Nestled within Arena Green Park at the heart of San Jose, Nebula Tower is a visionary civic landmark designed by Co-Milieu, a collective of recent Harvard GSD graduates. As one of only three finalists selected from over 900 international submissions to the Urban Confluence Design Competition, the proposal stands out for its poetic integration of light, landscape, history, and community.
The project is situated at a meaningful confluence—both literal and symbolic. Positioned where the Guadalupe River meets Los Gatos Creek, the site connects the Santa Cruz Mountains to the San Francisco Bay. It also forms part of what is projected to be San Jose’s “new downtown,” adjacent to the SAP Center and future transit developments. In this context, Nebula Tower is more than a structure—it is a catalyst for urban and ecological transformation.
Visually, the tower is composed of a transparent lattice cube encasing the “shadow” of the historic San Jose Light Tower. This subtle interplay between solid and void, past and future, imbues the structure with symbolic depth. The name “Nebula”—Latin for cloud or mist—speaks to its ephemeral presence: it dematerializes and rematerializes depending on the time of day, light conditions, and viewer’s perspective. From Highway 87, from the banks of the river, or within the park itself, the tower offers a constantly shifting visual experience.
Functionally, Nebula Tower redefines the role of the civic monument. Its structure is embedded with programmable light nodes and sound systems, creating a dynamic canvas for artists to craft immersive, multimedia environments. The architecture becomes a platform for cultural expression, performance, and digital art, evolving with the creativity of its users.
The surrounding park amplifies this civic mission. Designed with adaptability and inclusion in mind, Arena Green Park is divided into several zones—each fostering specific activities while blending into the overall experience. The central plaza, with terraced edges, hosts performances and public art; the riparian corridor promotes environmental education and habitat restoration; and Autumn Street Plaza connects to the city with flexibility for markets, concerts, and community events. The sunken amphitheaters, sculpture gardens, and promenade ramps create a spatial choreography that invites movement, gathering, and reflection.
Public accessibility is central to the experience. At ground level, retail spaces, cafes, and galleries open into an immersive urban landscape. Visitors can ascend via open staircases or a glass elevator through the tower’s core to reach the observation platform, which offers sweeping views of the city, the distant mountains, and the surrounding urban fabric. This moment of elevation completes the narrative journey—offering both a literal and metaphorical perspective on San Jose’s past, present, and future.
More than a symbolic structure, Nebula Tower embodies the evolving identity of Silicon Valley: innovative, inclusive, and rooted in community. It transforms the idea of a monument into something living, participatory, and ever-changing—a space where civic life, culture, and technology converge to reflect the soul of the city.
