As part of a larger effort to establish its downtown as a center for business and culture during a period of unprecedented growth, the City of Jacksonville was in need of a design and investment strategy for its underused waterfront along both banks of the St. Johns River. The design team’s approach entails both a large-scale and a node-based strategy, identifying sites of particular opportunity, improving the overall quality of the urban fabric, and establishing an urban design and wayfinding strategy that improves connections to the Brooklyn and Riverside communities.
The large-scale vision sets forth design guidelines for the river’s North and South Banks in a “kit of parts” for upgrades to the built environment. This includes suggestions for wayfinding systems, outdoor lighting, hardscape materials, and planting palettes, the implementation of which will strengthen Downtown Jacksonville’s identity and better connect its Riverwalk to inviting public spaces.
The second strategy highlights a series of nodes near opportunity sites along the waterfront, predetermined by the American Institute of Architects’ Jacksonville Chapter, and connects them through a “Green Ribbon.” These sites were selected for their contributions to Jacksonville’s development throughout the years, and while some are no longer in operation, they represent present-day cultural assets for the city. Designated as either primary or secondary depending on their potential, these nodes were explored for particular design guidance and strategic investment, with initial focus by the design team on Times Union Center for the Performing Arts (Node 6) and Friendship Park (Node 11).
Hangzhou Hubin
West Lake in Hangzhou, China, one of the world’s most romantic places and as familiar an icon as the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, has been designated by the United Nations as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites. Seven hundred years later, the city that served ancient emperors as a capitol boasts a population of over three million and is still a...
Kaohsiung Waterfront Renovation
SWA, in association with Morphosis Architecture and CHNW, developed a vision for the future of Kaohsiung Harbor Wharfs, which includes 114 hectares of prime waterfront property formerly used for cargo shipping. The site, located in the shipping heart of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was historically subjected to environmental neglect and rampant uncontrolled development....
Riverside Park South
Located on the West Side of Manhattan on the scenic Hudson River shoreline, Riverside Park South is a massive, multiphase project of sweeping ambition and historic scope. Combining new green space, new infrastructure, and the renovation of landmark industrial buildings, the plan – originally devised by Thomas Balsley Associates in 1991 – is an extension of Fre...
Dubai Creek Harbor
Dubai Creek Harbor is a progressive and innovative new neighborhood that aims to respond to environmental concerns with professional, best-practice measures that will ensure an environment that is healthy, accessible, and environmentally responsible.
The storied history, culture, and nature of Dubai Creek serves as the inspiration for the design of Duba...