Benidorm Seafront Promenade
Benidorm is a coastal, tourist oriented city in Spain that is built to be very dense. The positive side of this concentration is that less acreage is used for an area that is only used for a portion of the year and empty for the rest. A competition was held to create a new promenade on a 1.5km long stretch of the west beach. The project is interesting in its focus because it serves as a barrier from the city for the beach, a transition zone, as well as a public zone with the opportunity for many other public activities.
Park Review: Parc Central de Nou Barris; Barcelona, Spain
If there is one city that portrays connectivity as a key to good urban design, it is Barcelona, Spain. In my first visit to the city in the Fall of 2009, I was blown away by how well organized the city and its layers were. By far, it is my favorite city I have visited and a beautiful example of the synergy between society and urbanity. One of the hundreds of site to visit in Barcelona is Parc Central de Nou Barris.
Project Profile: Jubilee Gardens – West 8
Jubilee Gardens is a public park on London’s South Bank. Adjacent to the River Thames and the iconic London Eye, the park is currently undergoing a multimillion pound renovation by the urban design and landscape architecture firm West 8. Currently a large expanse of grass. The park is expected to be an integral part of of the 2012 London Olympic Games when completed this year.
Parking Space Turned Public Space – San Francisco Pavement to Parks Program
San Francisco’s parklet program aims to reclaim one parking space at a time by promoting the use of public space. In a movement coined ‘Pavement to Parks’, the San Francisco Department of Planning is looking to temporarily transform parking spaces into communal spaces. These reclaimed spaces remain entirely public and benefit the surrounding businesses and neighborhoods. After a quick and inexpensive transformation, parklets create a comfortable atmosphere by creating seating, bike storage and adding planters. Permits last just one year and are evaluated based on use and function. Potentially, these public spaces have the opportunity to become a permanent asset for the city. Continue Reading
Lake Whitney Water Treatment Plant, New Haven, CT.
In an effort to redesign the defunct ‘sand filter’ Lake Whitney Water Treatment Plant, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. (MVVA) and Steven Holl Architects collaborated to create a new state-of-the-art treatment facility while putting the sites landscape at the forefront of the design. Their stellar creativity and environmentally sensitive design was rewarded with a 2010 ASLA Honor Award.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park South: London
The 55-acre park on the south Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is to be designed by James Corner Field Operations, based in New York, and focuses on social landscapes that connect the Olympic attractions built for the 2012 games.
The “Low Line” Delancey Underground Park Project
The New York based firm RAAD is developing exciting new ideas for a park located three stories under street level in New York City. RAAD is challenging the current perception of parks and public open space. After the success of the Highline designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, James Corner, and Piet Oudolf, RAAD is proposing a subterranean park system known as the Delancey Underground which is gaining recognition as “The Lowline.”
St. Pete Pier Design Finalists
St. Petersburg, Florida held a competition to redesign their beloved, antiquated inverted pyramid pier, built in 1973. Since last August the jury has narrowed the submissions to three finalists: “The Wave” from BIG Architects, “The People’s Pier” by West8, and “The Lens” by Michael Maltzan Architecture and Tom Leader Studio (LA’s).
