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).
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...
Amber Bay
The Amber Bay residential development is located on a beautiful rocky promontory that is among the last available parcels along the Dalian shoreline, southeast of the city center. The project features high-end low density modern style residential development including single family villas, townhouses, and low-rise condominiums; shops and seafood restaurants on...
Embankment Square
The Embankment Square is located along the east bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. The project consists of landscape areas in three office parcels and one waterfront park parcel. The view of the site is remarkable, looking toward the landmark skyscrapers of Lujiazui Financial Center, Nanpu Bridge, the Bund, and the Minsheng CBD.
The design concept c...
Hengqin Island
Hengqin Island, located in Zhuhai, China, is embedded within a unique and beautiful landscape, and is currently being developed for urban growth throughout the region. Taking cues from the surrounding site, SWA’s master plan intends to capture the essence of the place, and pay homage to its most fundamental landscape elements: the sea, valley, and mountains. S...