Colony Square was one of the first multi-use developments in the southeastern United States. A five-hundred room hotel and two office towers are directly connected to a sky lit atrium. At the rear are residential condominium buildings of compatible design; they take inspiration for their slab-like configuration, concrete façade treatments, and (for a number of units) two-story layouts directly from Le Corbusier’s Unites d’Habitation. Provisions for underground parking create an automobile-free environment with carefully landscaped pedestrian terraces. The complex includes remarkable examples of cast-in-place and precast concrete. Special thanks to Tom Little.

Partially demolished and alteration of key features. The building does not carry any heritage protection by city, state, or federal government. After public spaces languished under a series of owners since completion, the complex was purchased by North American Properties in 2015. The following owners planned to “reimagine” Colony Square. This redevelopment opened up the complex for improved pedestrian access and added new amenities like office spaces, retail areas, restaurants, and public green spaces. However, this reimagining has resulted in the alteration or removal of key architectural features, such as parts of the original atrium and some concrete elements. Despite these changes, the residential towers remain intact and are not currently considered at risk.

This building was included in the red list, published in our exhibition catalog SOS Brutalism: A Global Survey (September 2017). After a status review on September 25, 2024, it is still classified as red (endangered) in the online database.