the UNLV chemistry building won the first A.I.A. award in Nevada history. Other award-winning projects for UNLV include the design of the College of Education, the Life Sciences Building and additions to the James Dickenson Library. He also designed Nevada’s first solar building for the Desert Research Institute along with his own local solar residence in the early 1970’s.
Fielden’s two most distinguished projects may be his firm’s commission to create the first official master plan for the new City of Mesquite, Nevada, and his work as a young architectural intern in the mid-60’s employed by Jack Miller and Associates, the architect for the Stardust Hotel and Casino to assist the LA Ad Art Sign Company finalize design of the iconic Stardust free-standing pylon sign.
The ULI Nevada Placemaking Awards for Excellence will be held Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at World Market Center. For tickets, sponsorship and more information, visit ULI Nevada.
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